WEEKEND INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARKANSAS TECH
GOLDEN SUNS
2024 Record: 28-24 (17-15 GAC) |
DRURY
PANTHERS
2024 Record: 30-24 (17-9 GLVC) |
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
BEARCATS
2024 Record: 19-31 (8-18 GLVC) |
MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON
GOLDEN EAGLES
2024 Record: 14-39 (7-21 NSIC) |
MISSOURI SOUTHERN
LIONS
2024 Record: 33-22 (12-14 MIAA) |
EMPORIA STATE
HORNETS
2024 Record: 31-20 (14-12 MIAA) |
|
Friday, January 31 | 2 p.m.
Branson Ballfields (Tanger Field) | Branson, Mo.
LIVE STATS
Friday, January 31 |4 p.m.
Branson Ballfields (Track Field) | Branson, Mo.
LIVE STATS |
Saturday, February 1 | 2 p.m.
Branson Ballfields (Famous Dave's Field) | Branson, Mo.
Saturday, February 1 | 4 p.m.
Branson Ballfields (Famous Dave's Field) | Branson, Mo.
|
Sunday, February 2 | 9 a.m.
Branson Ballfields (Tanger Field) | Branson, Mo.
|
FIRST PITCH
The Arkansas Tech softball team is set to open their season this weekend at the Branson Ballfields in Branson, Missouri for the Branson Leadoff Classic.
Over the course of the weekend, the Golden Suns will take on Drury and Southwest Baptist on Friday, Minnesota-Crookston and Missouri Southern on Saturday and Emporia State on Sunday.
TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
The Golden Suns enter the 2025 season looking to take the next step under third-year head coach
Jordon Jones. Last season,
Jones led the Golden Suns to a 26-21 overall record and a 17-16 mark in the Great American Conference where they were the No. 5-seed in the conference tournament, advancing to the second round.
This year, the Golden Suns will be led in terms of experience by their pitching staff as all three of their primary starters return to the circle in
Bradi Basler,
Aidan Dayberry and
Alexis Findley. The trio combined to make all but three of the starts last season and accounted for over 240 innings.
Findley posted the lowest ERA among the three at 2.75 across 89.0 innings while
Basler notched the most wins (7) and had the most strikeouts (75).
Dayberry was tops in limiting free baserunners with just 17 issued over 65.1 innings of work.
Expected to bolster the pitching staff are a pair new arms in of
Ainslee Moore and
Aly White. Both are true freshmen looking to make an immediate impact in their first season as Golden Suns.
Offensively, the Golden Suns return five hitters that had at least 50 at-bats last season.
Maycie Hardy is the top returning hitter from a year ago as she hit .315 (39-for-124) with nine doubles, three home runs and drove in 17. The top returning RBI leader is
Lexi Gorniak as she drove in 18.
In addition to the returning hitters, the Golden Suns are set to welcome in 11 newcomers to the fold. Nine of those are true freshmen with
Sadie Turner and
Caroline Wilhelm joining the team as transfers.
Turner comes to Tech from UCA while
Wilhelm is coming from Fort Scott Community College.
SCOUTING DRURY
Drury ended the 2024 season with a 30-24 overall record and were 17-9 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
Drury returns six of their top ten batters from last season, led by
Sophia Luetticke and
Brooklyn LaChappa.
Luetticke hit .393 in 54 games played.
LaChappa had a batting average of .299 and slugged .377.
In the circle, Drury has two returners in
AJ Agers and
Kaley Adzick.
Agers recorded a 2.90 ERA in 91.2 innings pitched.
Adzick had a 2.96 in 71 innings pitched.
The Panthers are led by
Brooke Gajewski, who in her second season as head coach at Drury and her third overall. In her first season,
Gajewski led the Panthers to a 30-24 overall record which included six wins over national tournament teams and a third-place finish in the GLVC regular season.
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
Last season, Southwest Baptist went 19-31 overall and were 8-18 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) during the regular season.
Offensively, the Bearcats have six players returning who played and started in at least six games.
Angelina Micone had the highest batting average among returners at .432 (64-for-148).
Margo Frossard is the top power hitter returning as she slugged .655 with 15 doubles, one triple and eight home runs. She also drove in a team-high 32 runs.
In the circle, the Bearcats have all five of their pitchers back from last season.
Emma Kreisel and
Paige Leithead each started at least 17 games last season to shoulder the load in terms of innings.
