As the Mount Mary University softball team is getting ready for a long late season stretch, the Blue Angels (2-14) hit the road for Deerfield, Ill. to play Trinity International University (0-17). The game is set for Saturday April 4th with first pitch of the doubleheader set for 12:00 pm.
In the NCAA era, the Blue Angels are 1-0 against the Trojans. The lineups have changed drastically for both teams, Katie Edwards (Sr./Mackinaw, Ill.) is the only player on either roster that played in the schools' last match-up.
The Blue Angels have added more depth each season, and have recently seen a big boost in the on-field success on both offense and defense. Currently Nikki Festge (Jr./Menomonee Falls, Wis.) and Ashley Contreras (Fr./College Station, Texas) have cut the team ERA in half from last season to 8.01 this year and have doubled the team's average strikeout rate.
In the batter's box, the Blue Angels have seen a big lift in production. Senior Katie Edwards has been right on course as she is fifth in the Association of Division III Independents in batting average (.370) and sixth in RBIs (10). Along with her, newcomer Payton Hintz (Fr./Almond, Wis.) is seventh in AD3I in batting average with .357 and fifth in slugging percentage with .452.
Wrecking the base paths, McKenzie Harnack (Fr./Stoughton, Wis.) leads the team with seven stolen bases, and has only been caught once.
While the Blue Angels have added a little pop to their lineup, the team has hit a 12 game skid. The bats have stayed alive, averaging 6.5 hits in their last six games. The strong offensive presence might just give MMU the upper hand against the Trojans pitching staff which has a team ERA of 10.27 on the year.
Following Saturday's contest, the Blue Angels will get ready for a big homestretch as they prepare for six games in five days. The first doubleheader will pit MMU against Lawrence University on Tuesday April 7th with first pitch at 3:00 pm.
