Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 12
Troy, Ala.
11 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Evansville
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Softball Opens 2016 at the Trojan Invite
2/11/2016 3:34:00 PM | Softball
The Eagles will play five games in Troy, Ala. to open the season
| Softball at 2016 Trojan Invite | |
| Date | 2016 Trojan Invite | Feb. 12-14 | Tournament Home Page |
| Venue | Troy, Ala. | Troy Softball Complex |
| Game Notes | EMU Notes | UE Notes | Troy Notes | Alabama State Notes |
| Live Stats | TroyTrojans.com |
| Live Stream | TroyTrojans.com |
| @EMUSoftball | |
TROY, Ala. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University softball team opens the 2016 season in Troy, Ala., where the Eagles will take part in the Trojan Invite, hosted by Troy University. There, the Green and White will play five games, two against the University of Evansville and Troy, and one against Alabama State University.EMU opens the season at Noon against Evansville, Feb. 12, before taking on Troy under the lights at 6 p.m.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT: In its third season under the direction of Head Coach Melissa Gentile, the Eastern Michigan University softball team will rely on immediate contributions from seven underclassmen in 2016. The infield could see freshman at the hot corners, as well as behind the plate, where Sam Saporito is expected to earn the starting nod early on. Sophomores Haley Hostetler and Brandice Olmos return to the middle infield as short stop and second base, respectively, while the Eagles will turn to freshman Nicolle Miranda in the circle. Rounding out the youth movement are freshman Lucy Lopez and Alex Peters who will fight for spots in the outfield.
COMMANDING THE CIRCLE: The Green and White face a tall task in the circle after losing Lindsay Rich to graduation and Alyssa Huntley to injury. Together the two combined for 28 starts, 12 complete games, 217.2 innings of work, and 106 strikeouts last sesaon. This spring, the Eagles will rely heavily on freshman Nicolle Miranda and the development of sophomore Trisha Trujillo and junior Abbie Minsker.
Miranda, a fiery pitcher hailing from Wilmington, Calif. is expected to shoulder a majority of the innings for the Eagles in her first collegiate season. In her second season with EMU, Trujillo looks to improve on her sophomore season in which she pitched 80.1 innings, second to only Rich. In 21 appearances, Trujillo recorded two wins while fanning 38. As for Minsker, the Howell, Mich. product will look to serve as both reliever and starter for the Eagles in 2016. Serving primarily as a reliever in the past two seasons, Minsker has embraced her starting opportunities, compiling a 4-5 overall record.
TALE OF THE TAPE: The Eagles have squared off against this weekend's opponents a combined four times in program history, owning a 3-1 record against the competition. Eastern holds winning records against both Evansville (2-1) and Alabama State (1-0), while never having met, tournament host, Troy on the diamond. EMU's last meeting with the Purple Aces came during the 2002 season with Evansville coming away with a 5-1 win. In their lone meeting with Alabama State, the Eagles shutout the Hornets, 5-0, March 9, 2012.
In her third season in charge, Head Coach Melissa Gentile will take on this weekend's opponents for the first time in her tenure.
EMU IN LID LIFTERS: The Eagles have compiled an 18-15-1 mark in season openers since the program began in 1981. When the Green and White square off against Evansville on day one of the Trojan Invite, the Eagles will look to move to 2-1 in lidlifters under Head Coach Melissa Gentile.
TALL TASK AWAITS EAGLES' HURLERS: The Eagles pitching staff will face a tall task over the course of the year, as EMU is set to square off against seven of the top-50 players in the nation, according to USA Softball. The talented group includes three members of No. 2 Michigan, as well as players from Notre Dame, Georgia State, and Manhattan.
GLANCING AT EVANSVILLE: The University of Evansville looks to improve on a 10-45 record from a season ago when they open the 2016 season at the Trojan Invite. The Purple Aces struggled to provide consistency at the plate or in the circle in their first year under Head Coach Mat Mundell.
UE will look to cut down on its team earned run average of 6.61 from last season, behind a pair of returning pitchers in Amanda Blakenship and Samantha Fleming. Blakenship led the team in innings pitched (188.2), striking out a team-high 118, while allowing opponents to hit a hefty .327 against her. Fleming posted a 3-9 record in 2015, boasting a 6.13 ERA in 59.1 innings of work.
At the plate, the Purple Aces return their top two hitters. Danielle Freeman provides the power for UE while Michal Luckett swings a consistent bat. Freeman hit a team-best .339 as a sophomore, belting 13 home runs, and totaling 28 RBIs and has been named a preseason all-conference selection. Meanwhile, Luckett owned a .311 batting average in her second season with UE.
