GAMES 7/8: SBU BEARCATS (2-4) vs
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS (0-4)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 • 1:00 PM
SBU SOFTBALL FIELD • BOLIVAR, MO

SBU NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The SBU softball team is preparing for its home opener this weekend, when they host Division I Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Bearcats had struggled at the start of the 2010 season, going 0-4 at the Ouachita Baptist Classic, but came back the following weekend to take two games against Southwestern Oklahoma State and Oklahoma Christian before suffering another rainout the second day of competition. This doubleheader against the Golden Lions was originally planned for Tuesday, February 23, but was able to be rescheduled for this weekend.

Catcher Stephanie Luciani has gotten off to a hot start, batting .500 over the first six games of the season. Luciani went 2-for-3 in both games last weekend against SWOSU and OCU, and is tied for the team lead in runs batted in (3) with center fielder Katrina Munoz.

Freshman shortstop Latasha Baderdeen made a big impact in her collegiate debut at OBU, going 6-for-11 in four games, including a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored in the first game against Ouachita. Latasha is tied with Munoz for the longest hitting streak of the season so far, reaching base in four straight games before going 0-for-2 against Oklahoma Christian.

Junior pitchers Karly Bitters and Josie Rose have each started out 1-2 in their first three starts this season, Bitters with a 3.45 ERA over 15.2 innings pitched. Rose has struck out 24 batters in only 19 innings pitched. Bitters has also spent some time in the designated hitter spot of the lineup, hitting .250 in three games. 

Third baseman Krysta Baderdeen has warmed up at the plate over last weekend, and carries a three-game hitting streak into the double-header against UAPB.
 
ABOUT THE COACHES 
Christy Capner returned to her alma mater before the 2007 season as she was named head coach of the Bearcats. Capner has seen six All-MIAA awards given out to her players over the last three seasons, and has seen steady improvement, going from eight wins in 2007, to 23 last year. 

Tim Munn is beginning his second year at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Last season, Munn led the Golden Lions to a 10-31 record, a vast improvement from UAPB's three-win season in 2008. After being picked to finish last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Lions finished third in the six team SWAC Western Division, and qualified for the SWAC Tournament for only the second time in the program's nine year history.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN LIONS
Arkansas-Pine Bluff has gotten off to a rough start, getting swept in double-headers against both Central Arkansas and Division II Ouachita Baptist. Junior Misti Cosby and sophomore CeCe Kolesar leads the Golden Lions offensively, each hitting at .400 even. Kolesar, who also has been the starting pitcher for three of the four games so far for Pine Bluff, leads the team with five RBI. UAPB has only seen action from two pitchers, and Kolesar has the lower ERA of the two, at 7.27. As a team, the Golden Lions have struggled at the plate as well, as none of the other Golden Lions are hitting above .200

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats host the Ouachita Baptist Tigers for a doubleheader early next week before traveling back to Oklahoma to take on the East Central Tigers in a four-game series. Ouachita already holds a 2-0 edge against SBU, winning two games at the OBU classic, each by one run. OBU brings a 6-1 record into this weekend, and is led by Megan Askew, who has started every game and his hitting .550. East Central has been more fortunate than most schools, and has already gotten ten games under their belt, posting a record of 7-3. ECU has won five of their last six, the only loss coming against Nebraska-Omaha. Wanda Malone and Randee Crockett make a powerful 1-2 punch in the East Central rotation, going a combined 6-1 so far this year. Malone has posted a 1.19 ERA with two complete game shutouts, while Crockett has rung up 25 batters in just 23.2 innings pitched.three of the four pitchers on the staff recorded two complete game shutouts each.