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Online Radio: LinkThe University of Evansville softball team will be playing for a Missouri Valley Conference tournament berth against the Missouri State Bears at Cooper Stadium this weekend. The games will take place on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, with both days starting at 12:00 p.m.
The Purple Aces will need to sweep the Bears this weekend in order to make the conference tournament. Evansville sits at 18-30 overall with a 6-17 MVC record. Missouri State is currently 25-25 and has an 8-15 MVC record.
Sunday’s game will be senior day for the four Evansville seniors graduating this year. UE will be honoring Emily Morris, Niki Rahming, Taylor Perry and Kacey Rogers.
The Bears will enter the weekend series behind power hitting sophomore Bethany Sullinger and junior pitcher/outfielder Chelsea Jones. Sullinger is hitting .306 on the season, has six homeruns and 40 RBIs and six stolen bases. Sullinger has a total of 10 walks this season and has six hit-by-pitches. Chelsea Jones is hitting .287, has four homeruns, 29 RBIs, a .336 on base percentage and 12 walks.
Erin Struemph and Jones are the Bears two best pitchers. Struemph has thrown a team leading 138.0 innings, struck out 134 batters and has a 3.30 ERA with a 10-11 record. Jones has struck out 50 batters in 111.0 innings to go along with six complete games, leading to a 9-8 record and a 3.59 ERA.
Evansville comes in behind Megan Gurski, Chandra Parr and Kayla Fortner, who have been the Purple Aces best offensive threats all season long. Gurski is hitting a team leading .359 to go along with seven homeruns, 27 RBIs and six walks. Chandra Parr is second on the team with a .305 batting average, is tied for second in MVC play with 10 homeruns and has 29 RBI. Parr also has a team leading six HBP and has been walked 14 times. Fortner has had a solid season for UE as well, as the junior is hitting .277, has been walked 29 times and has five hit by pitches. Fortner has nine homeruns and 26 RBIs.
Pitching for UE will be Gurski and Briana Combs. Gurski has thrown 139.0 innings, has struck out 119 and has two saves leading to a 9-13 record and a 3.73 ERA. The freshman Combs has a 5.39 ERA and a 4-5 record in 49.1 innings and 19 strikeouts.
If the Aces sweep the Bears this weekend, then they will be traveling to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament next weekend in Normal, Illinois, with their opponent to be announced next week.
