March 5, 2014
Complete Release in PDF Format
The Slate
Georgia Softball Classic ~ Jack Turner Stadium ~ Athens, Ga.
Tournament Central: here.
Live Stats: purduesports.com
Audio (Georgia games): here.
Friday, March 7
10 a.m. vs. Tennessee Tech
12:30 p.m. vs. Kent State
Saturday, March 8
10 a.m. vs. vs. Tennessee Tech
3 p.m. vs. Georgia
Sunday, March 9
12:30 p.m. vs. Georgia
The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: Purdue (6-10-1) hits the road for the fifth-straight weekend and will face its fifth ranked foe of the season, when it travels to Athens, Ga., for the Georgia Softball Classic. The team returns 17 players from its 2013 squad which posted a 21-32 mark, an 8-14 Big Ten mark and Big Ten Tournament second round appearance. Seven position starters and three starting pitchers return, while five newcomers join the roster. Head coach Kim Schuette is in her first season with the Boilermakers after spending the last eight years as head coach at Eastern Illinois.
Last Time Out: The Boilermakers posted a 1-4 record at the Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala., last weekend. Purdue fell to No. 9 Florida State twice (2-1, 4-1), and to No. 11 Alabama (7-3) before splitting games with Houston (L 2-4, W 5-2). Pitcher Lilly Fecho and designated player/second baseman Mary Gooding were named to the all-tournament team.
Statistically Speaking: First baseman Ashley Burkhardt (.404) and outfielder Andie Varsho (.380) lead the Boilermaker bats, while four other players are batting .250 or better. Burkhardt boasts a .404 average, including seven doubles and four home runs, as well as a team-best 20 RBI and 13 runs scored. Varsho has added 13 runs and 10 stolen bases. Shortstop Kristen Hoppman (.324), designated player/second baseman Mary Gooding (.385), catcher Katy McJunkin (.280) and catcher Danielle Fletcher (.250) follow. Fletcher has driven in eight RBI and launched three home runs, while outfielder Lindsey Rains (.241) has added four doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI. As a team, the Boilers are batting .279 with 12 home runs and 27 stolen bases.
In the circle, the Purdue staff has combined for 89 strikeouts in 113 innings. Sophomore Lilly Fecho (4-6) has done the bulk of the pitching, striking out 62 batters in 62 innings, including nine complete games. Junior Lexy Moore (1-4) has added 13 Ks in 23 innings, while junior Alex Whittemore has issued seven Ks in 16 innings, including a complete-game no-hitter. Senior Lauren Grant has struck out seven batters in 11 innings.
Series Information
Tennessee Tech (Purdue leads the series 3-1): The Boilermakers won the first three meetings in the series with the Golden Eagles, taking 12-0 and 10-1 wins in Nashville in 2003 and a 3-0 decision at the 2004 Capitol Classic in Sacramento. TTU took the most recent meeting with a 1-0 win on March 10, 2006 at the USF Adidas Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.
Kent State (The series is tied 1-1): The Boilermakers and Golden Flashes split the two previous meetings in 2000 and 2005. Purdue won a 2-1 contest in West lafayette on March 25, 2000, but Kent State took a 4-2 decision on Feb. 25, 2005 at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Georgia (Georgia leads the series 4-0): The Bulldogs have takn all four previous meetings with the Boilermakers in the series which began on March 7, 1998 at the Speedline Invitational in Tampa. Georgia won that game 6-3 in 10 innings, then took a pair of games in St. Augustine, Fla., in 2002 (3-2, 1-0) and a 6-2 win on March 4, 2006, at the Worth Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.
What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top Tennessee Tech on Friday...
- They will move to 7-11-1 on the season and 6-8 in neutral site contests.
- They will move to 251-166 all-time in the month of March, including an 8-6 mark on March 7.
- It would move the team's record to 252-184-1 all-time in neutral site non-conference games.
Talking About Tennessee Tech
At First Glance: The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (5-11) will play a Wednesday doubleheader vs. Holy Cross before travelling to Athens, Ga., for the Georgia Softball Classic. The Golden Eagles return 14 letterwinners, including seven starters and three pitchers, from the 2013 team that went 22-28 including seventh place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference. TTU is coached by Bonnie Bynum, who is in her second year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Golden Eagles lost a three-game set at East Carolina last weekend, falling by scores of 7-1, 4-3 and 4-0.
Statistically Speaking: Five Tennessee Tech starters are batting over .200, including three over .250. Outfielder Madison Taylor (.292) and catcher Kendall Hooper (.283) lead the way. Taylor has driven in a team-best nine RBI, scored seven runs and tallied seven extra base hits, including two triples and two home runs. Hooper has scored seven runs and added two doubles and a triple. Outfielder Angi Sakamoto (.250) follows with eight runs and two home runs. Outfielder Olivia Bennett (.205) and catcher Chelsea Burgess (.200) round out the group. Burgess had scored a team-best 10 runs and launched three home runs, while Bennett has two home runs to her credit. As a team, the Golden Eagles are batting .215 with nine home runs and 11 stolen bases.
