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2016 SLIAC Softball Tournament Preview

2016 SLIAC Softball Tournament Preview

This weekend four teams will battle for the right to be called 2016 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Champion. The tournament field will included Eureka College, Fontbonne University, Greenville College, and Westminster College.

Tournament at a Glance
This year's tournament will be held on the campus of Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. The tournament is a three day, double elimination format with games running from Thursday, May 5 through Saturday, May 7.

Thursday, May 5
Game 1- #1 Fontbonne vs. #4 Greenville, 5 p.m.
Game 2- #2 Eureka vs. #3 Westminster, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 6
Game 3- Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4- Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 3 p.m.
Game 5- Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 7
Game 6- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 7- If Necessary, immediately following Game 6

Broadcast Information
The 2016 SLIAC Softball Championship game will be broadcast live courtesy of College Casts. To listen go to the tournament page and click in the Audio Link located next to each of the game's being broadcast.

Tournament Tidbits

  • Eureka will be making just their third SLIAC Tournament appearance in program history and their first since 2013.
  • Fontbonne is seeking their tenth SLIAC Tournament title and have won six straight tournaments.
  • Greenville has appeared in the championship game of the tournament in each of the last two years and has one SLIAC Tournament title in program history, coming in 1997.
  • Westminster has three tournament titles in program history, coming in the first three years of the tournament from 1991-1993.
  • Eureka's 31 wins this season are a program record and is just the third time the program has reached the 30 win mark (joining the 1990 and 1996 teams).
  • Fontbonne's Madi Leonard is not only the defending SLIAC Pitcher of the Year but is the two time defending Tournament MVP. Leonard holds a career 6-0 record in the SLIAC Tournament, with a 1.43 earned run average and 50 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched.
  • Greenville's Bryn McKie ranks second nationally in triples, with nine this season.
  • Westminster's Erica Burney holds the program records for home runs and runs batted in.
  • Eureka went 3-3 against teams in the tournament.
  • Fontbonne was 4-2 overall against opponents in the tournament.
  • Greenville finished 3-3 this year against teams in the tournament field.
  • Westminster recorded a 2-4 record against this year's tournament teams.

Eureka College 'RED DEVILS'

Eureka has had a historical season for the program, going 31-7 overall and 13-5 in the SLIAC. The Red Devils led the SLIAC in batting average this season with an impressive .368 average, scoring a league best 8.1 runs per game; and ranking them 5th nationally. The Red Devils have scored double digits in runs 12 times this season and led the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, doubles, and triples.

Freshman Kerrigan Dura has shattered program records in her first season, hitting .575 with three home runs and a school record 66 runs batted in. Nearly half of Dura's 73 hits this season have been extra base hits, for an impressive .953 slugging percentage. Junior Lexi Litwiller leads Eureka with six home runs and is second with 53 runs batted in, adding a .441 batting average. Eight of the Red Devils starting nine are hitting above .300 this season with six players totaling 20 or more runs batted in.

The pitching staff consists of the duo of Kali George and Rachel Patterson, with each recording over 109 innings pitched on the year. George leads the team with 15 wins this season and 17 complete games while Patterson has 14 wins and 14 complete games.

 

Fontbone University 'GRIFFINS'

Fontbonne carries the longest active winning streak into the tournament, having won their last 10 games and finishing the regular season with a 22-11 overall record and a 14-2 SLIAC record. The Griffins are averaging 6.2 runs per game this spring, hitting .334 as a team. While the offense ranks just fourth in the league in home runs they utilize their speed, leading the conference with 80 stolen bases.

Freshman Emelia Modglin has made an immediate impact for the Griffins, leading the team in all three major offensive categories with a .448 batting average, four home runs, and 34 runs batted in. Sophomore Samantha Brown is hitting .415 and is tied with Modglin at four home runs on the year. Brown is a patient hitter with 17 walks this spring and just eight strikeouts, accounting for a .509 on-base percentage. A pair of freshmen in Diamond Thomas and Maddie Cooksey continue the threats in the Griffins lineup.

In the circle it is all about Madison Leonard for the Griffins. The defending SLIAC Pitcher of the Year, Leonard has started 23 of the Griffins 33 games this spring. She has recorded 18 wins, throwing 14 complete games, while leading the league with 203 strikeouts in 139.2 innings pitched.

Greenville College 'PANTHERS'

Greenville locked up the #4 seed in this year's tournament with split against Spalding, winning game one of a double header 5-3. The Panthers finished the regular season with a 19-19-1 overall record, going 12-6 in the SLIAC. They are hitting .327 as a team and average 5.8 runs per game this season. The Panthers are third in the league with 25 home runs and third in stolen bases with 57.

Senior outfielder Bryn McKie is the cog for the Panther offense, with a .468 batting average with 38 runs scored and a SLIAC best 22 stolen bases. Hitting behind McKie in the lineup are junior infielders Tiffany Samsoe and Anaya Tobiason. Samsoe is hitting .444 this season with a team best 36 runs batted in and is tied for the team lead with six home runs. Tobiason is hitting .359 with 24 runs batted. Senior Laney Thacker also provides some punch with six home runs and 27 runs batted in.

In the circle the Panthers rely on junior Brianna Anderson. Anderson has worked over 110 innings for Greenville this spring, holding a 12-10 record. She has thrown 11 complete games, striking out 104 batters. Cayla Speaks and Caitie Opp, both freshman, have split time behind Anderson.

Westminster College 'BLUE JAYS'

Westminster finished the regular season with a 20-15 overall record and finished tied for second in the SLIAC with a 13-5 record. The Blue Jays come in with a six game winning streak, having topped 10 runs in three of their last four games. They are averaging 7.0 runs per game this season, and led the conference in home runs with 28 and are second in batting average with a .345 mark.

The high flying offense is led by junior college transfer Erica Burney. Burney is hitting .545 this season with 10 home runs and 51 RBI, ranking in the top three in the conference in all three categories. Sophomore Amber Tepen adds to the lineup with her .476 average and is second on the team in both home runs (6) and RBI (41). Shannon Perrigo (.414) and Alyssa Johnson (.402) are also hitting above .400 on the year.

The pitching staff is led by junior Alyson Hahn. Hahn has worked 121 innings this spring, striking out 95 and throwin 13 complete games. She is tied for the team lead with 10 wins, as is Perrigo. Perrigo, a senior, has totaled nine complete games and has a team best 4.71 earned-run average.