Game Time... The Northwestern softball team concludes regular season play this evening as they play host to Morningside in a GPAC doubleheader at 5/7:00 pm. The Red Raiders are in fourth place in the GPAC with a 14-8 record, 24-16 overall. Morningside is in second place in the league with a 16-6 record and are in impressive 32-9 overall.
Scouting Report... Morningside comes in having won five of their last six games and need one win against NWC to secure the second seed in the upcoming GPAC Tournament. In 2007, the Mustangs were the GPAC Champions and finished with a 43-13 overall record. They return several key players off of last year's squad, including four players who earned first team all-GPAC honors. Head Coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann is in her 10th season with the Mustangs and is the winningest coach in the program's history with a record of 290-202. She earned GPAC Coach-of-the-Year honors last year.
The Mustangs sport the league's best batting average (.326), fielding percentage (.969) and ERA (2.23). They average 6.2 runs per game and give up 2.2 runs per game. Morningside has 50 stolen bases this season and have committed just 32 errors so far this year.
Morningside is led at the plate by a pair of 2007 first team all-conference players, Alisha Krieg and Kendra Klein. Krieg, a senior outfielder, leads the GPAC with a .441 average with 22 runs scored and 28 RBIs. She also has hit four home runs this season. Klein, a junior third baseman, is second in the league in both batting average (.429) and home runs (6). She leads the league with 46 RBIs and is third in runs scored with 35. Senior first baseman Steph Loeschen is seventh in the GPAC with a .386 average at the plate and has 23 RBIs this season. Megan Tuttle, a senior outfielder, leads the league in doubles (12) and is second in stolen bases (15/17) to go along with a .327 batting average. Jerra Steffen, a junior infielder, is fourth in the GPAC with 34 runs scored.
Both pitchers return from last year's squad, led by GPAC Pitcher-of-the-Year Kelly Baumert. The sophomore from Omaha, Neb. leads the GPAC with 17 wins this season against just three losses. Baumert sports a 2.09 ERA and is third in the league with 143 strikeouts in 125 innings pitched. Senior pitcher Whitney McElrath is third in the GPAC with a 13-5 record to go with a 2.38 ERA. The 2007 first team all-GPAC pitcher has 101 strikeouts in 125 innings pitched with just 16 walks.
Last Time Out... Morningside swept past USF 8-0 (6) and 11-3 (6) in a GPAC doubleheader on April 23 for their third straight win. Kelly Baumert picked up the complete game shutout win in game one as the sophomore gave up two hits and struck out 13. Offensively, the Mustangs were led by Jerra Steffen and Amanda Martines who each had two hits. Kendra Klein hit her sixth home run of the season and drove in four RBIs. In game two, Morningside pounded out 16 hits and scored seven runs in the first two innings en route to the 11-3 win. Martines went 3-for-4 with a run scored and one two RBIs. Steph Loeschen also had three hits and Alisha Krieg belted her fourth home run of the season. Whitney McElrath earned her 13th win of the season with a complete-game five hitter.
The Northwestern College softball team had their eight game win streak snapped last night in Crete, Neb. as they lost a doubleheader to Doane, 5-0 and 6-0. Lexy Determan picked up the loss in game one as the freshman allowed seven hits, five runs and struck out six. Doane scored all five of their runs in the second inning. Offensively, Northwestern recorded five hits, all singles, led by Determan who went 2-for-3. Sara Curry, Lizz Swanson and Lara Vonnahmen each had one hit as well.
In game two, Doane scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed in earning the sweep over the Red Raiders. Gavi Burrola went the distance for Coach Mason's squad as she scattered 11 hits and gave up six runs. Northwestern managed just one hit against Doane starter Megan Steele, a single by Rachel Harris in the fifth inning.
Red Raider Notes... Northwestern is currently 24-16 overall, 14-8 in the league. They are in fourth place in the current GPAC standings but could finish anywhere from third to seventh after tonight's contests. The Red Raiders have qualified for postseason play which will begin later this week. Head Coach Melanie Mason is in her seventh year as Head Coach and has led NWC to a 203-109 record coming into this year. Last year, the Red Raiders finished 32-19 overall and tied for second place in the conference with an 18-6 mark.
Northwestern averages 4.3 runs per game and is ninth in the league with a team batting average of .267. They have 47 stolen bases in 54 attempts and have hit 13 home runs this season. Defensively, the Red Raiders are third in the league with a .960 fielding percentage. Their pitching staff sports a 2.34 ERA, sixth best in the league.
Freshman Lexy Determan is second in the GPAC with 15 wins this season. She leads the league with 189 strikeouts and became Northwestern's single season record holder in strikeouts in the Briar Cliff game. Teams are batting .182 against Determan. Gavi Burrola is 7-7 with a 3.70 ERA this season. Lizz Swanson continues to lead NWC with a .389 batting average with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs. The senior ranks fourth all-time in school history in home runs (18), second in stolen bases (71), fifth in RBIs (106) and seventh in both runs (123) and hits (187). Michelle Van Duyn is second on the team with a .339 batting average with 24 runs scored and 17 RBIs. Sara Curry is third on the team with a .323 average with four triples and three doubles. Freshmen Rachel Harris and Stacey Godfrey are batting .292 and .286, respectively.
Next up... The Red Raiders will be back in action this Saturday at home against Dana at 3/5:00 pm. It will be the final home games for seniors Lizz Swanson, Michelle Van Duyn and Amy Larson.
2008 media guide