Four pitchers have seen time in the circle for Tennessee Tech. Freshman lefty Danielle Liberatore (3-4) has struck out 37 batters in 48 innings, including a shutout. Sophomore Hannah Weaver (2-4) has added 14 Ks in 32 innings. Junior Taylor Kethcum (0-2) has struck out six in 16 innings, while junior Erika Tuck (0-0) has thrown seven innings. The staff is allowing foes to hit at a .335 clip.
Facts About the Golden Flashes
At First Glance: The Kent State Golden Flashes (8-4) bring a three-game win streak into the weekend. KSU returns 13 letterwinners, including seven starters, from the 2013 team which went 27-21-1 and finished first in the Mid-American Conference East division. Kent State is coached by Karen Linder, who is in her 18th year with the team.
Last Time Out: Kent State won a pair of games at the James Madison Invitational in Harrisonburg, Va., last weekend, topping Penn State 9-1 and JMU 4-3.
Statistically Speaking: Utility player Shelbi Tilton (.364), outfielder Kim Kirkpatrick (.350) and infielder Maddy Grimm (.342) lead the KSU offense. Grimm has driven in a team-best 17 RBI with two triples and three home runs, while Kirkpatrick has scored a team-leading 12 runs and added six extra-base hits, including two home runs. Tilton has accounted for seven RBI and two homers.Infielder Lauren Kesterson (.217), outfielder Dani Ramos (.211) and infielder Michelle Duffy (.211) also are batting above .200. Ramos has scored seven runs and tallied one triple, while Duffy has added a home run and three RBI. As a team, the Golden Flashes are batting .236 with nine home runs and nine stolen bases.
Junior Emma Johnson (5-2) has done the bulk of the pitching for Kent State, striking out 40 batters in 39 innings with a 2.31 ERA. Freshman Ronnie Ladines (1-1) has issued 16 Ks in 18 innings and earned a save, while boasting a 1.13 ERA. Senior Lauren McNeil (1-1) has added seven striekouts in 16 innings and picked up two saves, while owning a 1.26 ERA. Freshman Janel Hayes (1-0) has struck out one batter in six innings of work. The staff is holding opponents to a .220 average.
A Bit About the Bulldogs
At First Glance: The No. 18 Georgia Bulldogs (16-2) play host to their second straight home tournament with the UGA Softball Classic this weekend. The Bulldogs return seven position starters and two pitchers, from the 2013 team which went 40-21, finished fifth in the Southeastern Conference and advanced to the NCAA Regionals. Georgia is coached by Lu Harris-Champer, who is in her 14th year with the team.
Last Time Out: Georgia posted a 4-1 record at its own Bulldog Classic last weekend. The Bulldogs topped Western Carolina (9-3) and took two games from St. John's (8-0 (5) and 13-3 (5)) before splitting their final two contests with UAB (L 0-8, W 10-1 (5)).
Statistically Speaking: Seven Bulldog hitters are batting over .250. Second baseman Anna Swafford (.409) and outfielder/first baseman Kaylee Puailoa (.404) lead the way. Swafford has scored a team-best 18 runs, added three home runs and stolen eight bases, while Puailoa has scored 12 runs, driven in 10 RBI and launched four homers. Utility player Maeve McGuire (.385), pitcher/first baseman Geri Ann Glasco (.380), shortstop Paige Wilson (.350), third baseman Alex Hugo (.340) and catcher Katie Browne (.262) round out the group. Glaso has driven in a team-best 18 RBI and launched four home runs,w hile Hugo has added 18 RBI, 17 runs and six home runs. McGuire and Wilson have accounted for 17 RBI apiece with help from four and three home runs respectively. As a team, Georiga is batting .350 with 28 home runs and 17 stolen bases.
Glasco (8-0) and sophomore Chelsea Wilkinson (8-2) have split time in the circle and combined to hold foes to a .161 average. Glasco has struck out 48 batters in 50 innings, including two shutouts, while boasting a 1.11 ERA. Wilkinson has issued 81 Ks in 53 innings, including four shutouts and a save, while posting a 1.18 ERA and limiting opponents to a .112 average.
Tournament Honors
Senior Maia Monchek and junior Ashley Burkhardt were named to the all-tournament team at the Louisiana Classic. Burkhardt and senior Andie Varsho garnered all-tournament nods at the Kickin' Chicken Classic. Sophomore pitcher Lilly Fecho and sophomore designated player Mary Gooding earned all-tournament team mention at the Easton Crimson Classic.
A Tough Slate
The Boilermakers will face tough foes in 2014, including 10 teams ranked or receiving votes in the preseason Top 25. Purdue will play eight games against the Top 25: No. 5 Michigan twice, No. 6 Alabama, No. 10 Texas, No. 15 Florida State twice, No. 18 Baylor and No. 23 Georgia. The team also will take on vote-getters in Aurburn, Houston (twice), and Wisconsin (three times) boosting the tally to 15 games against ranked foes or those receiving votes.
The Boilermakers will face two opponents for the first time in program history, taking on Towson at the Coastal Carolina Kickin' Chicken Classic and Quinnipiac at the USF Invitational.