THIS WEEK:
at Indianapolis Greyhounds
Saturday (April 28) – Baumgartner Field - Indianapolis, Ind. @ 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. (CT)
 
at Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers
Sunday (April 29) – Case Softball Complex – Somers, Wis. @ 12 & 2 p.m. (CT)
  
On Deck: The Missouri S&T softball team wraps up its 2018 regular-season schedule this weekend (April 28-29) on the road in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play.  The Lady Miners go up against Indianapolis this Saturday (April 28) in Indianapolis, Ind., for two outings before concluding the regular season Sunday (April 29) with a twin bill versus Wisconsin-Parkside at Somers, Wis.     
 
2018 Record: Missouri S&T is currently 23-23 overall and 12-12 in the GLVC this season.  The Lady Miners are 11-7 on the road, 11-10 at home, and 1-6 in neutral site contests this campaign.  S&T split a home conference doubleheader with Southern Indiana this last Saturday (April 21) at the S&T Softball Field in Rolla, Mo., winning 5-2 in the series' opener before dropping a 3-1 game two decision to the Screaming Eagles. The Lady Miners then closed out the home portion of their 2018 schedule Monday (April 23) by falling twice, 5-1 and 10-3, to McKendree in conference doubleheader action.     
 
Missouri S&T Head Coach - Cathy Monroe (Truman State, 2002), Third Season, 61-89. 0-4 vs. Indianapolis, 3-1 vs. Wisconsin-Parkside
 
Monroe guided the 2016 Lady Miners to a five-win improvement in her first season with the squad as S&T made another six-game jump in the win column in 2017 going 22-31 overall and 14-16 in the GLVC.  The Lady Miners were in contention for a spot in the GLVC Tournament all the way to the final day of the season with a team that had two all-conference performers. Monroe led S&T to a 16-35 mark in her first year after spending the previous 11 seasons as an assistant coach at Truman State University, the last two as the program's associate head coach. While at Truman, Monroe served as the acting head coach for the Bulldogs for an eight-game stretch during the early stages of the 2015 season and compiled a 7-1 record.  Truman State concluded the 2015 campaign with a 33-16 overall record, which included a 21-7 GLVC mark and a second straight NCAA Division II Midwest Regional appearance.
 
The Opposition: Indianapolis – The Greyhounds have currently compiled a 34-14 overall record and are 16-8 in the GLVC this season following a pair of conference losses at William Jewell last Sunday (April 22), 1-0 and 9-7 at WJC's Cardinal Field in Liberty, Mo.   UIndy, which is 8-2 at home, 8-8 at home, and 18-4 at neutral sites, is 6-4 in its last 10 encounters and 1-3 in its past four appearances.  The Greyhounds, under 14th-year head coach Melissa Frost, are paced offensively this season by freshman shortstop Brooke Montgomery (.344, 2 HR, 15 RBIs, 54 hits), junior third baseman Taylor Podschweit (.322, 6 HR, 48 RBIs, 47 hits), freshman second baseman Gianni Iannantone (.318, 2 HR, 21 RBIs, 34 hits), and freshman outfielder Taylor Danielson (.311, 5 HR, 25 RBIs, 37 hits).  Sophomore Lauren Honkomp (14-7, four saves, 2.37 ERA, 145.0 IP) along with freshman Haylie Foster (10-1, two saves, 3.15 ERA, 80.0 IP), and freshman Halie Waters (8-5, three saves, 3.17 ERA, 75.0 IP) have spent the majority of time in UIndy's pitching circle this spring.     
 
Wisconsin-Parkside – The Rangers are 20-24 overall with a 9-15 GLVC mark to date this spring under second-year head coach Kristin Ortman.  UWP, which hosts Drury this Saturday (April 28) in a two-game league set, is 4-4 at home, 12-14 on the road, and 4-6 at neutral sites this campaign.  The Rangers, who are 3-7 in their last 10 appearances to date, swept Lewis, 6-2 and 4-3, in a non-league doubleheader Tuesday (April 24) at the Lewis Softball Field in Romeoville, Ill.  UWP's current top batting leaders are sophomore outfielder Jessica Shields (.331, 0 HR, 6 RBIs, 49 hits), junior outfielder Kellie Fenza (.324, 2 HR, 23 RBIs, 47 hits), junior first baseman Morgan Sikon (.292, 1 HR, 18 RBIs, 33 hits), and sophomore catcher Megan Aliverti (.286, 1 HR, 32 RBIs, 40 hits). Freshman Alyssa Hrncar (13-8, 3.37 ERA, 1 save, 145.1 IP) and sophomore Allison Hausl (7-13, 4.90 ERA, 114.1 IP) are UWP's primary pitchers this season.        
       