Despite the return of four significant players from last year's squad, nine freshman pose question marks for opponents as the newcomers contributions have yet to be seen.
SCOUTING TROY: On the heels of a 32-23 season in which the Trojans upset a slew of nationally ranked opponents, Troy University will open the 2016 season at home as host of the Trojan Invite.
Troy returns its heavy hitters from last season while it will be without its top pitcher from a year ago. Hannah Day and Kate Benton bring their bats back for their final seasons after leading the squad in 2015. Day led the team with a .329 batting average, as well as toping the team ranks in RBI (43) and doubles (13). Benton joined day above the .300 mark, owning a .314 batting average. Of Benton's 55 hits on the season, 53 of them were singles as the infielder used her speed to get on base. Benton led the team with 43 runs scored while swiping a team-high 26 bases on 29 attempts.
In the circle, the Trojans return just one pitcher from a season ago and face a tall task in replacing Jaycee Affeldt. The lone returner, Ashley Rainey, compiled a 10-4 record in 25 apearances. Her 3.30 earned run average ranked second on the team. Affeldt's 17-11 record and 182.2 innings pitched will be replaced by Rainey and freshmen Claire Graves and Peyton Glover with redshirt junior Rachel Rigney hoping to make an impact in her first season back from injury.
QUICK LOOK AT ALABAMA STATE: Alabama State enters the season hoping to build on a 21-33 record in 2015 in which they ran all the way to the Southwest Conference Championship game before being bounced by No. 1-seeded Texas Southern, 9-0.
The Hornets return seven of eight players who hit .300-or better at the plate, as ASU boasted a .321 team batting average. Kendall Core returns at the hot corner, carrying a big bat. Core led the Hornets with a .367 average, tallying 58 hits in 158 at bats while registering five home runs and driving in 31.
Alabama State welcomes four pitchers back in 2016, three of which recorded at least five wins last season and 40+ strikeouts. Chelsea King led the Hornets with a 1.60 earned run average, finishing tied with Maddie Phelps for wins (8). Phelps led the team in innings pitched (112.2) while Melissa Christmann fanned a team-high 58.
ONE SCHEDULE, 17 LEAGUES: Eastern Michigan's 50-game slate features teams from 17 different conferences. The Eagles are set to take on a pair of teams from the Sun Belt, MAAC, Atlantic 10, Big East, and Big Ten. Addtionally, the Green and White will play squads from the Missouri Valley, Southwest, Conference USA, America East, Ohio Valley, Ivy League, Northeast, American, Colonial, and Atlantic Coast, in addition to a grueling Mid-American Conference slate.
ON DECK: Following this weekend's trip to Alabama, the Eagles will soar south for the 2016 EMU Madeira Beach Invitational presented by HumaneX, Feb. 19-21. As hosts of the 10-team tournament, Eastern will face off against UMASS-Lowell, Manhattan, Marist, George Mason, and Siena. The Eagles finished last season's innaugural invite with a 3-2 mark, highlighted by shutouts of Columbia (6-0) and UMASS-Lowell (3-0).
ALL-CONFERENCE TRIO PRIMED FOR 2016: Senior Abi Clark and juniors Michelle Kriegshauser and Taylor Wagner return to the diamond for the Eagles in 2016 on the heels of seasons that landed them on the All-Conference squads.
In her second season with the Eagles after transfering from Alma, Clark started 44-of-45 games for the Green and White as a mainstay at first base. Boasting a .362 batting average, Clark totaled 20 RBIs, nine doubles, and three home runs.
Kreigshauser followed up her breakout freshman season with a stupendous second year for the Eagles. The New Lenox, Ill. product led the team in batting average (.397), total bases (108), doubles (12), home runs (10), RBI (32), slugging percentage (.692), and on-base percentage (.469).
Wagner directed the pitching staff behind the plate, as the Eagles number one catcher. In addition to leading the Mid-American Conference in runners caught stealing with 16, Wagner was one of three Eagles to own a batting average above .300 (.303). The junior backstop appeared in 43 games for the Green and White, starting 41 of them, while adding 19 RBIs.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: The Eastern Michigan University softball team earned recognition from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Tuesday, Oct. 13, for academic excellence as one of the Top-10 Academic Teams in Division I. The announcement by the NFCA marks the second consecutive season the Eagles have cracked the top-10 and led the Mid-American Conference in team grade point average.
Boasting an impressive 3.518 team GPA, the team ranked ninth in all of Division I and the highest of any MAC school. Lipscomb took the top spot, holding a division-best 3.654 GPA while Grand Canyon (3.640), and DePaul (3.640) rounded out the top three. Kent State was the only other MAC school to break the top-10, holding a 3.513 GPA, just behind EMU. The MAC is one of two conferences to have two teams ranked in the top-10, joining the Northeast Conference.
