SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs are looking to get back into the action after a spring break layoff facing three separate teams in doubleheaders including two conference foes. Concordia University, Nebraska Softball will take on Midland, Nebraska Wesleyan University and Briar Cliff all on the road. Head Coach Brock Culler and company are 9-7 overall opening GPAC play on Wednesday (March 18).
This week
Wednesday, March 18 at No. 19 Midland (18-8), 5 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Schlike Field (Fremont, Neb.)
Friday, March 20 at Nebraska Wesleyan (8-8), 4 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Sandhills Global Youth Complex (Lincoln, Neb.)
Saturday, March 21 at Briar Cliff (10-14), 1 p.m. DH
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Hubbard Park (Sioux City, Iowa)
By the numbers
· Two big swings were the major catalysts for the 5-2 triumph over Bethany College (Kan.). Aubriana Krieser and Kiera Farritor each barreled blasts over the outfield wall that accounted for four of the five runs against the Swedes. Aubrey Wright, Tobi Topp, Taryn Ganstrom and Bailey Merritt also punched hits to find bases. Kaylei Denison was the winning pitcher giving up eight hits and two earned runs as she struck out four in all seven frames pitched. The Bulldogs had a 3-2 lead against Baker University (Kan.) going into the bottom of the fourth inning. The Wildcats plated six to blow the contest open and won in five frames (11-3). Krieser (two RBIs) and Ganstrom hit an RBI-double and triple, respectively.
· Concordia has been making contact early in the season. Led by Hart (.404), the Bulldogs' team batting average is .313 through 16 games which ranks third among GPAC teams. Seven players hit above .300 include the likes of Hart, Kiera Farritor (.389), Grace Zaugg (.375), Tobi Topp (.341), Laycee Josoff (.308), Avery O’Boyle (.308) and Taryn Ganstrom (.313).
· The leading three in slugging percentage are Farritor (.639), Aubriana Krieser (.553) and Ganstrom (.542). Krieser (three), Farritor (two) and Ganstrom (one) have six of the seven homers with Grace Maguire shelling out the other. Topp (.500) and Grace Zaugg (.500) fall behind the initial three and Hart has dropped below with a .474 slugging rate. In extra-base knocks, Krieser (six), Ganstrom (six), Topp (five), Farritor (five) and Hart (four) lead the pack of wild Dawgs.
· Denison is on a three-game win streak beginning last week with a 2.33 earned run average through 94 batters faced. The Waverly, Neb., product was a flamethrower against Kansas Wesleyan with nine strikeouts to reach a new single-game career high. The junior has a 3.16 ERA for the season and a 5-3 record as the game one starter. Through 51 innings, She has 31 punchouts and nine starts.
· Mary Beth Hart leads the team with 23 hits (four extra-base) on 57 visits to the plate. With a .404 batting average, the Lincoln Southwest High alum has reached base in .474 percent of her at-bats. The freshman left fielder has graced the leadoff spot from day one as a Bulldog and continues to show why she’s in the front with six stolen bags, totaling 27 bases. In 57 appearances in the batter’s box, Hart has only been punched out twice by opposing pitchers.
The Opponents
The Warriors are 18-8 overall winning eight of their last 10 games. Midland’s batting average sits at .288 with Alexis Shepherd (.387), Jayci Reimers (.365) and Makenna Watkins (.325) being the most dangerous. Isabelle Pagan is out front in home runs slugging six into the stands at a .590 percentage. Pagan has plated a team-leading 19 RBIs, as Shepherd (18) and Emma Hodnet (15) rank behind her. The Warriors have relied heavily on Campbell Petrick (86.2 IP) and Mackenzie Groninga (67.0) inside the circle. Groninga has 90 punchouts with a 1.67 ERA and a 9-2 record. Petrick has amassed 50 strikeouts with a 1.25 ERA earning a 6-5 record.
The Prairie Wolves are 8-8 overall having lost three of their last four. Nebraska Wesleyan’s .278 hitting percentage is powered by Jenna Kimberling (.380), Addyson Maxwell (.333) and Eva Fahrnbruch (.326). Kimberling has 19 hits (eight extra-base) with five doubles on the stat sheet. Taylor Korecky posts a .525 slugging percentage, the second-highest on the roster after Kimberling (.620). Fahrnbruch has thrown 59.1 innings earning a 2.36 ERA. She has thrown 17 strikeouts and allowed seven walks.
The Chargers are 10-14 overall having won two of their last three. Briar Cliff has a team with a .275 batting average as Lauryn Mattox (.339), Sydney Mennenga (.329) and Aubrey White (.323) pace the squad out of Sioux City. White has an OPS of 1.010 and a slugging percentage of .548. Mennenga has a team-high nine extra-bag knocks. BCU has five players with over 20 innings pitched, but White has the highest pitch count to date at 44.2 innings. White has a 5-2 record on a 3.45 ERA and 18 punchouts.
Up next
Concordia has five games scheduled for next week facing in-state Bellevue on Wednesday (March 25). The Bulldogs are set for two doubleheaders the following weekend, including their home opener against Morningside and Dakota Wesleyan.