G48-49: SBU BEARCATS (20-27, 3-9 MIAA)
at CENTRAL MISSOURI JENNIES (20-21, 6-6)
TUESDAY, APRIL 27 • 3 PM • SOUTH RECREATION COMPLEX • WARRENSBURG, MO
G50-51: at #25 NEBRASKA-OMAHA MAVS (38-9, 11-2)
FRI., APRIL 30 • 1 PM • CLAUSSEN-WESTGATE FIELD • OMAHA, NE
G52-53: at N.W. MISSOURI ST. BEARCATS (22-18, 6-7)
SAT., MAY 1 • 12 PM • BEARCAT SOFTBALL FIELD • MARYVILLE, MO

SBU GAME NOTES | UCM GAME NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. – With a rain-soaked weekend postponing the final homestand of the season, the SBU Bearcats now look to rally and earn a bid into the MIAA Tournament on the road. The final three road trips of the 2010 season come with week, as the 'Cats travel to take on Central Missouri, Nebraska-Omaha, and Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats (3-9, MIAA) currently sit tenth in the conference standings, but are just two games behind eighth-place Missouri Southern (7-9) for the final spot in the postseason.

Krysta Baderdeen continues to lead the Bearcat attack, hitting .500 (6-for-12) over the past week, including a 2-for-2 performance with a 3-run homer in the second game of a doubleheader split with Washburn. That blast was Baderdeen's ninth of the year, and ties the mark for most home runs by a Bearcat in a single season, set earlier this year by Nina-Amaro Garcia. Baderdeen also held the previous record with eight home runs last season.

Josie Rose had another solid outing against Washburn last week as well. Including their matchup at the MIAA Crossover two weeks ago, Rose has posted a 2.33 ERA against the Lady Blues, giving up six runs over 18 innings pitched, while striking out 19. In the first game of the doubleheader on Monday, Rose matched her season high of nine strikeouts for the fifth time in a 3-1 victory.
   
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. 

Susan Anderson is in her fourth season as coach of the Jennies, where she has the highest winning percentage in program history. Anderson hasn't finished worse than second place in the MIAA in her previous three seasons. Jeanne Scarpello won her 400th game as head coach of the Mavericks last season, and with Omaha's win against Missouri Southern last month, became Nebraska-Omaha's all-time winningest coach. Also in his fourth season is Northwest Missouri head coach Ryan Anderson. Anderson finished in the top three in the MIAA in 2007 and 2008, and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2008.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Central Missouri has suffered through a tough two-week stretch, going 1-5 in the MIAA Crossover Tournament before splitting on the road against Missouri Southern and losing a pair to #8 Emporia State. The Jennies are still a threat at the plate, however, with a .302 average as a team. Kasey Martin leads Central with a .417 average. The power in the lineup comes from Jessica Marble, who has 10 homeruns and 26 RBI.

The Mavericks are currently riding a 18-game winning streak, including a 6-0 trip to the MIAA Crossover two weeks ago. Omaha has been rewarded for their success with a #25 ranking in the latest coaches poll. The Mavs did meet up with SBU at the Crossover, winning in five innings, 13-0. Beth Haley held the 'Cats to just two hits while striking out seven.

Northwest Missouri has a trio of heavy hitters in Erin Leslie, Dacey Hassey, and Hailee Hendricks. Leslie leads the team with a .429 average, while Hassey and Hendricks are just behind with .394 and .387 averages, respectively. They also lead the team in RBI, with 33, 32, and 31 for Leslie, Hassey and Hendricks. The Bearcats are holding onto a three-game win streak heading into their matchup with Central Missouri this week.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
With all the rain from the past weekend, the last few dates of the regular season have been moved around. SBU will now close out the regular season at home, making up a doubleheader against #8 Emporia State on Tuesday, May 4. Depending on the results from this week, the matchup with the MIAA leaders could be must-win games for the Bearcats to reach the conference tournament.

Emporia State slipped four spots in the lastest NFCA coaches' poll, after falling to Nebraska-Omaha and Fort Hays at the MIAA Crossover. The Hornets do still hold an undefeated 14-0 record in official conference matchups, however, as the duo of Paige Ladenburger and Jennifer Heerey have posted  a combined 32-5 and a 1.91 ERA.