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The Slate
Tennessee Invitational
Sherri Parker Lee Stadium ~ Knoxville, Tenn.
Live Stats: purduesports.com
Webcast (ISU): Watch
Radio: (UT): Listen
Video (UT): Watch
Friday, March 6
7 p.m. vs. Indiana State
Saturday, March 7
4:30 p.m. vs. BYU
7 p.m. vs. North Dakota State
Sunday, March 8
10 a.m. vs. Northern Iowa
12:30 p.m. at #11 Tennessee
The Book on the Boilermakers
At First Glance: Purdue (10-5) has won 10 of its last 11 games, heading into the Tennessee Invitational this weekend. The Boilermakers finished the 2014 season with a 27-28-1 overall record, falling in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Purdue returns 11 letterwinners, including three position starters and three pitchers from that team, which earned the No. 6 seed in the tournament after posting a 13-10 record in league play and winning five of its eight conference series. Head coach Kim Schuette is in her second season with the Boilermakers.
Last Time Out: The Boilermakers went 4-1 at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational in Fort Myers, Fla., Feb. 20-22. Purdue topped Oakland (4-1), FGCU twice (10-2 (9), 3-1) and Bethune-Cookman (2-0), but fell to Stony Brook (3-2). Junior pitcher Lilly Fecho threw a Purdue game-record 19 strikeouts on Feb. 20 vs. FGCU. Last weekend's Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn., was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Statistically Speaking: First baseman Ashley Burkhardt and outfielder Maya Hughes lead the team at the plate with better than .400 averages. Burkhardt (.479) has driven in a team-best 21 RBI, scored 16 runs, swiped 12 bases and launched six home runs. Hughes is batting .420 with a double, a triple, nine runs and 12 stolen bases. Catcher Kaylah Hampton (.368), designated player Katie Harrison (.323), third baseman CJ Parsons (.281) and outfielder Kristen Hoppman (.275) also are batting .250 or better. Hampton has driven in 12 RBI, scored eight runs and launched five home runs. Parsons boasts seven runs, a double and an inside the park home run, while Hoppman has three doubles and four runs to her credit. Harrison has accounted for five RBI and a double. Pitcher/designated player Alex Whittemore has four hits, including a double and a home run, in 14 at-bats. As a team, the Boilers are batting .300 with 13 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
In the circle, the Boilermaker pitchers are holding foes to a .203 average. Junior Lilly Fecho (8-2) has posted a 0.88 ERA with 91 strikeouts, two shutouts and a save in 63.2 innings of work. Seniors Lexy Moore (2-2) has issued 10 strikeouts in 23 innings, while Whittemore (0-1) has added six Ks in nine innings. Freshman Gina Snyder has struck out three batters in three and two thirds innings.
What a Difference a Win Makes ...
If the Boilermakers top Indiana State on Friday ...
- They will extend their current win streak to two games.
- They will move to 15-4 all-time against the Sycamores, including six straight wins dating to March 29, 2000.
- They will move to 263-172-2 all-time in the month of March, including 8-6 on March 6.
- It would move the team's record to 265-191-1 all-time in neutral site non-conference games.
Series Information
Indiana State (Purdue leads the series 14-4): The Sycamores won two of the first three contests in the series which began on March 25, 1994, but Purdue has dominated the series since, winning 13 of the last 15 meetings. The Boilermakers won eight straight from 19995 to 1998. ISU took the next two contests, but Purdue has won the last five, the most recent being a 1-0 victory on March 7, 2009, at the Buzz Classic in Woodstock, Ga.
BYU (BYU leads the series 5-0): The Cougars have won all five previous meetings with the Boilermakers in the series which began on March 12, 2005, at the Speedline Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. The teams also met once in 2006, twice in 2007 and most recently in Fullerton, Calif., on March 15, 2012.
North Dakota State (Purdue leads the series 1-0): The Boilermakers topped the Bison 5-3 on Feb. 14, 2010, at the ASU Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., in the lone previous meeting between the teams.
Northern Iowa (Purdue leads the series 2-1): The Boilermakers took the first two meetings in the series with the Panthers , which began on Feb. 26, 1995. UNI, however, won the most recent meeting on Feb. 18, 2014, at the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette, La.
Tennessee (Tennessee leads the series 2-1): The Boilermakers and the Vols split the first two contests in the series in 1996 in Knoxville with UT taking a March 7 meeting 10-7 and Purdue countering with a 5-4 win three days later. Tennessee won the most recent contest on Feb. 18, 2006, at the UNLV Desert Classic in Las Vegas.
