Softball opens weekend with Friday doubleheader at Valpo
Aces back on the road for another 3-game set
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking to pick up its first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season, the University of Evansville softball team travels to Valparaiso for a 3-game weekend series.
An updated schedule will see the teams play a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Friday before squaring off in a single game on Saturday at 12 p.m. with all three games set to be televised on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
– A late rally saw Missouri State take a 4-3 win in Saturday’s series finale to secure a series sweep over the Purple Aces
– Taylor Howe went 4-for-5 in the contest as UE opened a 3-0 lead before the Bears tied the game with a 3-run fifth inning before scoring the winning run in the 8th
Finishing Strong
– In the series finale at Missouri State, Taylor Howe recorded a career-high four hits as she went 4-for-5 while adding a run
– The effort improved her season batting average to .301
– Howe is tied for 2nd in the MVC with 9 doubles, tied for 6th with 23 RBI and is tied for 10th with 18 runs scored
– On Feb. 25, Howe was named the MVC Player of the Week after batting .455 with four home runs and nine RBI
Hitting Streak
– Sophomore Niki Bode paces the Evansville offense with a .408 batting average, which puts her third in the MVC and enters the weekend with a 5-game hitting streak, the longest current streak on the team
– She is tied for second in the league with three sacrifice flies, 9th with an on-base percentage of 0.455 and 10th with 17 runs scored
Top Six
– Jess Willsey ranks in the top six in the MVC in multiple statistics
– Her rankings include 2nd in runs (24), T-3rd with 98 at-bats, T-4th in home runs (7), T-4th with 8 doubles, and T-6th with 23 RBI,
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