DINGERS FOR DAYS: Eastern Michigan broke the EMU single-season record for home runs last season, tallying 41 long balls. As a sophomore Michelle Kriegshauser led the team with 10 home runs while Jenn Lucas added nine. In total, 10 different Eagles sent a pitcher's delivery over the outfield fence.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT: In its third season under the direction of Head Coach Melissa Gentile, the Eastern Michigan University softball team will rely on immediate contributions from seven underclassmen in 2016. The infield could see freshman at the hot corners, as well as behind the plate, where Sam Saporito is expected to earn the starting nod early on. Sophomores Haley Hostetler and Brandice Olmos return to the middle infield as short stop and second base, respectively, while the Eagles will turn to freshman Nicolle Miranda in the circle. Rounding out the youth movement are freshman Lucy Lopez and Alex Peters who will fight for spots in the outfield.
COMMANDING THE CIRCLE: The Green and White face a tall task in the circle after losing Lindsay Rich to graduation and Alyssa Huntley to injury. Together the two combined for 28 starts, 12 complete games, 217.2 innings of work, and 106 strikeouts last sesaon. This spring, the Eagles will rely heavily on freshman Nicolle Miranda and the development of sophomore Trisha Trujillo and junior Abbie Minsker.
Miranda, a fiery pitcher hailing from Wilmington, Calif. is expected to shoulder a majority of the innings for the Eagles in her first collegiate season. In her second season with EMU, Trujillo looks to improve on her sophomore season in which she pitched 80.1 innings, second to only Rich. In 21 appearances, Trujillo recorded two wins while fanning 38. As for Minsker, the Howell, Mich. product will look to serve as both reliever and starter for the Eagles in 2016. Serving primarily as a reliever in the past two seasons, Minsker has embraced her starting opportunities, compiling a 4-5 overall record.
TALE OF THE TAPE: The Eagles have squared off against this weekend's opponents a combined four times in program history, owning a 3-1 record against the competition. Eastern holds winning records against both Evansville (2-1) and Alabama State (1-0), while never having met, tournament host, Troy on the diamond. EMU's last meeting with the Purple Aces came during the 2002 season with Evansville coming away with a 5-1 win. In their lone meeting with Alabama State, the Eagles shutout the Hornets, 5-0, March 9, 2012.
In her third season in charge, Head Coach Melissa Gentile will take on this weekend's opponents for the first time in her tenure.
EMU IN LID LIFTERS: The Eagles have compiled an 18-15-1 mark in season openers since the program began in 1981. When the Green and White square off against Evansville on day one of the Trojan Invite, the Eagles will look to move to 2-1 in lidlifters under Head Coach Melissa Gentile.
TALL TASK AWAITS EAGLES' HURLERS: The Eagles pitching staff will face a tall task over the course of the year, as EMU is set to square off against seven of the top-50 players in the nation, according to USA Softball. The talented group includes three members of No. 2 Michigan, as well as players from Notre Dame, Georgia State, and Manhattan.
GLANCING AT EVANSVILLE: The University of Evansville looks to improve on a 10-45 record from a season ago when they open the 2016 season at the Trojan Invite. The Purple Aces struggled to provide consistency at the plate or in the circle in their first year under Head Coach Mat Mundell.
UE will look to cut down on its team earned run average of 6.61 from last season, behind a pair of returning pitchers in Amanda Blakenship and Samantha Fleming. Blakenship led the team in innings pitched (188.2), striking out a team-high 118, while allowing opponents to hit a hefty .327 against her. Fleming posted a 3-9 record in 2015, boasting a 6.13 ERA in 59.1 innings of work.
At the plate, the Purple Aces return their top two hitters. Danielle Freeman provides the power for UE while Michal Luckett swings a consistent bat. Freeman hit a team-best .339 as a sophomore, belting 13 home runs, and totaling 28 RBIs and has been named a preseason all-conference selection. Meanwhile, Luckett owned a .311 batting average in her second season with UE.
Despite the return of four significant players from last year's squad, nine freshman pose question marks for opponents as the newcomers contributions have yet to be seen.
SCOUTING TROY: On the heels of a 32-23 season in which the Trojans upset a slew of nationally ranked opponents, Troy University will open the 2016 season at home as host of the Trojan Invite.
Troy returns its heavy hitters from last season while it will be without its top pitcher from a year ago. Hannah Day and Kate Benton bring their bats back for their final seasons after leading the squad in 2015. Day led the team with a .329 batting average, as well as toping the team ranks in RBI (43) and doubles (13). Benton joined day above the .300 mark, owning a .314 batting average. Of Benton's 55 hits on the season, 53 of them were singles as the infielder used her speed to get on base. Benton led the team with 43 runs scored while swiping a team-high 26 bases on 29 attempts.
