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tmn.truman.edu SPORTS THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017 10 @trumanathletics VOLUME 108 ISSUE 24 © 2017 tmn.truman.edu @trumanmedianet www.facebook.com/TrumanMediaNetwork BY BROOKE BAILEY Staff Writer Conference play is heat- ing up for the Truman State University softball and base- ball teams, and every game down the stretch is more im- portant than the last. For softball, the remain- der of the season will focus on fighting for the top four spots of the conference and maintaining a place in the top eight of the Midwest re- gion to earn the program’s 18th bid to the NCAA tour- nament. For baseball, on the other hand, as a team strug- gling to pull out wins in the GLVC, the ‘Dogs have just under a month to fight back into the top 12 teams in the GLVC and earn a spot in the conference tournament. The team’s next step to this goal was a double header match- up in GLVC play. Truman softball took three out of four games April 14 and 15, losing to Rockhurst University 8-2. The ‘Dogs sit at 31-17 over- all and 14-8 in conference. They are fourth in GLVC rankings and 7th in the Midwest region. Junior utility player Kadie Orenstein said the team is in a good position for the conference tourna- ment, but she said she thinks the team needs to continue to play well to solidify its GLVC ranking. Orenstein said the main goal is to con- tinue to improve the finer skills on the offensive and defensive sides of the field. She said every day for the rest of conference play will be tough, especially the up- coming matchups against the University of Southern Indiana and University of Indianapolis. The ‘Dogs split with No. 5 Southern Indiana, and will play the University of Indianapolis this weekend. “All of our last few games are crucial for us in both con- ference and regionals because our conference has been very competitive this year,” Oren- stein said. “We know it’s re- ally important for us to play to our potential and come out with good wins.” Truman baseball split the weekend with Missouri University of Science and Technology, losing both games on the second day, 8-0 and 4-3. With another loss to the University of Il- linois Springfield April 18, the Bulldogs’ record fell to 12-26 overall and 5-11 in conference play. The ‘Dogs are in last place in the West division and 14th in overall conference standings. Despite the lows of the week, senior pitcher Alex Hoffmann reached a mile- stone in the first game against the Miners as he picked up his 16th career win. Hoff- mann’s win total places him at the top of the Truman all- time record books for wins by a starting pitcher. Personal achievements aside, Hoffmann said the team looks back on the week- end and sees missed oppor- tunities, especially on the second day of play. Hoffman said he thinks the ‘Dogs have struggled to capitalize on op- portunities and finish games all season, but with 12 games left before the postseason conference tournament kicks off, Hoffmann said he still has hope of the team pulling together and earning a bid into the tournament. The ‘Dogs will take the field at noon and 3 p.m. Sat- urday and Sunday in Liberty, Missouri, against the William Jewell College Cardinals. ‘Dogs narrow sights on goals as postseason action approaches Photo submied by Truman Athlecs Sophomore pitcher Lauren Dale begins her windup earlier this season. Dale carries a 16-6 record on the season, leading the ‘Dogs. Sophomore centerfielder Mason King stares down a pitch coming in high in the strike zone in the Bulldogs’ first game against Missouri S&T. King hit a home run later in the at bat, his first of the season. Senior pitcher Alex Hoffmann delivers a pitch to the plate in the ‘Dogs’ win over the Miners. This victory marked Hoffmann’s 16th career win as a starng pitcher, the most ever in Truman baseball history. Sophomore pitcher Lauren Dale picked up two wins Monday and Tuesday, throwing complete games in both contests. Dale paced Truman’s 7-3 win against No. 5 Southern Indiana University — the program’s first top-five win in three years. Dale later helped the ‘Dogs defeat Bellarmine University for her sixth straight winning start. At 16-6, she is now tied at sixth place in wins in the GLVC. Lauren Dale ATHLETE of the WEEK ATHLETE of the WEEK BY JEREMY JACOB Staff Writer The Truman State University softball team has been dominant this season not only in the batter’s box this season but also in the pitch- ing circle. The pitching trio of sophomore Lauren Dale, junior Nicolette Simpson and fresh- man Alyssa Hajduk have continued the Bull - dog tradition of excellent pitching. For the last three seasons, the Truman pitchers have pitched to ERAs of 1.43, 2.91 and 2.22. This year they have a 3.02 ERA and 10 shutouts as of Sunday — the Bulldogs rank eighth and third respectively in these categories among GLVC teams. Head Coach Erin Brown said her three pitchers have been throwing to their strengths, keeping the team in position to deal with manageable deficits and regularly giving the Bulldogs a shot at winning each game. She said losing alumni Kelsea Dorsey and Kindra Henze —with their respective 2.44 and 1.93 ERAs — was tough, but bringing Hajduk and junior college transfer Simpson into the fold with returner Dale has restored the superb pitching from past seasons. “You can’t ever replace people or their tal- ents,” Brown said. “What you try to replace are the numbers they gave you.” Brown said so far this season the trio has delivered because Simpson and Dale are in the top 25 GLVC pitchers with ERAs of 2.59 and 2.75. Brown said she knew both starters would be capable of this because Dale had a 2.53 ERA last season and Simpson came to Truman with experience pitching in national tournament games for Kirkwood Community College. As a newcomer, Hajduk is pacing the GLVC field with eight saves. Brown said they each excel with diverse pitching styles and that, in turn, means op- posing teams see the ball thrown in different ways. She said Dale succeeds by changing planes, while Simpson uses late movement and varying speeds to baffle hitters. Hajduk follows them to close out games with her left- handed pitch, which forces the batter to see the ball coming from a different place and makes the speed on her pitches deceiving. Brown said the pitching staff wants to de- liver great movement while also hitting all of their spots set up by catchers senior Lex Van Nostrand and sophomore Sydney Scherzinger. “The more consistent they can be hitting their location with movement is the best they can be,” Brown said. Among the 10 shutouts the ‘Dogs have recorded this season, they had a five-game shutout streak in early March. See PITCHING, page 9 Photos by Rachel Steinhoff/TMN Photos by Rachel Steinhoff/TMN Pitching trio carries tradition
