Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Bradley
Eagles Trek to Kentucky for Louisville Softball Classic
3/7/2018 6:38:00 PM | Softball
Eastern will play five games over a three-day span, March 9-11
| Softball at Louisville Softball Classic | |
| Date | Friday-Sunday, March 9-11 |
| Venue | Louisville, Ky. | Ulmer Stadium |
| Game Notes | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| @EMUSoftball | @EMUAthletics | |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University softball team makes the trek to the Bluegrass State for the Louisville Softball Classic March 9-11. There, the Eagles will square off with three opponents, including tournament host Louisville, UMass, and Bradley.
Action gets underway with a Friday morning clash against Bradley at 10 am. before faceing UMass at 12:30 p.m. The Eagles rematch Bradley Saturday at 12:30 p.m. before a 5:30 p.m. date with Louisville. Eastern closes the weekend with a Sunday tilt against UMass at 10 a.m.
Live stats will be available for all of EMU's games, while fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following @EMUSoftball. The Eagles versus Cardinals matchup will be featured on the ACC Network Extra, with the link on the schedule page.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Eastern Michigan has a total of 13 all-time run-ins with this weekend's opponents, having met two of the three previously. The Eagles will battle UMass for the first time in program history, while the Green and White boast a 6-7 combined record against Louisville and Bradley.
EMU split the all-time series with Louisville, 3-3, with the last meeting, a 6-1 loss to the Cardinals, March 15, 2013.
The Eagles also trail Bradley in the all-time series by a 3-4 tally, but have not met since the 1997 season. In the last game between the two, EMU came away with an 8-3 victory, March 14, 1997.
THE 100 CLUB: Senior Brandice Olmos officially crossed the 100 career-hits threshold, after she smashed two hits against Incarnate Word, March 4. Olmos became the second Eagle to do so this season, as fellow senior Haley Hostetler reached the milestone against Marist, Feb. 25. Junior Amanda Akles is set to enter the group, as she currently sits at 99 hits for her three-year career.
BIG WEEKEND FOR AKLES: Amanda Akles had a mammoth weekend at the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, March 2-4, as she boasted a .500 batting average with a team-high 10 hits and two home runs. Akles' outstanding performance moved her up the Mid-American Conference rankings, as the junior now sits in the top-10 in four categories. Currently, she is tied for third in hits (21) and doubles (4), seventh in total bases (31), and tied for ninth in batting average (.382).
FREE BASES UP FOR GRABS: Through the first 15 games of the season, senior Angel Schilke and junior Olivia Logan have been earning free bases left and right through walks and hit by pitches, both earning spots in the national rankings. Logan's five hit by pitches is tied for first in the MAC, while slotted 38th in the nation at 0.33 per game. Meanwhile, Schilke has been walked 11 times (0.73 per game) for fourth in the conference and 49th amongst Division I softball.
THE BATS ARE COMING ALIVE: After struggling to produce hits during the first weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Invite, the Eagles saw a tremendous improvement at the dish. Mustering a .180 batting average through the first five games, the Green and White hit the batting cages and produced a .245 in the second weekend of action. However, in the final weekend, EMU hit at a blistering .326, while out-hitting opponents, 46-42.
ERRORS ADD UP: After three weekends of ball, Eastern Michigan has committed a total of 33 errors. The errors have given EMU fits as it has allowed the opposition to score 24 runs. Against Northern Kentucky, March 3, the Green and White committed a season-high five errors, two of which allowed the Norse to score, as the Eagles dropped a 10-9 decision.
BREAKING THE TOP-10: In the final weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, March 2-4, junior Amanda Akles had a pair of homeruns against Alabama State, March 2, and Incarnate Word, March 4. The two homers puts Akles at 16 for her career, tying Lindsay Schmid and McKenna Russ for 10th all-time in program history. The La Habra, Calif. native is 32 home runs from the all-time leader, Jenny Scherer.
WHERE HAVE YA' BEEN?: Used primarily as a pinch runner in previous seasons, Angel Schilke has stepped up her role both defensively and offensively for EMU. The senior has started all 15 games in right field and has registered 29 at bats. Throughout her first three years donning the Green and White, Schilke had only nine plate appearances, but this year has stepped in the batters box a total of 41 times. In the first 15 games, the Saline, Mich. native has already pounded out nine hits, including a double and a triple.
WELCOME BACK, ARIELLE!: After missing the first 10 games due to an injury, sophomore Arielle Anderson made her 2018 debut in the third weekend of the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational. Playing in four games, Anderson has made starts at both second base and as the designated player. The sophomore had an outstanding game at the plate against Northern Kentucky, March 3, where she notched a career-high three hits, to go along with a run.
STACKING UP IN THE MAC: As a team, the Eagles have positioned themselves near the top in several categories in the Mid-American Conference standings. See how EMU has stacked up in the MAC March 6:
| Player | Category | Number | Rank |
| EMU | Doubles per Game | 1.33 | 3rd (66th nationally) |
| EMU | Triple per Game | 0.27 | 4th (50th nationally) |
| Nicolle Miranda | Innings Pitched | 65.1 | 1st |
| Olivia Logan | Hit by Pitches | 5 | t-1st (38th nationally) |
| Amanda Akles | Hits | 21 | 3rd (150th nationally) |
| Amanda Akles | Doubles | 4 | t-3rd |
| Angel Schilke | OB % | .512 | 5th (98th nationally) |
| Nicolle Miranda | Strikeouts | 29 | 6th |
| Amanda Akles | Batting Average | .382 | t-9th |
| Amanda Akles | RBIs | 10 | t-13th |
| Amanda Akles | Batting Average | .382 | t-9th |
ON DECK: Eastern is back in action next weekend, March 16-18, for its final weekend tournament of the season in Memphis, Tenn. At the Memphis Invitational, the Eagles will clash with South Dakota, SIU-Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri State, and Tennessee Tech.