In the circle, the Trojans return just one pitcher from a season ago and face a tall task in replacing Jaycee Affeldt. The lone returner, Ashley Rainey, compiled a 10-4 record in 25 apearances. Her 3.30 earned run average ranked second on the team. Affeldt's 17-11 record and 182.2 innings pitched will be replaced by Rainey and freshmen Claire Graves and Peyton Glover with redshirt junior Rachel Rigney hoping to make an impact in her first season back from injury.
QUICK LOOK AT ALABAMA STATE: Alabama State enters the season hoping to build on a 21-33 record in 2015 in which they ran all the way to the Southwest Conference Championship game before being bounced by No. 1-seeded Texas Southern, 9-0.
The Hornets return seven of eight players who hit .300-or better at the plate, as ASU boasted a .321 team batting average. Kendall Core returns at the hot corner, carrying a big bat. Core led the Hornets with a .367 average, tallying 58 hits in 158 at bats while registering five home runs and driving in 31.
Alabama State welcomes four pitchers back in 2016, three of which recorded at least five wins last season and 40+ strikeouts. Chelsea King led the Hornets with a 1.60 earned run average, finishing tied with Maddie Phelps for wins (8). Phelps led the team in innings pitched (112.2) while Melissa Christmann fanned a team-high 58.
ONE SCHEDULE, 17 LEAGUES: Eastern Michigan's 50-game slate features teams from 17 different conferences. The Eagles are set to take on a pair of teams from the Sun Belt, MAAC, Atlantic 10, Big East, and Big Ten. Addtionally, the Green and White will play squads from the Missouri Valley, Southwest, Conference USA, America East, Ohio Valley, Ivy League, Northeast, American, Colonial, and Atlantic Coast, in addition to a grueling Mid-American Conference slate.
ON DECK: Following this weekend's trip to Alabama, the Eagles will soar south for the 2016 EMU Madeira Beach Invitational presented by HumaneX, Feb. 19-21. As hosts of the 10-team tournament, Eastern will face off against UMASS-Lowell, Manhattan, Marist, George Mason, and Siena. The Eagles finished last season's innaugural invite with a 3-2 mark, highlighted by shutouts of Columbia (6-0) and UMASS-Lowell (3-0).
ALL-CONFERENCE TRIO PRIMED FOR 2016: Senior Abi Clark and juniors Michelle Kriegshauser and Taylor Wagner return to the diamond for the Eagles in 2016 on the heels of seasons that landed them on the All-Conference squads.
In her second season with the Eagles after transfering from Alma, Clark started 44-of-45 games for the Green and White as a mainstay at first base. Boasting a .362 batting average, Clark totaled 20 RBIs, nine doubles, and three home runs.
Kreigshauser followed up her breakout freshman season with a stupendous second year for the Eagles. The New Lenox, Ill. product led the team in batting average (.397), total bases (108), doubles (12), home runs (10), RBI (32), slugging percentage (.692), and on-base percentage (.469).
Wagner directed the pitching staff behind the plate, as the Eagles number one catcher. In addition to leading the Mid-American Conference in runners caught stealing with 16, Wagner was one of three Eagles to own a batting average above .300 (.303). The junior backstop appeared in 43 games for the Green and White, starting 41 of them, while adding 19 RBIs.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: The Eastern Michigan University softball team earned recognition from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Tuesday, Oct. 13, for academic excellence as one of the Top-10 Academic Teams in Division I. The announcement by the NFCA marks the second consecutive season the Eagles have cracked the top-10 and led the Mid-American Conference in team grade point average.
Boasting an impressive 3.518 team GPA, the team ranked ninth in all of Division I and the highest of any MAC school. Lipscomb took the top spot, holding a division-best 3.654 GPA while Grand Canyon (3.640), and DePaul (3.640) rounded out the top three. Kent State was the only other MAC school to break the top-10, holding a 3.513 GPA, just behind EMU. The MAC is one of two conferences to have two teams ranked in the top-10, joining the Northeast Conference.
DINGERS FOR DAYS: Eastern Michigan broke the EMU single-season record for home runs last season, tallying 41 long balls. As a sophomore Michelle Kriegshauser led the team with 10 home runs while Jenn Lucas added nine. In total, 10 different Eagles sent a pitcher's delivery over the outfield fence.
Players Mentioned
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OF
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OF
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OF
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P
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P
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2B/SS
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UTL
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P/1B
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OF/C
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P
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C/3B
/ SoftballMonday, May 07
Saturday, February 24
Thursday, May 18
Saturday, March 25