GAMES 21-22: SBU BEARCATS (9-11) at DRURY PANTHERS (6-16)
TUESDAY, MARCH 23 • 2:00 / 4:00 PM
THOMPSON FIELD • SPRINGFIELD, MO
G23-24: SBU at CENTRAL MISSOURI JENNIES (10-9)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 • 4:00 / 6:00 PM
SOUTH RECREATION ATHLETIC COMPLEX • WARRENSBURG, MO
G25-26: SBU at FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS (9-7)
SATURDAY, MARCH 27 • 12:00 / 2:00 PM
TIGER STADIUM • HAYS, KS

SBU NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Six road games are on the schedule this week for the SBU Bearcats. SBU will travel to Springfield to take on the Drury Panthers on Tuesday, then on Wednesday make the drive to Warrensburg to face the Jennies in a doubleheader, that is the MIAA opener for both teams. On Saturday, March 27, the 'Cats take the long trip to Hays, Kansas, to play Fort Hays State in a doubleheader.

Stephanie Luciani (.455) has led the team throughout the year in hitting and also has 10 RBI. The Baderdeen sisters have been the backbone of the lineup, as Latasha Baderdeen is hitting .452 with two home runs and eight RBI, while her older sister Krysta has gotten is hitting .383 with a team-high four home runs and 17 RBI. Katrina Munoz is also hitting over .300 and has 11 RBI.

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.

Drury has had a softball program for three years, and Annie Medico has led the program for all three years.After a 20-37 debut season in 2008, the Panthers struggled last season due to injuries to several All-GLVC performers and fell to last (14-40) in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Leading the Central Missouri Jennies for the fifth season is Susan Anderson. Anderson has a 102-59 record with the Jennies, as well as the highest winning percentage of all coaches in their first three seasons.

Julie LeMaire is in her second season as head coach of the Fort Hays softball program. She guided Fort Hays State to over 30 wins and its third straight MIAA tournament appearance in her first season with the program.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Drury has two starters, Sadie Ball and Jessica Matlock, hitting over .300 with Denise Taylor right behind at .299. Ball also tops the Panthers with six home runs, 18 RBI and .710 slugging percentage. Kelsea Garhoff is the top starter on the Drury staff with a 3.58 ERA and 4-7 mark in 15 appearances.

Kasey Martin leads the Jennies with a .438 average, and is the only UCM starter hitting above .400. Kelli Kurka is right behind at .390 and leads with 19 RBI. Sarah Espy tops the UCM pitchers with a 6-4 record and 2.80 ERA.

Adrian Mohr has the highest Fort Hays batting average by a wide margin at .473. Mohr also has driven in 22 and has six homers, both of which are team highs. Maddie Holub also has six homers and has 20 RBI. Mohr and Kayla Rupa are the top Tiger pitchers, with Mohr having a 3.32 ERA and 1-1 record and Rupa at a 3.72 ERA and 4-3 mark.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
It's another six-game slate next week for the Bearcats as they host Maryville for a non-conference twinbill on Tuesday, March 30 beginning at 3 p.m. Then on the weekend, the Bearcats visit Missouri Southern on Friday, April 2 and Pittsburg State on Saturday, April 3. The Bearcats fell to the Lions, 6-1, last Friday at the MIAA Crossover in Emporia.