Scouting the Sycamores
At First Glance: The Indiana State Sycamores (2-9) bring a seven-game losing streak into the Tennessee Invitational, which begins on Thursday. ISU returns 11 letterwinners, including eight starters and two pitchers, from the 2014 team, which posted a 27-26 record, and finished 10th in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Sycamores are coached by Shane Bouman, who is in his third season with the team.
Last Time Out: Indiana State dropped a pair of games in Rosemount, Ill., last weekend, falling to Butler (5-4) and IUPUI (11-0) on Sunday.
Statistically Speaking: Shortstop Kassie Brown (.429) and outfielder Erika Crissman (.412) lead the ISU bats, while four other players are batting .250 or better. First baseman Megan Stone (.313), third baseman Mary Turitto (.308), catcher Brooke Riemenschneid (.292) and designated player Abbie Malchow (.263) round out the group. Brown has scored a team-best six runs and stolen three bases, while Crissman has driven in a team-best eight RBI with three doubles and four stolen bases. Stone has chipped in seven RBI with two doubles and a home run to go with four runs, while Turitto has driven in five RBI with a doubles and a homer. As a team, Indiana State is batting .270 with three home runs and 14 stolen bases.
Junior Taylor Lockwood (1-4), senior Yvette Alvarez (1-5) and freshman Abby Klopp (0-0) have split time in the circle. Lockwood has struck out 25 batters and is holding foes to a .206 average in 34 innings of work. Alvarez has issued 10 Ks and picked up a save in 21 innings of action, while Klopp has struck out two batters in 13 innings. The staff has allowed foes a .327 average and 15 home runs.
Chatting About the Cougars
At First Glance: The BYU Cougars (13-6) bring a six-game win streak into the Tennessee Invitational this weekend. BYU returns 12 letterwinners, including seven starters, from the 2014 team which went 34-23, won the West Coast Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Seattle Regional. The Cougars are coached by Gordon Eakin, who is in his 13th year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Cougars went 4-0 at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico last weekend. BYU topped Nevada (7-5), Northern Colorado (5-4) and Southern Illinois twice (8-0, 8-1).
Statistically Speaking: Outfielder Gordy Bravo paces the Cougars with a .492 average, while also adding 13 RBI, 14 runs and six stolen bases. Outfielder McKenzie St. Clair (.419), outfielder Lacey Hofstedt (.400), third baseman Coco Tauali'i (.311), catcher Sydney Broderick (.309), designated player Mercedes O'Connor (.292), first baseman Ashley Thompson (.265) and shortstop Alexa Strid (.250) also are batting .250 or better. O'Conner has scored a team-leading 18 runs and driven in a team-leading 15 RBI, while posting two doubles and two home runs. Hofstedt has scored 14 runs and stolen a team-best 11 bases. Thompson has accounted for 14 RBI, two home runs and five steals. Broderick also has launched two home runs to go with 12 RBI, 12 runs and four doubles. Second baseman Lauren Bell (.212) has driven in 12 RBI and scored 12 runs with two doubles, a triple and a home run. As a team, BYU is batting .317 with eight home runs and 29 stolen bases.
In the circle, sophomore McKenna Bull (13-3) has done the bulk of the pitching, striking out 92 batters in 92 innings, including two shutouts, while posting a 1.90 ERA and holding foes to a .230 average. Freshman Arianna Paulson (0-2) has added 20 Ks in 21 innings, while freshman Madison Merrell (0-0) and Thompson (0-1) have combined for four strikeouts in nine innings.
News About North Dakota State
At First Glance: The North Dakota State Bison (12-3) bring a five-game win streak into the Tennessee Invitational. NDSU returns 11 letterwinners, including eight starters and two pitchers, from the 2014 team, which posted a 36-18 record, won the Summit League and advanced to the NCAA Minneapolis Regional. The Bison are coached by Darren Mueller, who is in his 14th year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Bison went 5-0 at the Pacific Libby Matson Tournament in Stockton, Calif., last weekend. NDSU topped No. 17 Washington 6-5, Montana twice (10-3, 8-6) and host Pacific twice (8-2, 5-1).
