Game Time...For the third consecutive weekend, the Dordt University softball team will host an indoor classic held at the
American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa.
This week's classic will once again feature eight teams, all from the NAIA; 4 from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (College of Saint Mary, Dordt, Morningside and Northwestern), 3 from the North Star Athletic Conference (Bellevue, Dakota State and Waldorf) and one, Avila, from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. One team in this week's field is recognized in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' poll (Bellevue - RV). A total of 15 games will be played over the two-day event, seven on Friday and eight on Saturday.
All 15 games can be followed with video, via the Dordt Media Network, as well as live stats.
Friday, Feb. 24 *team in bold / listed 2nd is HOME
Saturday, Feb. 25 *team in bold / listed 2nd is HOME
Defender Notes...
- Dordt has a 6-2 overall record, going 3-1 in each of the previous two weekend classics
- the Defenders have three wins against Peru State, a win over Buena Vista and a win each against Dakota State and Mayville State
- Dordt is scoring 5.5 runs per game and sports a .327 batting average
- five Defenders are hitting better than .400 (minimum 10 at-bats)
- Koster and Terpstra lead the team with 6 RBIs each
- Koster has hit safely in six of her seven games played and brings a 4-game hit streak into the weekend
- Steenstra has hit safely in all six of her games played and has a team-best six game hit streak
- Koster and Brooklyn Cox have hit home runs this season
- Chandler Schemper is a perfect 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts
- Dordt has stolen 24 bases in 26 attempts
- the Defenders pitching staff has a 1.32 ERA and is giving up under two runs per game
- Hailey Wilken leads the staff with a 3-0 record
- Abby Kraemer (2-2) has pitched two shutouts and has 24 strikeouts in 25 innings
Scouting The Defenders' Opponents This Weekend...
-
Waldorf Warriors: 2-2 record in 2023
- Head Coach: Justin Uhlenhopp (1st year)
- served as interim co-head coach last year and three years as assistant
- Conference: North Star (8 teams)
- picked 6th in NSAA preseason poll
- all-time record vs Dordt: 7-7 since 1st meeting in 2004
- lost 4 straight vs Defenders
- 2022 record: 9-12 (6th in NSAA), 10-28 overall
- 1-2 in postseason, lost to Mayville State to end season
- 7 starters, 12 players return
- 2023 team stats:
- batting average - .232
- 4 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .260
- opponent runs / game - 4.3
- key returners:
- Paige Pierson - .500 BA, 3 2B, 2 RBI; hit safely in 3 of 4 games
- Annah Sheffield - .375 BA, 2 RBI
- Kierra Lynn Shulz - .375 BA, HR, 5 RBIs
- McKenna Mentink - 1-0, 1.11 ERA 6.1 IP, 2 K's
- Alex Mathers - 1-1, 2.40 ERA, 11.2 IP, 5 K's
-
Avila Eagles: 6-2 record in 2023
- Head Coach: Charlie Kennedy (2nd year)
- 20 years of collegiate coaching experience
- 583-413-3 overall record
- Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC)
- picked 5th of 13 teams in preseason poll
- all-time record vs Dordt: 1-3
- all four played the last two years
- split last season
- 2022 record: 13-11 (7th), 25-24 overall
- 2-2 in postseason
- ranked 10th in NAIA in stolen bases (158)
- 6 starters, 7 players return
- 2023 team stats:
- batting average - .343
- 6.2 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .253
- opponent runs / game - 3.3
- key returners:
- Julia Douglass - .600 BA, 4 runs, HR, 7 RBIs
- Chelsea Kurtz (all-conference, Gold Glove) - .560 BA, 10 runs, 16 SB
- Kat Wilds - .545 BA, 3 runs, 9 RBIs
- Payton Walter - 3-1, 2.24 ERA, 25 IP, 11 K's
- Chaunelle Penn - 2-0, 0.93 ERA 15 IP, 12 K's
-
(RV) Bellevue Bruins: 4-0 record in 2023
- Head Coach: Michala Cimino (14th year)
- 475-216-1 overall record
- 7 trips to NAIA National Tournament
- 6 regular season conference titles
- 8x conference coach of the year
- Conference: North Star (8 teams)
- all-time record vs Dordt: 3-6 since 1st meeting in 1998
- lost four of last five against Dordt
- 2022 record: 24-2 (1st), 41-13 overall
- 12th consecutive 30+ win season
- 6 starters, 7 players return
- 2023 team stats:
-
- batting average - .284
- 4.8 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .215
- opponent runs / game - 0.7
- key players w/ 2023 season stats:
- Reese Floro (all-conference, newcomer of the year) - .636 BA, 3 runs, 2 RBIs
- Myla Beckstrom - .556 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBIs
- Ashley Young (2x all-conference) - .333 BA, 2 3B, 3 RBIs
- Lauren Jurek (All-American) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 IP, 5 K's
- Katie Cunningham (all-conference, NSAA Pitcher of the Year) - 2-0, 0.58 ERA, 12 IP, 9 K's
-
Dakota State Trojans: 0-4
- Head Coach: Rachel Fricke (4th year)
- 10th overall season as a coach at DSU (6 years as ass't)
- Conference: North Star (8 teams)
- picked 4th in NSAA preseason poll
- all-time record vs Dordt: 8-37 since 1st meeting in 1996
- lost 13 straight vs Defenders, including 6-5 last week
- 2022 record: 13-10 (3rd), 19-26
- 1st winning record in conference since .2014
- 4 starters, 10 players return
- 2023 team stats:
- batting average - .270
- 3.8 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .361
- opponent runs / game - 7.8
- key players:
- Michelle Evdos (all-conference) - .600 BA, 5 RBIs
- Mackenzie Sims (all-conference) - .462 BA, 5 runs, 4 RBIs
- Rosie Philop - .400 BA
- 0-0, 2.40 ERA, 11.2 IP, 5 K's
