UMARY SOFTBALL LOCATION AND SCHEDULE CHANGE

JAMESTOWN, ND – Due to snow accumulation, the University of Mary softball team hosts doubleheaders against Minnesota State University, Mankato and Southwest Minnesota State University in Jamestown, ND, this Easter weekend.

UMary takes on MSU-Mankato on Friday, March 29, at noon and 2 pm at the Nelson Family Dome. The Marauders challenge the Mustangs on Saturday, March 30, at 10 am and noon.

HOW TO WATCH
Fans can watch the games or follow the live stats at www.GoUMary.com/coverage  

THE RECORD
UMary owns a 7-17 record overall and a 0-2 record in the Northern Sun.

LAST TIME OUT
The Marauders fell in their NSIC opener to the University of Sioux Falls 8-0, 6-2 on the road. Emily Schommer brought home both UMary runs when she smacked a two-run single to score Sariah Perez and Janelle Bergmann.

LEADERS
Emily Schommer is off to a strong start to the season, leading the Marauders in hitting (.375), on-base percentage (.524), slugging percentage (.656), home runs (2) and OPS (1.108).

Janelle Bergmann leads UMary in total hits (20), doubles (7) and RBIs (11). Bergman has posted a slash line of .357/.419/.482 and an OPS of .901.

Francesca Villaneda has been a tough out this year, hitting .333/.414/.373 with six runs scored and four RBIs.

Arria Johnson had been impressive in the circle. The redshirt freshman has a 4-3 record and a 4.20 ERA. Johnson leads the team in strikeouts (19) and is second on the team in innings pitched with 33.1.

Hannah Chambers leads the team in innings pitched (41.1) and has picked up two wins on the season. The Paso Robles, CA, native has thrown an impressive four complete games in eight starts and owns a 4.45 ERA.

OPPO RESEARCH – Minnesota State University, Mankato
MSU is 22-8 on the year and 2-2 in the NSIC. The Mavericks offense is led by senior outfielder Kylie Sullivan and sophomore infielder Gianna Lara. Sullivan owns a .370 batting average and a 1.057 OPS with four home runs and 16 RBIs. Lara has posted a 1.001 OPS with four home runs and 28 RBIs.

Freshman pitcher Maddie Oetzmann owns a microscopic 0.85 ERA with an 11-1 record over 66 innings pitched. Graduate student McKayla Armbruster has a 1.85 ERA over 83.1 innings to give her a 9-4 record.

OPPO RESEARCH – Southwest Minnesota State University
SMSU is 11-16 on the season and 2-2 in the Northern Sun. The Mustangs are led by senior third baseman Jillian Noel, who is batting .377 this season. Noel leads the team in hits (29), RBIs (23) and OPS (.925).

The SMSU pitching staff is led by juniors Karlie Miller and Morgyn Otte. Miller has pitched a team-leading 92.2 innings this season and owns a 3.02 ERA. Otte has a 3.12 ERA over 67.1 innings pitched.  

THE STAFF
Amy Schmeckpeper enters her first year as the Marauders head softball coach. A Coach of the Year recipient, Schmeckpeper brings three seasons of collegiate head coaching experience to the Marauders plus a decade of coaching on collegiate diamonds.

Schmeckpeper joins UMary after three seasons as the head coach at Garden City (KS) Community College (GCCC), where she led the Broncbusters to a division title while earning league coaching honors in her first season. Schmeckpeper coached 17 All-Region athletes at GCCC, including an All-American. Additionally, she coached 13 All-Region players in five seasons as the associate head coach at Lamar (CO) Community College.

Kaitlyn Alvarado returns to UMary this season in her second year as an assistant coach. Alvarado was a standout player for the Marauders from 2019-2021, both in the circle and at the plate. She batted a career average of .288 and had a career slugging percentage of .413.

JANELLE BERGMAN NSIC Player to Watch
Bergman is the Marauders NSIC Player to Watch. A sophomore utility player from Tracy, CA, she had a strong first season at UMary in 2023. Primarily used as a shortstop, Bergmann was second on the team in hitting with a .306 batting average. She finished her freshman season with a .349 on-base percentage and a .355 slugging percentage while starting a team-high 41 games out of the 44 she played. Bergmann had six doubles, scored 14 times and drove in 11 runs.

"Nelly is one of our most athletic returners who will provide experience in key positions on the field," said Marauders head coach Amy Schmeckpeper. "She has grown both physically and mentally this fall as a result of her hard work and determination. I am excited to see how she performs this spring."

EMARI EVANS NSIC PITCHER TO WATCH
Evans enters her third season at UMary and is the Marauders NSIC Pitcher to Watch in 2024. A senior from Surprise, AZ, pitched 85.2 innings last season over the course of 30 appearances, including 14 starts. She finished 2-13 with two complete games.

"Emari will be one of our strongest pitchers this year," said Schmeckpeper. "She had an exceptional fall and worked hard to improve her skill set, while providing composure and experience on the mound. A leader for our program, Emari is a compassionate teammate and dedicated student-athlete. I am excited to see what this season has in store for her."

NOTABLE RETURNERS
Mckenzie Reinhardt returns to the Marauders as a senior middle infielder. Reinhardt made 35 starts in 2023 and produced a solid batting average of .292, while driving in 13 runs.

Nicole Eckhardt returns for her senior year. Eckhardt pitched 111.0 innings in 2023 and recorded a team-best 5.68 ERA. Finished the season with four wins and one save inside the circle. Led the team with 74 strikeouts.

Sariah Perez heads back for her junior season. Perez started 31 games in 2023. Recorded 27 hits to help produce a .284 batting average. Perez also finished with 3 home runs, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 21 RBIs, and 15 runs scored.

Francesca Villaneda returns for her sophomore season. Villaneda made 34 starts and 40 appearances as a true freshman. Villaneda finished as the
Marauders top hitter in her rookie season with a .316 batting average.

Other returners include Natasha Stubbs, Janine Warne, Emily Schommer, Arria Johnson, Ariana Retuta, Kelsey Mischel and Hannah Chambers.

NEW FACES
Schmeckpeper brings in five new freshmen to the UMary softball program. Jenel Mallari, Karadyn Fuller, Ariane Sims, Emma Kimberling, and Katelyn Falk look to make an impact in their true freshman season.

The Marauders are also bringing in three new transfers to the program. Jaraya Diaz (Garden City Community College) and Whitney Carnes (Shasta College) look to make great contributions in their first seasons at UMary.

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