G54-55: SBU BEARCATS (23-30, 6-12 MIAA)
vs #9 EMPORIA STATE HORNETS (42-11, 16-2)
TUESDAY, MAY 4 • 2 PM/4 PM
SBU SOFTBALL FIELD • BOLIVAR, MO

SBU NOTES | ESU NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. – It comes down to Tuesday's makeup contest with #9 Emporia State for the SBU softball Bearcats. The Bearcats need a sweep of the Hornets to put themselves in position for a berth at the MIAA Tournament. It's a logjam ahead of SBU for the final three spots in the conference tourney, with five teams battling for those spots. SBU is coming off two tough losses Friday at UNO followed by two big wins at Northwest Missouri. ESU also needs the wins as they sit two games back of Nebraska-Omaha and would win the tiebreaker for the top seed due to their sweep earlier of the Mavs.

The Bearcats have continued to battle despite a rash of injuries at mid-season. Junior 3B Krysta Baderdeen leads the regulars with a .375 average and 11 home runs, 37 RBI and 29 runs scored. Baderdeen ranks sixth in batting average in the MIAA and is tied for sixth in home runs. First baseman Nina Amaro-Garcia is battling Baderdeen for the season home run total and also for the career mark. Baderdeen stands at 22 for her three-year career while Amaro-Garcia is at 17.

Catcher Sarah Brison has been solid of late and is hitting .305 with seven long balls. Senior Katrina Munoz has played at several spots, both outfield and infield, and leads the club with 19 stolen bases. Munoz homered in both games of Saturday's doubleheader sweep at NWMSU.

Junior starting pitcher Josie Rose ranks among the MIAA leaders in several categories. Rose is 14th in ERA (3.31), second in innings pitched (194.2), second in strikeouts (176) and tied for fourth in wins (15).
   
ABOUT THE COACHES AND SERIES
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 and this year with games remaining. 

Kristi Bredbenner is 243-63 in her fifth year at ESU and 274-82 in six years overall. She's led the Hornets to four straight conference tournament crowns and to three MIAA regular season titles. She's also taken the Hornets to two national championship games and three regional championship games in her first four years.

ESU leads the all-time matchup with SBU 32-8 and has won the last 12 contests between the teams. SBU's last win a 5-1 win in April 2003 in Emporia.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
The #9 Hornets visit SBU for their final two MIAA regular season games and a chance to score their fifth MIAA regular season title in the last six years and the top seed in the MIAA Tournament. The Hornets lost their first two conference games of the season last Friday at Fort Hays. Third baseman Miranda Campbell is one of the top players in the MIAA and the nation. She leads the MIAA in numerous offensive categories and is hitting .511 on the season with 13 homers and 61 RBI. Second baseman Angela Mahan is also having a standout season, hitting .382 with 12 HR and 37 RBI. The Hornets' pitching is also stellar with freshman Paige Ladenburger leading the team with a 1.54 ERA, 130 strikeouts and 15-5 record. Sophomore Jennifer Heerey is the team's top winner, standing at 19-1 with 97 strikeouts and a 2.36 ERA.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
Next up for the SBU softball team is dependent on Tuesday's results. Should the Bearcats sweep, they'll put themselves in position for their first MIAA Touranment appearance since 2002. A berth is not guaranteed with two wins, as Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri are also finishing a suspended game on Tuesday, with the Griffons leading 2-1 heading to the fifth inning. The Northwest Bearcats also have a makeup doubleheader at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in Kirksville against the Truman Bulldogs. Truman, NWMSU, Washburn and Missouri Southern currently sit in the six through nine spots with seven or eight wins each. SBU took both MIAA games from NWMSU and two of three from Washburn (counting the non-conference MIAA Crossover). Missouri Southern took all three games this year from SBU while Truman took two of three from the Bearcats.