The Adrian Mohr coaching era of Tiger softball begins with six games in a three-day span (Feb. 13-15), as opening day for the 2015 Fort Hays State Softball team is set for Friday as part of the 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Ark.
FHSU will take on Minnesota Duluth and No. 13 Missouri-St. Louis on Friday and Truman and Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday before closing the event with Arkansas Tech and Harding on Sunday. All six games feature regional opponents for the Tigers, and though live stats will not be provided for the tournament, fans can follow along with @fhsuathletics on Twitter for updates throughout the weekend.
Picked to finish fifth in the MIAA, Fort Hays State returns nine players from a team that went 29-20 (17-9 MIAA) last season and finished fourth in the standings. Of those returners, pitcher Paxton Duran (153.1 innings pitched, 17-9 record and 148 strikeouts) was a Daktronics All-Central Region Second Team selection after putting together a 3.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season. She and three returners –Courtney Dobson, Amanda Vaupel and Samantha Villarreal – received All-MIAA honors last year. A more in-depth look at the returners and newcomers on this year’s roster can be found here.
Joining the Tigers with their season debut at the tournament this weekend is UMD, TSU and ATU, while UMSL, UAM and HU opened last weekend. Preview capsules of this weekend’s opponents are below …
Minnesota Duluth (0-0): Picked fifth in the NSIC Preseason Poll … Top returner is All-NSIC First Team selection Sami Schnyder, who hit .389/.441/.490 last season with 46 starts … Top pitcher returning is Cayli Sadler, who went 19-11 last season with a 2.80 ERA and 160 strikeouts.
Missouri-St. Louis (5-1): Ranked 13th nationally … Two-time defending GLVC Champion … Picked to finish first in the GLVC … Started the season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Tucson, Ariz., last weekend, hitting .325 as a team with a 3.15 ERA over six games … Top offensive threats are Brianna Butler (.500, three doubles, three home runs) and Madison Zbaraschuk (.500, one double, five RBI) … Top pitchers include Brittni Chapman (3-0, 1.68 ERA, 16.2 innings pitched) and Hannah Perryman (2-1, 3.96 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 17.2 innings).
Truman (0-0): Picked to finish fourth in the GLVC … Reached the NCAA Tournament last season with a 43-13 record … Top returner is Kindra Henze, who went 23-7 with a 1.21 ERA in the circle last season, being named GLVC Co-Pitcher of the Year … Other key returner is Andrea Klipsch, who hit .376 with 16 doubles and eight home runs last season, and was selected to the NFCA watch list for Player of the Year this season.
Arkansas-Monticello (2-2): Opened the year at the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational in Arkadelphia, Ark., last weekend … Picked to finish seventh in the GAC Preseason Poll … Sydney Tipton hit .455 with two doubles in the first weekend, while Holly Wilmarth hit .429, had three RBI and six hits with a .643 slugging percentage … Kate Slaughter (1.11 ERA, five strikeouts) leads the team with 12.2 innings pitched and a 1-1 record, while Katherine Batey (4.74 ERA, eight strikeouts) has thrown 10.1 innings and is 1-1.
Arkansas Tech (0-0): Picked eighth in the GAC Preseason Poll … Won the GAC Tournament last season while going 31-27, ending the season with seven straight wins … Sydnee Clark (16-11, 2.25 ERA) and Victoria Huie (10-12, 3.63 ERA) return in the circle … Whitney Robinson is a two-time All-GAC selection and was All-Region last year after hitting .418 with 18 doubles, three triples and 14 stolen bases.
Harding (2-4): Opened the season with a home doubleheader and four games at the Eckerd College Spring Invitational in Clearwater, Fla., last weekend … Picked fifth in the GAC Preseason Poll … Marley Edwards (.471, two doubles, one triple) and Mackenzie Jones (.438, four doubles, three RBI) lead the offense … Pitchers Amber Rollins (2.85 ERA, 1-1, 16 strikeouts) and Danielle Hubbard (3.27 ERA, 1-2, three strikeouts) have thrown a majority of innings … Hitting .300 as a team with a 4.27 combined ERA.