University of Southern Indiana Softball will play for some special causes April 2-3 when it hosts the University of Indianapolis and Saint Joseph’s College at the USI Softball Field.

The Screaming Eagles’ doubleheader with the Greyhounds of UIndy on April 2 is USI’s Awareness Day, while the Eagles will “Play for Kate” April 3 when they host the Pumas of Saint Joseph’s for a doubleheader.

“We Play for…” (Awareness Day)
Awareness Day is a day where players and coaches for USI and UIndy have the opportunity to play for someone they love or know that has been affected by disease, illness, handicap, or other special cause, such as cancer awareness or heart disease. Every player and coach for USI and UIndy will be wearing colored ribbon representing the person they are honoring that day.

Each year, the Eagles make an effort, as a team, to honor someone within their softball family. This year, USI will wear T-shirts for Vicky Tuggle, the grandmother of senior infielder Toni Braun (Evanston, Indiana).

Tuggle has battled illness and paralysis throughout the last three years to prove that, with love, strength, and a great sense of humor, you can survive.

“Play for Kate”
On July 26, 2015, Kate Bruggenschmidt, a young lady in the softball community, was tragically killed in an ATV accident. She was 11 years old and a member of the local travel team, The Bomb Squad.

The softball family throughout the state of Indiana and beyond has rallied around her family to help hold events to raise benefits in her memory. Several benefits helped raise money for the new playground in Evansville that is being built in her name, and area scholarships honoring her, all of which is a part of the mission to “Play for Kate”.

Kate’s family will be in attendance for the doubleheader and her younger sister, Emma, will throw out the first pitch and be an honorary bat girl. USI players and coaches also will be wearing ribbons and bright green bracelets.

Aces looking for big non-conference victories

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With a weekend of conference play in the books, the University of Evansville softball team has its sights set on a big non-conference doubleheader as the Purple Aces head to Lawrence, Kan. for to face Kansas on Tuesday.

Game one is set for an 11 a.m. start on Tuesday with game two set to follow at approximately 1 p.m.

Evansville stands at 11-12 after the MVC-opening series.  The Aces hosted Drake over the weekend, losing three games by a total of four runs.  The Bulldogs defeated the Aces by a 4-2 final in the first game on Saturday before taking a 4-3 triumph in the second game.  Sunday’s series finale saw Drake hang on for a 3-2 victory.

A much-improved UE pitching staff has performed admirably thus far.  The Aces have pitched their way to a 3.05 ERA, which ranks 4^th in the Valley.  That is over three runs under last year’s final tally of 6.61.  True freshman Morgan Florey currently stands at a 1.48 ERA, the lowest in the MVC.  She has pitched out 91 batters in 61 2/3 innings of work.

Amanda Blankenship has also done well, standing with a 3.56 ERA while going 59 innings.

Michal Luckett continues to lead the squad, batting .360.  She has notched a team-high 27 hits and is second in runs scored (13) and RBIs (11).

Kansas enters Tuesday’s matchup with a 17-10 mark.  The Jayhawks have won three of their last four games, including a 9-0 win over Saint Louis on Sunday.  Chaley Brickley leads the KU offense, batting .410.  She has notched 32 hits in 78 at-bats and has scored 26 runs on the season.  She also ranks second on the squad with 6 home runs.

The Jayhawks have several threats at the top of the lineup with four batters hitting .369 or higher.  KU has a team ERA of 2.84 and are led by Andie Formby, who has notched a 1.76 ERA in 75 2/3 innings.