Softball's Busy Stretch Continues at EMU Madeira Beach Invite

Softball at EMU Madeira Beach Invitational
Date	Friday-Sunday, Feb. 24-26, 2017
Venue	Madeira Beach, Fla.
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Tournament Central
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	@EMUSoftball \| @EMUAthletics

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University softball team returns to Madeira Beach, Fla. this weekend, Feb. 24-26, for the final weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational. This weekend's slate includes games against Georgetown University, Brown University, Columbia University, Stony Brook University, and the University of Detroit Mercy. EMU's first game of the weekend is Friday, Feb. 24, against the Hoyas at 11 a.m.

LET'S MAKE IT FOUR IN A ROW: Due to the postponing of EMU's game against USF, the Eagles will play games four days in a row for the first time since Feb. 28-March 4, 2013, when EMU played six days straight.

TALE OF THE TAPE: The Green and White have seen incredible success in the all-time series against this weekend's opponents, chalking up a 51-8 record.
   Given its proximity, its no surprise Detroit Mercy is a consistent opponent on the Eagles' schedule and is its most common opponent of the bunch. EMU is 47-8 all-time against UDM, while Eastern is undefeated against Stony Brook (2-0), Columbia (1-0), and Brown (1-0). Meanwhile, Eastern Michigan and Georgetown will clash for the first time in program history.

GLANCING AT GEORGETOWN: Georgetown enters the weekend in search of its first win after opening this season on a nine-game losing skid.
   As a team, the Hoyas hit just .227 at the plate and have been outscored by opponents by a 50-28 margin. Mallory Belknap is GU's top hitter and is one of three Hoyas hitting above. 300. Belknap leads the team with a .433 batting average, and is the only player in double digits in hits (13).
   In the circle, Georgetown has seen its share of struggles. Opponents are hitting a hefty .327 at the plate, while GU holds a team earned run average of 7.59. Anna Brooks Pacha and Katie Vannicola have shared a majority of the pitching duties, tossing 23.1 innings apiece. Pacha has a team-high 31 strikeouts, but has also walked 21 and hit four batters. Vannicola on the other hand has allowed opponents to hit at a .391 clip this season.

BATTLING THE BROWN BEARS: Friday marks the first taste of action for the Bears, who finished the 2016 campaign with an 18-23 overall record.
   At the plate, Brown returns four of its top five hitters from a season ago. The Bears hit a blistering .295 as a team in 2016, and with much of its power returning could be on pace for similar sights in 2017.
   Brown returns all of its pitchers from a season ago, while also adding a freshman to the mix. Katie Orono has been the Bears top pitcher over the past two seasons, compiling a career earned run average of 2.65, while averaging just over five strikeouts per seven innings pitched.

CATCHING UP ON COLUMBIA: Like its Ivy League foe, Columbia will begin its season at the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational this season. The Lions turned in a record of 16-32 last year.
   At the plate, Columbia returns Honorable Mention All-Ivy League selection Krystin Wong, who hit .314 a season ago.
   In the circle, senior hurler Tonia Wu returns healthy after an injury-plagued junior campaign. Wu posted a team-best 3.81 ERA in 22 appearances last year, including eight complete games and a 3.09 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

SCOUTING THE SEAWOLVES: Stony Brook starts the 2017 season this weekend at the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, following a 26-24-2 campaign.
   The Seawolves lost their top two hitters to graduation, and will now rely on sophomore Irene Rivera. An America East All-Rookie Team honoree, Rivera is the top returning hitter for Stony Brook. River hit a solid .317 in her first collegiate season, totaling 40 hits, including 10 doubles and three home runs.
   Maddy Neales is the most experienced pitcher on the Stony Brook roster. She made 32 appearances last year, finishing with a 10-7 record and 4.72 ERA.

TITAN TID BITS: Detroit Mercy makes the trek south owning a 2-3 record on the season after opening the season at the Total Control Sports Invitational in Rosemont, Ill., Feb. 10-12. There, UDM collected wins over Fort Wayne and Western Illinois.
   Grace Schmeiser and Savvy Ferstle are the top Titans at the plate as UDM hits a healthy .314 as a team. Schmeiser hits a team-high .667 at the plate with nine at bats, while Ferstle has a team-high four RBIs and is tied for the team lead with four runs scored.
   On the rubber, Liz Murphy has shouldered a majority of the work. In 22.0 innings of work, Murphy has compiled a 2.23 ERA with two complete games. The Titans have not struck out many batters this season, tallying just 11 K's, while allowing the opposition to hit .336 at the dish.

EAGLES HANG TOUGH AGAINST NO. 25 USF: The Eagles gave the Bulls everything they had Thursday afternoon, Feb. 23, but came up short, 4-0. Freshman Ariana Chretien cranked out two hits in a 2-for-3 day, while Taylor Wagner, Haley Hostetler, and Danielle Rico added a hit each.

MIRANDA IN RELIEF: Sophomore Nicolle Miranda entered Eastern's game against South Florida in relief locked in. Miranda went 3.0 innings, allowing just one hit to keep the Green and White within striking distance. The relief appearance marked the most efficient outing of the season for Miranda.

NEARING THAT CENTURY MARK: Two EMU hurlers are approaching the century mark in career strikeouts. Sophomore Nicolle Miranda sits at 94 for her career, while junior Trisha Trujillo is just behind her with 93 career K's.

RECORD WATCH: Senior Michelle Kriegshauser heads into Wednesday's game against USF one double shy of tying the EMU career record. With 43 career doubles to her credit, Kriegshauser trails McKenna Russ' program standard by one.

ON DECK: After wrapping up their time in Florida, the Eagles flock back home for a much needed week off, before returning to action March 9-11 at the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by Long Beach State University, in Long Beach, Calif. There, EMU will take on Boston in a matchup of the season opener, as well as LBSU, UCLA, and San Diego State.

Softball's Busy Stretch Continues at EMU Madeira Beach Invite

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Players Mentioned

Ariana Chretien

Haley Hostetler

Michelle Kriegshauser

Nicolle Miranda

Danielle Rico

Trisha Trujillo

Taylor Wagner

Eastern Michigan Athletics