Due to rain and thunderstorms in the forecast Saturday, University of Southern Indiana Softball has moved its Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader against Rockhurst University to Friday at the USI Softball Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
The Screaming Eagles (19-16, 8-8 GLVC) also host William Jewell College in a GLVC twinbill Sunday at noon.
Rockhurst enters Friday’s games with a 16-21 overall record and a 10-6 mark in GLVC play; while William Jewell enters the weekend with a 20-16 overall record and a 7-9 mark in league action.
Live Stats and GLVC Sports Network coverage for both doubleheaders can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com; while Sunday’s doubleheader against William Jewell also will be aired on WSWI 95.7 FM.
USI Softball Notes
• Recapping last week. USI Softball began the weekend by dropping both games of a GLVC doubleheader to host Truman State, falling 5-3 in game one and 5-1 in game two. The Eagles rebounded with a doubleheader sweep of Quincy, rallying for a 7-5 win in the opener before holding on for an 8-5 win in the nightcap.
• Eagles go deep. The Eagles hit a combined nine home runs last week, including six in their doubleheader sweep of Quincy. USI, which improved its season total to 24 home runs, scored 15 of its 19 runs last weekend via the long ball.
• Last week’s leaders. Senior third baseman Mena Fulton hit .429 with a double, home run and two RBIs to lead USI at the plate last week, while junior second baseman Claire Johnson hit .417 with three home runs and six RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Allison Schubert hit .357 with three home runs and three RBIs, while sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt hit .364. Leonhardt, who was 1-1 with a save, racked up 13 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of work.
• Season leaders. Schubert leads USI with a .380 batting average and a GLVC-best .778 slugging percentage. She is currently second in the GLVC with 11 home runs and is currently eighth with a team-high 32 RBIs. Johnson is hitting .336 with six triples, four home runs and 18 RBIs, while Leonhardt is 9-8 with a .227 opponent batting average and 117 strikeouts.
• Kunkle closing in on milestone. Head Coach Sue Kunkle is just nine wins shy of becoming the first coach in USI history to reach the 500-win plateau. She is currently 491-354-1 (.581) all-time during her 17-year career at the helm of the Eagles.
• Schubert joins elite club. Schubert is the eighth player in program history to hit 10 or more home runs in a single season. Her 11 home runs in 2018 are currently tied for fifth on USI’s single-season list.
• Hitting streaks. Seven different players have recorded hitting streaks of five games or better for the Eagles in 2018. Fulton, who had a nine-game streak earlier in the year, has the longest current streak at three games; while Johnson’s 11-game hitting streak was the longest of the year.