All-Time Series: Missouri S&T is 5-15 in its series with Indianapolis, which began in the 2006 season.  The Lady Miners are 2-8 on the road, 1-5 at home, and 2-2 at neutral sites.  Last season (March 19), S&T lost twice to the Greyhounds, 4-2 and 10-0 in five innings, in Indianapolis, Ind., and are mired in a nine-game losing skid.  The Lady Miners lead Wisconsin-Parkside 16-10 in a series dating back to 1988.  S&T, which is 5-3 on the road, 9-3 at home, and 2-4 at neutral sites versus the Rangers, has won five of the last six meetings between the two teams.  The Lady Miners split two road games at UWP a season ago (April 29), winning 4-3 in game one before dropping a 3-2 decision in the nightcap.    
 
Regular-Season Finale Series: S&T has registered a 13-11 (.542) record in their final two regular-season games since joining the GLVC in the 2006 season.  The Lady Miners are 5-1 in their last six appearances to date, all of which have occurred against Wisconsin-Parkside. S&T split a two-game set at Wisconsin-Parkside, winning 4-3 and losing 3-2, in its 2017 season finale series (April 29).       
   
S&T Diamond Notes: Senior third baseman Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette) presently ranks tied for sixth place among S&T's all-time base hits leaders with a 183-career total.  Weiss is tied with Andi Davis (183, 2013-16) and is 17 hits away from moving into a fifth-place tie with Molly Balke (200, 2001-04) … Sophomore designed player-outfielder Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township)'s team-high 13 home runs in 46 games this season is one shy of equaling S&T's single-season record of 14 set by Kelsey Musselman in the 2008 season …. The Lady Miners are 18-2 this spring when leading after five innings …. Sophomore shortstop Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley)'s 19 RBIs in 28 contests this campaign represents a personal career season best, eclipsing her 18 RBIs in 53 outings a season ago … Junior outfielder Carley Hamann (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way North)'s 18 RBIs in 46 games this spring is a personal season high, surpassing her 17 RBIs in 53 encounters last season.  Hamann also is two base hits shy of matching her season-best 39 hits set in the 2017 campaign … Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township), who has accumulated a squad-most 50 RBIs this season, is six away from tying Holly Weinberg's school-record 56 RBIs in 2006 … Sophomore pitcher Avery English (Carterville, Ill./Carterville)'s 16 victories (16-11) this season in 33 appearances represents a tie for seventh place on the Lady Miners' single-season leaders chart.  English is one win shy of tying Kristy Weber (17 victories, 1988) for sixth place … S&T's top two RBI leaders this season, Olivia Young (Milstadt, Ill./Belleville Township) (50) and junior first baseman Gretchen Egly (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central) (37) have combined to produce 47.8 percent (87-182) of the team's output.                     
 
2018 GLVC Standings: Fans can view the complete 2018 GLVC Standings at this link - GLVC Standings.  Information for the conference overall and individual statistical leaders is available at GLVC Statistics.      
 
National Statistical Leaders: Both NCAA Division II team and individual national statistical leaders for the 2018 season is available by clicking on this link.  S&T's rankings, both team and individual, can be accessed via this link. 
 
2018 GLVC Preseason Poll: Missouri S&T was picked to finish 12th in the 2018 GLVC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll as the Lady Miners received 51 points.  Southern Indiana was tabbed as preseason favorite with 193 points followed by Missouri-St. Louis (182 pts.) and Truman State (166 pts.). S&T finished six points behind 11th-place Maryville (57 pts.) and 10 points in front of 13th-place Quincy (41 pts.).  A season ago, the Lady Miners compiled a 22-31 overall record with a 14-16 conference mark.         
 
On Deck: A top eight-place finish in the final conference standings will qualify S&T for the 2018 GLVC Softball Championship to be held May 3-5 at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill.  The 35th annual conference tournament will feature eight games on Thursday (May 3), five semifinal matchups Friday (May 4), and the championship game on Saturday (May 5) with a second contest to follow if necessary.  The winner will receive the conference's automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament.              
 
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