GAMES 15/16: SBU BEARCATS (6-8) vs ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS (9-7)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 • 1:30 PM/3:30 PM
(start times moved up 30 minutes from original schedule)
SBU SOFTBALL FIELD • BOLIVAR, MO

GAMES 17/18: SBU BEARCATS vs MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS TRITONS (7-3)
THURSDAY, MARCH 11 • 1:00 PM/3:00 PM
SBU SOFTBALL FIELD • BOLIVAR, MO

SBU NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The SBU Bearcats host a pair of non-conference foes this week in Arkansas Tech and Missouri-St. Louis. The 'Cats are looking to get back to the .500 mark after dropping three of four against East Central, including a heartbreaking 7-6 loss in extra innings. The doubleheader against Arkansas Tech was originally planned as a rematch from earlier this season, but the matchup in Russellville, Ark. was cancelled due to bad weather.
   
Senior catcher Stephanie Luciani continues to lead the 'Cats, hitting .452 with 10 RBI. Luciani is even better in big moments, hitting .571 (8-for-14) with runners in scoring position.
   
Latasha Baderdeen has made a big impact during her freshman season, starting all 14 games at shortstop and hitting at a .405 pace. Latasha leads the team with 17 hits. Her older sister, Krysta Baderdeen, has heated up over the last two weeks, and has raised her average up to .385 after a slow start to the year. Krysta had her team-high six-game hitting streak snapped against Ouachita last week, but is already back at it, hitting safely in all four games against East Central. In the last game of the series, Krysta had a huge day for the SBU record books, going 2-for-2 with two home runs, six RBI and three runs scored.

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.

Gidget Pambianchi was named head coach for Arkansas Tech before the 2006 season, and has seen improvement since then, including winning GSC West Division championships in 2008 & 2009.
   
Head coach for Missouri-St. Louis Chuck Sosnowski is in his fifth season. Over the previous four seasons, Sosnowski has a record of 97-108, and earned an NCAA Regional appeareance last season with a 36-19 mark. Reaching as high as 15th in the coaches' poll, UMSL took their first ever GLVC regular season title.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN SUNS AND TRITONS
Arkansas Tech started the season on the right foot, winning their first four games, but have dropped three of their last four, including a 10-3 defeat at the hands of Missouri-St. Louis. Freshman Amy Kilpatrick is hitting .409 for the Golden Suns, and leads the team with 18 hits, five doubles, and 19 RBI. Tiphani Moon (.375 BA) has belted five home runs so far, a team-high.

The Tritons have won four of their last five, in large part thanks to senior catcher Katie Bartlett, who has recorded a .533 average over UMSL's first ten games, scoring 11 runs while driving in 17 RBI. Bartlett's five home runs is a team high as well. Junior outfielder Karey Kruse is hitting .467 with 10 RBI, and has started all ten games for the Tritons as well.