Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball opens play at Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament on Friday
03/08/2012 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 8, 2012
By Megan Kramper
SIUSalukis.com
Honolulu, Hawaii - The Southern Illinois softball team will kick off its spring break Friday as it begins play at the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament hosted by the University of Hawaii.
Games 16-20 • Honolulu, Hawaii (Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium)
Radio: None
Video: None
Stats: Gametracker from SIUSalukis.com
ABOUT THE MALIHINI KIPA ALOHA
The Salukis head to the Pacific as they take part in the Malihini Kipa Aloha tournament hosted by the University of Hawaii. Participating teams in the three-day tournament include the Salukis, Radford, Marist, Robert Morris, and host Hawaii. Teams will play each other in a round-robin style to determine spots for pool play Sunday. The Salukis make the trip to Hawaii every four years as they took part in the same tournament in 2008 when they went 2-4, falling two nationally-ranked teams Washington, Hawaii, and Eastern Kentucky and defeated Idaho State twice.
SALUKIS AT MALIHINI KIPA ALOHA
3/9 Radford 4 p.m. CT
3/9 Marist 6 p.m. CT
3/10 Robert Morris 7 p.m. CT
3/10 No. 19 Hawaii 1 p.m.CT
3/11 Bracket Play TBA
WEATHER
Friday: High- 78˚ , partly cloudy / Low - 69
Saturday: High - 79˚, partly cloudy / Low-71
Sunday: High - 79˚, cloudy / Low - 71
MALIHINI KIPA ALOHA QUICK HITS
All-time history vs. opponents
Radford: First meeting
Marist: First meeting
Robert Morris: First meeting
Hawaii: 2-3, last meeting March 6, 2008 in a 4-3 loss to the No. 15 Rainbow Wahine at the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament.
SCOUTING RADFORD (6-6)
The Highlanders are coming off a 2-3 record at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational where they stunned nationally ranked Florida State, handing the Seminoles their first loss of the season. Coming into that match up the Highlanders held a 3-5 record. Radford is led by senior infielder Nichole Beall who holds a .429 batting average and leads the team with five home runs and eight RBI
SCOUTING MARIST (6-6)
The Red Foxes are coming off a 2-2 effort at the Patriot Classic over the weekend splitting wins over Cornell and Rider while falling to George Mason and Akron. Marist has used a variety of lineups this season as just three players have seen action in all 11 games. Out of those three senior outfielder Ashley Corriss leads them in batting average with a .378, a double, triple, five RBI and 17 total bases. Senior outfielder Nicole DiVirgillo (.278 batting average) and sophomore outfielder/first baseman Aly Klemmer (.154 batting average) are the other two who have seen action in all 11 games. As a team, the Red Foxes are batting a mere .261 and have a .936 fielding percentage. In the circle, four pitchers have split time including three with a 1-2 record and a combined team ERA of 5.39.
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS (6-7)
The Colonials look to end a three-game skid coming into the weekend series. They have lost their last three games by a combined five runs to Buffalo, George Washington, and Stony Brook at their own Colonial Classic Mar. 3-4. As a team, Robert Morris holds just a .186 batting average but their pitching staff has carried the load as they hold a 1.95 team ERA. At the plate, senior outfielder Jaci Timko leads things for RMU with a .314 batting average, three doubles, one RBI, 14 total bases, and two stolen bases. In the circle, Nicole Sleith carries a 4-4 record with a 1.89 ERA as opponents hit .211 against the freshman lefty.
SCOUTING NO. 19 HAWAII (17-0)
The undefeated Rainbow Wahine have some serious home field advantage coming into the weekend tournament. The host team has played all but six of their 17 games on their home field this season. Hawaii has swept competition at its own Paradise Classic and Bank of Hawaii Invitational and the UNLV Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas. Led by senior pitcher/first baseman Stephanie Ricketts who earned WAC Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday. They have beaten some tough competition this year including wins over nationally-ranked Florida State and DePaul.
CLEAN SWEEP
The Salukis went 4-0 at the Coach B Classic to open up their home schedule. They picked up wins over Wright State, Western Illinois, Northern Illinois, and SIUE. The Dawgs combined for 42 hits and xx walks and run-ruled the Leathernecks and Huskies. The Salukis are now carrying a six-game wins streak headed into the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament.
NICE TO MEET YOU
The Salukis will get some unfamiliarity with their opponents this weekend. While the Salukis have matched up agains the No. 19 Rainbow Wahine before, they will meet their three other opponents (Radford, Robert Morris, and Marist) for the first time in school history.
HOT BATS
After 15 games, the Salukis hold a .304 team batting average and three hold averages above. 400. Senior outfielder Mallory Duran-Sellers picked up where she left off last season, with a .432 batting average, two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, 27 total bases, and 15 walks. Freshman outfielder/designated player Meredith Wilson is off to a hot start, with a second-best .419 batting average, six doubles, a home run, and 16 RBI.
DURAN-SELLERS NAMED MVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mallory Duran-Sellers was named this week's MVC State Farm MVC Player of the Week, announced Monday. The Salukis' center fielder held a .700 batting average, going 7-for-10 with a double, four RBIs, drew six walks, nine runs scored, and eight total bases at the Coach B Classic. The senior co-captain also safely hit in all four games and held a .800 slugging percentage and .813 on-base percentage with two stolen bases and didn't have a single strikeout The Windsor, Colo. native also went 3-for-4 against Western Illinois Saturday, sparking a five-first inning as the Salukis won in a 14-6, six inning run-rule. Against NIU, she drew four walks in her first four appearances at the plate and currently holds a 15:1 walks-to-strikeout ratio on the season.
PATIENTLY WAITING
Not only has the Salukis' offense been able to consistently hit the ball but they are also able to wait for the right pitch. The Salukis currently have drawn 79 walks on the season including Mallory Duran-Sellers drawing a team-high 15 walks and just one strikeout in just 15 games. Allie VadeBoncouer and Kelsea Ashton each have 11 walks as Ashton also has only one strikeout on record this year.
CAN'T CATCH ME
The Salukis have been aggressive on the base paths in 2012. They are currently 16-for-18 in stolen bases with Kalyn Harker leading the way, going 5-for-5 on the season with Duran-Sellers following closely going 4-for-4.