Statistically Speaking: Shortstop Logan Moreland (.420) and second baseman Cheyenne Garcia (.420) lead the Bison bats. Moreland has scored a team-best 18 runs and swiped seven bases, while Garcia has scored 17 runs, driven in 15 RBI, accounted for five doubles and five home runs and stolen five bases. Four other players - third baseman Amanda Grable (.356), catcher Alyssa Reina (.349), outfielder Alex Sobrero (.333) and first baseman Jackie Stifter (.276) - are batting above .250. Reina has driven in a team-best 19 RBI with three doubles and three home runs, while accounting for 11 runs and eight stolen bases. Grable has driven in 13 RBI with three doubles and a homer, while Sobrero has launched two home runs, while scoring 17 runs. As a team, NDSU is batting .315 with 13 home runs and 46 stolen bases.
In the circle, senior Krista Menke (8-1) leads the way with 113 strikeouts, two shutouts and two saves in 66 innings of work, while posting a 1.80 ERA and allowing foes just a .150 average. Freshman Jacquelyn Sertic (4-2) has added 28 Ks in 30 innings, while allowing opponents a .229 average.
Prepping for the Panthers
At First Glance: The Northern Iowa Panthers (5-10) bring a four-game losing streak into the Tennessee Invitational. UNI returns eight letterwinners, including seven starters, from the 2014 team, which posted a 28-20 record and finished fifth in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Panthers are coached by Ryan Jacobs, who is in his eighth year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Panthers went 0-4 at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla., last weekend. UNI fell to UAB (3-1), Columbia (4-3), Lehigh (2-0) and Maryland (10-0 (5)).
Statistically Speaking: Third baseman Rikki Alcaraz leads the UNI bats with a .333 average, six runs, four doubles, a home run and four stolen bases. Outfielder Kristin Lock (.289), shortstop Caitlin Wnek (.283), second baseman Julia Hunter (.258) and outfielder Samantha Olson (.25) also are batting .250 or better. Lock has driven in a team-leading seven RBI with three home runs and two doubles, while also scoring eight runs. Wnek has scored a team-best 11 runs, while also adding four doubles and three steals. As a team, UNI is batting .232 with eight home runs and 20 stolen bases.
In the circle, junior Chelsea Ross (3-5) has struck out a team-best 50 batters in 50 inning, including a shutout. Sophomore Alyssa Buchanan (2-4) has added eight strikeouts in 34 innings, while junior Samantha Belz (0-1) has struck out four batters in 10 innings. Sophomore lefty Hailey Koerperich (0-0) has added one strikeout in two innings. The staff has allowed foes a .306 average and 15 home runs.
Talking about Tennessee
At First Glance: The No. 11 Tennessee Vols (11-3) return to action for the first time since Feb. 21 after weather cancelled their home tournament last weekend. UT returns 10 letterwinners, including five starters and three pitchers, from the 2014 team, which posted a 46-12 record, finished second in Southeastern Conference play and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Vols are coached by Ralph and Karen Weekly, who are in their 14th year with the team.
Last Time Out: The Vols went 2-3 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., Feb. 19-21. UT topped No. 23 Notre Dame (8-4) and No. 8 Florida State (4-1), but fell to No. 20 California (1-0), Utah (4-3) and Nebraska (5-2).
Statistically Speaking: Outfielder Tory Lewis (.400) leads a group of seven starters batting .250 or better. Lewis has scored eight runs and accounted for three extra base hits, five RBI and three steals. First baseman Taylor Koenig (.389), outfielder Shaliyah Geathers (.368), pitcher/outfielder Rainey Gaffin (.364), catcher Annie Aldrete (.333), designated player Scarlet McSwain (.323), and second baseman Megan Geer (.250) round out the group. Koenig has driven in a team-best 22 RBI with six home runs, while Gaffin has scored 18 runs and accounted for 11 RBI with two doubles, four home runs and four steals. Aldrete and McSwain also chip in 11 RBI apiece, while posting two and three homers respectively. Geer also has added three long balls, a team-best five steals and 12 runs. As a team, Tennessee is batting .306 with 21 home runs and 21 stolen bases.
In the circle, junior Gretchen Aucoin (5-2), Gaffin (2-0) and junior Erin Gabriel (4-1) have split time. Aucoin has struck out 35 batters in 34 innings, including a shutout, while boasting a 1.43 ERA and holding foes to a .183 average. Gaffin has added 23 strikeouts in 23 innings, while posting a 1.77 ERA. Gabriel has issued 29 Ks in 29 innings, including two shutouts, while posting a 2.17 ERA and holding opponents to a .175 average. The staff has allowed foes a .188 average and three home runs.