EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team hosts Saint Joseph's College Saturday and the University of Indianapolis Sunday to close out the 2009 regular season. Both GLVC doubleheaders are slated for noon starts at the USI Softball Field.
USI (15-32, 5-14 GLVC) will honor its three seniors—rightfielder
Lacey Ligmanowski (Homer Glen, Illinois), shortstop
Ally McKinley (Sullivan, Indiana), and pitcher
Stephanie Schneider (Birdseye, Indiana)—as part of its Senior Day and Varsity Club Day festivities following Sunday's doubleheader with the Greyhounds.
Schneider, who has been sidelined for much of the season due to injury, recorded 15 wins in her three seasons with the Screaming Eagles. She was the GLVC Pitcher of the Week during her the 2008 campaign that saw her post a USI career-best nine victories inside the pitching circle.
Ligmanowski, an All-GLVC selection in 2007, will finish her four-year career ranked in the top five all-time at USI in career home runs (14), runs scored (134), and at-bats (673). She currently ranks sixth all-time with 206 career hits, just two shy of the top five at USI in that category, and is tied for ninth with 79 career RBIs.
McKinley, who was a freshman with Ligmanowski on USI's 2006 NCAA II Tournament squad, ranks second at USI with 45 career doubles, three shy of the program's all-time mark held by former standout
Kristin Eickholt '08.
Earlier this season, McKinley became the fifth player in school history to reach 100 career RBIs. She is currently tied for third at USI with 110 RBIs and sixth with 13 career home runs. McKinley also was an All-GLVC performer in 2007.
The Eagles, who have been eliminated from the GLVC Tournament picture, are coming off a doubleheader sweep over Oakland City University Tuesday and have won six of their last eight games entering their final weekend of the regular season. USI scored a combined 26 runs off 37 hits in the two five-inning victories over the Lady Oaks.
Saint Joseph's (26-16, 12-8 GLVC) enters this weekend's action trying to secure a berth in the GLVC Tournament for the first time since 2007. The Pumas are currently fourth in the GLVC standings after seeing their eight-game winning streak end at the hands of Indianapolis last Saturday.
The Greyhounds (27-13, 16-4 GLVC) are currently at the top of the GLVC standings, having already clinched a berth in the league's post-season tournament. Indianapolis, which has won nine straight games, visits The University of Findlay today and Kentucky Wesleyan College Saturday before making the trip to Evansville Sunday.
