McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- With a school-record 25 wins to its credit, the McPherson College softball team qualified for its first Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Tournament in three seasons and will kickoff the postseason chase with a matchup against Kansas Wesleyan University in an opening round game at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas.
The Bulldogs (25-23, 11-11 KCAC) are seeded seventh in the double-elimination event and will face the second-seeded Coyotes (31-14, 17-5 KCAC) at 4 p.m. Wednesday on Field No. 3 of the Great Bend complex.
Game preview provided by the KCAC Office
Game Two: Wednesday, May 3 - 4 p.m. on Field Three
No. 2 Kansas Wesleyan University (31-14, 17-5) vs. No. 7 McPherson College (25-23, 11-11)
The Coyotes swept the Bulldogs, 7-0 and 8-3, on April 6 in McPherson during the regular season. Kansas Wesleyan is currently on a six-game winning streak, while McPherson is 4-4 over the last eight games.
Kansas Wesleyan is led in batting average by Autumn Gillespie with her 0.391 average, while Jordan Girard leads the team with 33 RBI's and Ashlee Gutierrez is the team's leader in stolen bases with 17 so far this season. On the mound, Jordyn Parsons leads the way with a 2.05 ERA and 169 total strikeouts for the Coyotes. Parsons is ranked ninth in the NAIA in total innings pitched (187.2), 14th in wins (20), 40th in saves (2), and 50th in opponent batting average (0.219). As a team, Kansas Wesleyan ranks eighth nationally in fielding percentage (0.969), 18th in opponent batting average (0.228), 23rd in stolen bases per game (1.822) and 28th in total stolen bases (82).
Kortney Jones leads the Bulldogs with a 0.431 batting average and 43 RBI's, while Jessica Jones leads the team with seven stolen bases. Christie Betker is McPherson's leader on the mound with a 3.37 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 151.2 innings pitched over 30 games this season. Jessica Jones ranks 22nd nationally in hits per game (1.522), 23rd in total hits (70), and 37th in total runs scored (46). As a team, the Bulldogs are 22nd in the NAIA in total triples (12), 27th in total hits (438), and 29th in hits per game (9.125).
The winner of Kansas Wesleyan/McPherson will play the winner of Friends/Saint Mary on Thursday at 11 a.m. on field two. The loser will play the loser of Friends/Saint Mary on Thursday at 1 p.m.
