Game Time: Wed. Mar. 30, 2016 3:00 pm & 5:00 pm
Place: Knox College Softball Field
NCAA Series: Knox leads series 1-0.
The Blue Angels continue their trip through the Midwest as they head to Galesburg, Ill. to face the Prairie Fire. These teams have not met since 2010, which means the only barometer would be their similar opponents. Both MMU and Knox have lost two games against Eureka College within the last 48 hours. Similarly to the Blue Angels, the 0-10 Prairie Fire are also searching for their first win of the 2016 season.
As a team, Knox College has a .242 batting average, .859 fielding percentage and a 8.96 ERA. Leading the charge at the plate is Chelsey Howard who is holding a .433 batting average with 13 hits, four RBIs and a .438 on-base percentage.
With 26.0 innings pitched and a 7.81 ERA, Alannah Sanchez leads the Prairie Fire from the circle. Teammate Kristen Koviekis has similar innings and is 0-5 in her five starts with a 10.37 ERA. Both pitchers play to contact as they have a combined 15 strikeouts in their 10 games.
The Blue Angels are 0-6 coming into today's doubleheader. After a slow start to the season, the MMU bats have started to heat up. In the Blue Angels last game, MMU had a season high eight team hits and four runs. Ashley Contreras (So./College Station, Texas) has consistently been getting on base this season, but capped off last night with a 2-of-4 performance from the plate with two doubles and an RBI.
Another boost has been the speedy development of Peyton Davis (Fr./Tracy, Calif.) behind the plate. As a spot catcher in high school, the freshman has started all six games at catcher and has a .929 fielding percentage and only four passed balls.
While the Blue Angels pitching staff is hanging around a team ERA of 6.48 with 20 strikeouts and all six games, the starters went the distance recording six complete games.
Now on their seventh and eighth game of the season, it appears the offense is beginning to get into midseason form and producing more consistently at the plate. As the pitching staff is right under their ERA from last season, MMU will look to put the pressure on the Prairie Fire.
Stay tuned to MtMaryAthletics.com and follow us on twitter @MtMaryAthletics for scoring updates.
