FULTON, Mo.- After falling just short of the American Midwest Conference championship, the William Woods University softball team looks to the 2013 season to get back to the top after ending 2012 with a 32-18 (13-3 AMC) overall record.
This weekend the Owls are in Claremore, Oklahoma facing off Saturday against #4 pre-season ranked Oklahoma City University. Last year, the Stars made it all the way to the NAIA title game a season ago, but lost to Shorter University, ending the season with 47-20 record. Also, the Owls have received votes in the NAIA pre-season poll and the team will look to climb up into the top 25.
The Owls will look to carry over their offensive firepower from last year that helped them out-score their opponents 223-140. WWU had four players bat over .320 last season, led by infielder Illissa Facchini, whom hit .380, with 46 hits and 35 runs batted in. Two other players offensively to keep an eye on in 2013 are Lindsey Lecuru and
Caroline Sicht. Lecuru hit .368, led the team in hits with 56, in total bases with 90 and tied the team lead in home runs with four. Sicht was another force in the Owl lineup, batting .365, hitting three home runs and knocking in 35 RBI.
On the mound, the Owls return
MacKenzie Bowden and
Becca Schemmer, as both players held an ERA under 3.00. Bowden led the team last year in complete games with 16, strikeouts with 170 and holding her opponents to just a mere .186 average. Schemmer ended the year with six complete games in 82 innings pitched, striking out 45 batters.
All these players and the rest of the Owls will all look to start off the 2013 on the right foot against a tough Oklahoma City team. First pitch is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Live video and stats are being provided by Rogers State University
www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
