BISMARCK, ND – The University of Mary softball team (2-18) opens conference play with their first home games of the season in a doubleheader against Minot State University on Monday, March 28, beginning at 2 pm. The Marauders then host the University of Jamestown in a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 30, starting at 12 pm.
About the Opposition
Minot State University is 19-5 to begin the season. MSU defeated UMary 10-5 and 7-3 earlier in the year. MSU's leading hitter is senior first baseman Jamie Odlum. Odlum is batting .500 to go along with a .779 slugging percentage and a 1.352 OPS. Senior pitcher Trinity Valentine has been the Beavers ace this season. Valentine has an 8-3 record thus far to go with a 1.37 era.
The University of Jamestown has a 15-13 record to open the year. Junior outfielder Ally Battistoni has a .383 batting average while maintaining a .438 on-base percentage and a .579 slugging percentage. Senior pitcher Kat Miska has begun the season with an 8-3 record while posting a 1.99 ERA.
UMary Stats
Haley Berube leads UMary in slugging percentage (.897), on-base percentage (.500), batting average (.478), OPS (1.391), home runs (3) and RBIs (13).
Erin Murphy is second on the team in batting average (.440) and on-base percentage (.462).
Sariah Perez has an OPS of .947 to go along with an on-base percentage of .393. Perez is second on the team with 11 RBIs.
Brooke De Jonge has a .346 batting average and a .774 OPS.
Rachael Laetsch has started five games this season and has a batting average of .368 while maintaining a 1.110 OPS.
Players to Watch
University of Mary infielder
Kaylee Kannegiesser and pitcher
Emari Evans were named 2022 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Players to Watch for the Marauders as the NSIC released the preseason coaches' poll.
Kannegiesser led the team last season in RBIs as she had had career-high 32 hits while hitting two home runs. She would finish the 2021 season with a .278 batting average and a .688 OPS.
Emari Evans transferred to UMary from Howard University. Evans competed at Shadow Ridge High School, where she was named to the 2019 5A All-Region First Team. She posted a 2.61 ERA during her senior year of high school.
NSIC Preseason Ranking
UMary is projected to finish 13
th in the Northern Sun, according to the NSIC preseason coaches' poll.
New Coach
Frantz enters her first year in charge of the Marauders softball program. She returns to the program as one of the most decorated scholar-athletes in the history of UMary softball. The former All-American was the assistant coach at Bismarck State College last year and was elevated to co-head coach of the Mystics following the season.
Returners
Eryn De Jonge returns after leading the team in batting average (.296). Rachael Laestch returns as a fifth-year senior after leading the team in slugging percentage (.451) while hitting five home runs.
Brooke De Jonge,
Mckenzie Reinhardt,
Haley Berube,
Avery Dome,
Devyn Ritz,
Madison Wszolek,
Morgan Diedrich,
Nicole Eckhardt all return for another year in the UMary softball program.
New Faces
UMary brings in six new freshmen to the Marauders softball program.
Natasha Stubbs,
Erin Murphy,
Sariah Perez,
Ariana Retuta and
Sarah Martin will look to bring an immediate impact to the UMary lineup. Pitcher
Hannah Chambers will look to bring a new dynamic to the Marauders pitching staff.
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