North Dakota State
IUPUI
NDSU Softball Opens Summit League Play at IUPUI This Weekend
3/25/2014 11:14:00 AM | Softball
|
Friday, March 28: North Dakota State (17-12, 0-0 Summit) at IUPUI (9-12, 1-2 Summit) 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) | Indianapolis, Ind. Game One of DH |
|
Friday, March 28: North Dakota State at IUPUI 4 p.m. CT (5 p.m. ET) | Indianapolis, Ind. Game Two of DH |
|
Saturday, March 29: North Dakota State at IUPUI 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET) | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Social Media: @NDSUAthletics | @NDSUsoftball | @TheSummitLeague |
| Media Coverage: Complete Game Notes (PDF) | Live Stats |
Setting the Scene
- The North Dakota State softball team will open Summit League play this weekend in Indianapolis, Ind., with three games against IUPUI.
- NDSU will face the Jaguars in a doubleheader Friday, March 28, beginning at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) before concluding the three-game series with a single game Saturday, March 29, at 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET).
- The Bison are coming off a 2-3 performance last week. NDSU defeated Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau and took down Ball State in the opening game of the Mizzou Tournament before dropping three straight games to Kansas City, Ball State and No. 16 Missouri.
Series History Against IUPUI
This weekend's three-game set with the Jaguars will be the 16th, 17th and 18th meetings all-time. The Bison lead the series 13-2 and have won nine consecutive meetings dating back to their last loss to the Jags in 2010.
Scouting the Jaguars
Entering the week, IUPUI has an overall record of 9-12 after going 1-2 against Western Illinois to open its Summit League campaign.
Offensively, the Jags are led by Ali Mosier (.328 avg., 20 H, 61 AB, 6 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 8-9 SB, .639 SLG%). In the circle, the primary pitchers for IUPUI are Cassie Vodde (3.58 ERA, 4-5, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 1 SV, 56.2 IP, 66 H, 29 ER, 13 BB, 20 SO, .286 b/avg.) and Jocelyn Oppenhuis (4.35 ERA, 3-6, 4 CG, 56.1 IP, 58 H, 35 ER, 19 BB, 37 SO, .253 b/avg.).
As a team, the Jaguars are averaging a .302 batting average while holding opponents to a .283 average. IUPUI has a team ERA of 4.19 while its opponents' ERA is 4.53.
Last season, IUPUI finished seventh in The Summit League, with an overall record of 18-31 and league mark of 7-16.
Catching-up with the Bison: The Bison begin the week at 17-12 overall after dropping three of their four games in the Mizzou Tournament this past weekend.
Offensively, NDSU is paced by Cheyenne Garcia (.378 avg., 34 H, 90 AB, 4 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 15-16 SB, .567 SLG%) and Amanda Grable (.314 avg., 27 H, 86 AB, 5 2B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, .477 SLG%). In the circle, NDSU is led by pitchers Krista Menke (2.17 ERA, 12-4, 12 CG, 4 SHO, 2 SV, 106.2 IP, 85 H, 43 R, 33 ER, 46 BB, 89 SO, .221 b/avg.) and Tabby Bayers (5.19 ERA, 3-6, 3 CG, 63.1 IP, 75 H, 49 R, 47 ER, 32 BB, 48 SO, .296 b/avg.).
Balanced Production: Through 29 games, NDSU has eight players with at least eight RBI and seven with at least 10 RBI.
Power Hitters: The Bison have hit a combined 20 home runs in 29 games. Brandi Enriquez, and Dani Renner each have one long ball while Alex Sobrero, Logan Moreland and Jenna Isbel have gone yard twice. Cheyenne Garcia, Amanda Grable, Jenina Ortega and Maritza Lopez-Portillo lead the team with three round-trippers each.
Base Stealers: NDSU has nine players who have stolen at least two bases through 29 games. Cheyenne Garcia leads the team, going 15-for-16 in stolen base attempts, while Logan Moreland is second with 10 successful attempts in 13 tries. Amanda Grable (5-5), Jenna Isbel (4-4), Alex Sobrero (4-6), Brandi Enriquez (3-3), Jenina Ortega (2-2), Jackie Stifter (2-2) and Presley Glaser (2-3) round out the Bison with at least two stolen bases.
Bison in the NCAA Statistics: NDSU ranks in the top-50 in the latest NCAA Division I statistics in three categories. The Bison are 49th in fielding percentage (.969), 42nd in doubles per game (1.45) and 27th in stolen bases per game (1.66). Individually the Bison have two players ranked in the top-50. Cheyenne Garcia is ranked 50th in stolen bases (0.52 per game) while Krista Menke is 33rd in total victories (12), 29th in saves (2) and 27th in shutouts (4).
Initial NCAA RPI Released: The initial NCAA RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) was released Monday, March 24. The Bison are one of three Summit League institutions of higher learning in the top-90, coming in at No. 75. Fort Wayne is highest on the list at 58 while Omaha rounds out the list at 87.
Bison in The Summit League Statistics
Relevant Team Statistics:
- Batting Average: 2nd (.306)
- Home Runs: 2nd (20 HR)
- RBI: 2nd (143)
- Stolen Bases: 2nd (48 SB)
- Slugging Percentage: 3rd (.445)
- Innings Pitched: 4th (182.2)
- Hits: 4th (178)
- Earned Runs: 5th (92)
- ERA: 4th (3.53)
- Strikeouts: 3rd (142)
Bison Tabbed First in Summit League Softball Preseason Poll
Two-time defending regular season champion, North Dakota State was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2014 Summit League Softball Championship in a poll of the league's seven head coaches.
The Bison tallied 33 total points and four first-place votes after winning their second-consecutive regular season title and third in the last six years.
NDSU returns 13 players from last season's team that went 33-16 and 17-1 in league play, including first team all-league honoree Jenina Ortega and second team selections Brandi Enriquez, Amanda Grable and Cheyenne Garcia.
Up Next
NDSU hosts Omaha in a three game series Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, at the Ellig Sports Complex in Fargo.