Kreisel had a 3.71 ERA and a 7-12 record. She would notch 94 strikeouts in 124.2 innings pitched.
Leithead was 9-8 with a 5.45 ERA and had 47 strikeouts in 97.2 innings.
The Bearcats are led by
Tripp Swisher, who in his third season as head coach at Southwest Baptist and his ninth overall. With a previous head coaching stint at Midway University,
Swisher has a career record of 143-215.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON
Last season, Minnesota-Crookston went 14-39 overall and were 7-21 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Minnesota-Crookston is picked to finish 14th in the NSIC according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles are expected to be led by
Whitnee Curry.
Curry was named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team a year ago, after leading the Golden Eagles in average, hits, walks and struck out just 17 times in over 140 at-bats.
Haley Koch,
Rayna French and
Sophie Juntunen are all back after each starting 40 games for the Golden Eagles in 2024.
In the circle, the Golden Eagles return some reliable veterans in
Alexa Guilford and
Evie Stuck.
Guilford appeared in 32 games and made five starts last season. She would post a 4-5 record with two saves and had a 3.25 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 73.1 innings of work.
Stuck appeared in 21 games and made 10 starts. She would go 3-10 and had a 6.82 ERA with 42 strikeouts across 63.2 innings.
The Golden Eagles are led by Arkansas Tech alumnae
Ashton Sangster, who in her first season as head coach at Minnesota-Crookston. Prior to becoming the head coach,
Sangster spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Minnesota-Crookston.
SCOUTING MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Last season, Missouri Southern went 33-22 overall and were 12-14 in the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Missouri Southern is picked to finish fifth in the MIAA according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
The Lions will be returning 11 position players and four pitchers from last season.
Kylee Jacks was named an All-MIAA Gold Glove and Second-Team selection in 2024. The senior outfielder from Spring, Texas, hit .373 with 49 runs scored, 66 hits, five doubles, six triples, one homerun, 14 RBIs, 31 stolen bases in 34 attempts, and 13 walks drawn. She posted a slugging percentage of .486 and owned a .422 on-base percentage. Among program single-season ranks, she finished second in runs (49) and tied for seventh in stolen bases (31). She had 84 putouts, one assist and a 1.000 fielding percentage.
Taylor Nuckolls was named an All-MIAA Second-Team selection at second base for the first time in her career in 2024. The junior from Lago Vista, Texas, hit .348 with 32 runs scored, 49 hits, four doubles, five triples, three home runs, 46 RBIs, and eight walks drawn. She posted a .511 slugging percentage.
Nuckolls tied for fifth in RBIs (46) in 2024 among program single-season ranks.
Katie Gray was an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection at first base for her second straight All-MIAA distinction in 2024. The junior from Lansing, Kan., hit .299 with 38 hits, nine doubles, four home runs, and 32 RBIs. She posted a slugging percentage of .480 and on-base percentage of .383.
Kiki Pickens was named to the All-MIAA Gold Glove team as a pitcher for her first All-MIAA distinction of her career. The sophomore from Beebe, Ark., posted a 1.96 ERA in 27 appearances and 22 starts for an 11-7 record in 117.2 innings while striking out 110 batters and limiting opposing batters to just 35 walks and a .205 batting average.
The Lions are led by
Hallie Blackney, who in her seventh season as head coach at Missouri Southern. At MSSU,
Blackney is 160-111-1.
SCOUTING EMPORIA STATE
Last season, Emporia State went 31-20 overall and were 14-12 in the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) during the regular season. Ahead of this season, Emporia State is picked to finish eighth in the MIAA according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
Emporia State returns their top three starting pitchers from last season and three position players that started at least 16 games.
Gracie Rabe had a team best 2.88 ERA last season over 114.1 innings pitched with six complete games.
Jordan Harrison went 8-4 with two saves, 76 strikeouts and a 5.01 ERA in 88.0 innings pitched in 2024.
Jayda VanAckeren was 8-2 with a 5.01 ERA in the circle last season.
First baseman
Haley Garnett played in 43 games with 41 starts last season. She led the MIAA and ranked 16th in the nation in walks per game last year and had a .421 on base percentage.
Brooke Flewelling played in 35 games with 32 starts between third base and designated player last season for the Hornets. She had four home runs on the year.
Karli Wehunt started 16 games and saw action in 23 games last year on the infield and as a designated player.
The Hornets are led by
April Rosales, who in her 10th season as head coach at her alma mater, Emporia State. At ESU,
Rosales is 239-222.
