Aces look for another series win in 2017

Beginning on Friday, the University of Evansville softball team looks to continue its 3-game Missouri Valley Conference win streak as the Purple Aces travel to Springfield, Mo. for a series at Missouri State.

A noon doubleheader begins the action on Friday before the finale on Saturday starts at 11 a.m.  Live stats are available for all three contests while Friday’s twin bill will be carried live on The Valley on ESPN3.

In midweek action, the Aces dropped two games in a Tuesday doubleheader versus UT Martin.  The Skyhawks earned a 7-2 win in game one before finishing the day with a 3-1 win.  Morgan Florey went 3-5 in the DH with a home run.  She also started game two, allowing an unearned run in four innings of work.  Tess Hupe picked up two hits in 5 at-bats.

Here is what you need to know heading into the weekend:

– Morgan Lambert was named the MVC Player of the Week on Monday while Brittany Hay garnered Newcomer of the Week honors

– Chandra Parr hit the 31sh home run of her career at Drake on Sunday breaking Krista Price’s record, which was set in 2010

– Brittany Hay hit .750 in Des Moines while scoring 9 runs; her season tally of 31 runs scored moved her to 2nd in the MVC

– Morgan Florey has the top average on the squad, checking in at .342

– Ashlee Kawall has 15 steals on the season, tied for 3rd in the MVC; she is tied for 6th in program history

– In the weekend series at Drake, Evansville’s offense put up 31 runs in three games; it is the most the team has scored in a 3-game Valley series since posting 27 against Indiana State in 2003

– As a team, UE batted .402 against the Bulldogs while seven individuals hit .300 or above over the weekend; for the first time since 2002, the Aces have picked up two MVC series sweeps

– Morgan Florey’s 1.87 ERA is second in the Valley while her 141 strikeouts leads the league

Missouri State enters the weekend with a strong 20-13 mark while sitting at 8-4 in the conference.  The Bears hit a strong .301 as a team, led by Erika Velasquez Zimmer’s .386 average.  Hailee Gigneaux checks in just behind her at .381.

Ladies to play Sunday through Tuesday

  One year after taking second place, University of Evansville senior Kayla Katterhenry has her sights set on a league championship as her and the Purple Aces women’s golf team head to Cape Girardeau, Mo. for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

Set for Sunday through Tuesday, the 10 MVC squads will play a total of three rounds (54 holes) with the winner advancing to the NCAA Regionals.  Dalhousie Golf Club will host the tournament with par set at 72 and the yardage checking in at 6,214.  In last year’s MVC Championship, Katterhenry placed second as the Aces finished a program-best 7^th in the championship.  In the second round, Katterhenry tied the league record with a 5-under 67.

In her regular-season finale as a member of the University of Evansville women’s golf team, senior Kayla Katterhenry took top honors at the Indiana State Spring Invitational at the Country Club of Terre Haute on Monday.

Katterhenry shot a 2-under 70 in Monday’s final round to finish with a score of 145, four ahead of her nearest competition.  The victory came in a competitive field that featured four other MVC programs.

Second on the squad was Maggie Camp.  She made a nice jump from her opening round tally, improving by eight strokes.  After notching an 82 on Sunday, Camp carded a 74 on Monday to tally a 156 for the event, tying for 13th.

Next up was Giulia Mallmann.  Her final-round score of 85 gave her a score of 165, tying her for 43rd.  Madison Chaney was two behind Mallmann, finishing with a 167.  She carded an 86 in the last round.  Maria Pickens saw a 5-stroke improvement in day two, posting an 84 on her way to a 173.