SEWARD, Neb. – Coming off one of the busiest weeks of the season, the Concordia softball team will compete in just two double-headers this week. The Bulldogs will first travel to Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday and then host Dakota Wesleyan Saturday.
GAME INFO
Concordia University (25-10, 6-4 GPAC) at Nebraska Wesleyan University (12-10, 4-5 GPAC)
Wednesday, April 13 | 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Site: University Place Park | Lincoln, Neb.
GAME INFO
Dakota Wesleyan University (25-17, 8-6 GPAC) at Concordia University (25-10, 6-4 GPAC)
Saturday, April 16 | 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Site: Plum Creek Park | Seward, Neb.
Webcast: Concordia Sports Network
Last time out
The Bulldogs competed in five double-headers last week and went 7-3 over their busy schedule. Two opponents were ranked in the top-25, No. 14 Morningside and No. 23 Grand View. Against the ranked foes, Concordia went 1-3. Two of the losses were bottom of the seventh comebacks by its opponents. The victory over Morningside was the Mustang’s first conference loss of the season.
GPAC grade
The Concordia softball squad is sitting third in the GPAC behind Doane and 14th-ranked Morningside. As a team, the Bulldogs lead in batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.506), runs scored per game (7.30), hits per game (10.21), RBI per game (6.46), triples per game (0.54) and total triples (18), rank second in fielding percentage (.960), total runs scored (241), total RBI (213) and at bats per game (28.88) and rank third in total hits (337), doubles per game (1.76), total doubles (58) and total stolen bases (54). Below is a list of individual top-10 rankings in the league.
Kylie Harpst – fielding percentage, tied for first (1.00); innings pitched per game, 10th (4.86); innings pitched, ninth (92.1); batters struck out, 10th (46); hits allowed per game, tied for eighth (7.05); wins, fourth (11); batting average, fifth (.423); slugging percentage, eighth (.658); runs scored per game, seventh (0.94); total runs scored, tied for seventh (30); hits per game, fourth (1.47); total hits, tied for fifth (47); RBI per game, tied for ninth (0.88); triples per game, first (0.16); total triples, first (5); total bases per game, third (2.28); total bases, sixth (73); stolen bases per game, fifth (0.38); total stolen bases, tied for fourth (12); steal attempts per game, sixth (0.41); total steal attempts, sixth (13); at bats per game, sixth (3.47); total at bats, ninth (111)
Taylor Huff – slugging percentage, ninth (.643); total runs scored, tied for ninth (29); hits per game, fourth (1.33); total hits, tied for eighth (44); RBI per game, fourth (1.03); total RBI, tied for sixth (34); doubles per game, fourth (0.36); total doubles, fifth (12); total bases per game, sixth (2.18); total bases, seventh (72); at bats per game, 10th (3.39); total at bats, eighth (112)
Leah Kalkwarf – stolen bases per game, tied for sixth (0.33); total stolen bases, sixth (11); steal attempts per game, fifth (0.42); total steal attempts, tied for fourth (14)
Diana Mendoza – total stolen bases, tied for ninth (8); steal attempts per game, 10th (0.30); total steal attempts, tied for eighth (10)
Autumn Owens – slugging percentage, seventh (.667); RBI per game, second (1.09); total RBI, tied for fourth (35); home runs per game, fifth (0.19); total home runs, tied for fourth (6); total bases per game, eighth (2.12); total bases, tied for eighth (68)
Megan Ruppert – triples per game, fifth (0.09); total triples, tied for third (3); total stolen bases, tied for ninth (8); total steal attempts, tied for 10th (9)
Julia Tyree – total chances, ninth (165); putouts per game, ninth (5.07); total putouts, ninth (152)
Michaela Woodward – fielding percentage, tied for first (1.00); innings pitched per game, ninth (5.09); innings pitched, sixth (96.2)
Fielding with ease
The Bulldogs have a team has a conference second-best 96.0 fielding percentage. Eight ‘Dogs have a perfect mark in the category. Pitcher Michaela Woodward is atop the 100 percent club with 55 total chances. Julia Tyree leads the entire team in chances with 165 and has a 97.6 fielding percentage with just four errors. No member of the team has committed more than eight errors through 35 contests.
National rankings
The Bulldog squad ranks in the top-40 in nearly 20 different statistical categories including sixth in total triples (18) and triples per game (0.55), eighth in runs scored per game (7.30) and RBI per game (6.45) and ninth in hits per game (10.12). Below is a list of individual top-15 rankings in the nation.
Kylie Harpst – fielding percentage, tied for first (1.00); total triples, tied for ninth (5); triples per game, 11th (.16)
Michaela Woodward – fielding percentage, tied for first (1.00)
Quotable
“I’ve been coaching softball for 22 years and I’ve never seen a team explode with their bats the way we did the first inning of that game. That was just flat out hitting the ball. They’ve had it in them all year, so it was nice to see Morningside bring it out in them. We got to knock off the 14th-ranked team in the country, so that was exciting.”
-Head coach Todd LaVelle on the win over No. 14 Morningside
Scouting the opponents
Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves
The Prairie Wolves of Nebraska Wesleyan are currently 12-10 overall and 4-5 in the GPAC. The team has a batting average of .284 and an on-base mark of 33.4 percent. Nebraska Wesleyan’s pitching crew has a team ERA of 3.14 and their opponents’ batting average against them is .290. The Prairie Wolves are led by head coach Mary Yori who is in her first year at Nebraska Wesleyan. Yori is assisted by Christy Heinzmann, Kelsey Huenink and Becky Bomberger.
Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers
The Tigers of Dakota Wesleyan hold a 25-17 record and an 8-6 mark in the conference. Dakota Wesleyan will face Mount Marty College on Wednesday before traveling to Seward this weekend. The Tigers have a team batting average of .321 and a 37.6 on-base percentage. The Dakota Wesleyan pitching staff owns a 3.60 ERA. The Tigers are led by head coach Ed Kieff who is in his fifth year at Dakota Wesleyan. Kieff is assisted by Jim Misiaszek and Chelsea Moody.
Up next
The Concordia softball team will have three double-headers next week. On Monday the Bulldogs will travel to York for their last regular-season, non-conference game of the season. Tuesday Concordia will host Midland before traveling to Mount Marty on Saturday.