Softball looks to rebound at week two of its season-opening tournament series, and March brings a new month of fitness focus for the Blue Angel Fitness Challenge.

Check out This Week in Blue Angel Athletics for March 1-7.

Softball Opens Season in Illinois

The MMU softball team opened its season at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Ill., last week, as host of the inaugural MMU Collegiate Slugger Series. The Blue Angels opened the two-day slate with a 7-1 defeat by Augustana, then dropped a double-header with Edgewood on Friday, 8-0 and 4-3.

Junior Aislinn Strusz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) recorded a pair of hits on the weekend, as did several newcomers to the softball program. Freshman pitcher Brianna Lupa (Plano, Ill./Plano) went 2-for-six with an RBI on the weekend, adding a walk and a stolen base to her strong performances in the circle. Freshmen Marissa Heraly (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) and Sam Allen (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) also picked up a pair of hits, including the lone extra-base hit off the bat of Allen.

In her two starts, Lupa recorded four strikeouts and just five earned runs, with sophomore Kaitlyn Gilpin (Lyons, Ill./Lyons Township) recording just one earned run against in three innings of relief against Edgewood in Friday's opener. 

Slugger Series Part Deux

The Blue Angels will return to the Slugger Dome this week for Part II of the MMU Collegiate Slugger Series. After a great opening event weekend, Mount Mary welcomes 11 total teams for the second weekend, battling Carroll and Loras on Thursday before taking on St. Scholastica and Wisconsin Lutheran on Friday morning. 

March Calendar available for Blue Angel Fitness Challenge

With the flipping of the calendar comes new fitness focus! Check out the calendar in the Athletics Spotlight section of the website and practice updated physical, nutritional, and mental health points of emphasis.

On the Calendar

Thursday, March 4

4:00 pm – Softball v. Carroll (@MMU Collegiate Slugger Series – Peoria, Ill.)
9:15 pm – Softball v. Loras (@MMU Collegiate Slugger Series – Peoria, Ill.)

Friday, March 5

8:00 am – Softball v. St. Scholastica (@MMU Collegiate Slugger Series – Peoria, Ill.)
9:45 am – Softball v. Wisconsin Lutheran (@MMU Collegiate Slugger Series – Peoria, Ill.)