Complete game notes in .pdf format

Storyline
After having the start of its season delayed, the Lindenwood softball team finally took the field last week, splitting doubleheaders with Olivet Nazarene and Indiana Tech. This weekend the Lady Lions will travel to Ridgeland, Miss. to compete in the Belhaven Elite Tournament. 

It will mark the second straight year in which the team has participated in the event. Last season, the team complied a 3-2 record during tournament play. 

Lindenwood opens and closes the tournament with games against LSU-Alexandria. Sandwiched in between are contests against Christian Brothers and the host school Belhaven.

Last Week's Results
The Lady Lions opened the season last Saturday against Olivet Nazarene. The visiting Tigers spoiled the season opener, winning 4-2. 

Already trailing 2-1 entering the seventh inning, the Lady Lions surrendered a pair of insurance runs that proved to be costly. Danielle Merli and Sophia Galati each drove in a run. 

Aubrey Moss shut down the Tiger lineup in game two. She allowed three hits, striking out 12 in a 2-0 win. Jessica Long collected a pair of hits and scored a run. 

On Sunday, Lindenwood hosted Indiana Tech. Kati Wessel was perfect at the plate, posting three hits and driving in two runs to lead the Lady Lions to a 4-2 victory. Heidi Schertzer earned the win, giving up two runs on four hits and fanning 10. 

In game two, Indiana Tech plated three runners in a decisive fifth inning, and won 5-3. The Lady Lions 3-4-5 hitters each drove in a run.

Swing and Miss
In just four games, the Lady Lion pitching staff has complied 39 strikeouts. Aubrey Moss leads the way with 20, including a 12 strikeout performance against Olivet Nazarene. Heidi Schertzer also recorded a double-digit strikeout game against Indiana Tech. Lindenwood ranks fourth in the country in batters struck out per game with a 9.75 average.

No Free Passes
Lady Lion pitchers surrendered only six walks over the weekend. Their average of 1.50 walks allowed per game ranks them 17th in the country.

Hot Start
Sophie Berman is off to a hot start in 2010. The center fielder has opened the season with a four game hitting streak. She has posted a team-high six hits and is tied for the team lead with two RBI. Berman is also the only Lady Lion to have recorded two multiple hit games.

Making It Count
Lady Lion hitters have been clutch with runners in scoring position so far in 2010. The team is batting .419 in those situations, and three of its 11 runs scored this season have come with two outs. 

Hit Parade
Despite only scoring 11 runs in the first four games of the year, the Lady Lions are hitting .307 as a unit. A total of 10 different players have recorded at least two hits, and six have three or more. Sophie Berman leads the team with six.

Running Wild
Lindenwood base runners have swiped five bags so far in 2010. Freshman Jacqueline Riordan leads the team with three. The Lady Lions were one of the top base stealing units in the country last season. The team ranked sixth in the country in stolen bases with 106, which was tops in the HAAC.

Premonition
Lindenwood is 2-0 on the young season when it scores first. However, the team is also 0-2 when opposing teams plate the first runner.

Road Blues
One area in which Lindenwood will look to improve upon in 2010 is its record away from home. The team was 13-16 away from St. Charles compared to 13-7 at home. In neutral site games, the Lady Lions were 10-4.

Scouting LSU-Alexandria
LSU-Alexandria comes into the weekend with a dismal record of 1-14, and is currently in the mist of a 12 game losing streak. 

The Lady Generals are led by Jessica Pocorello who has driven in a team-high 14 runs, while posting a .386 average at the plate. Megan Rowe leads the team in innings pitched with 37.1 and has an earned run average of 5.25. 

LSU-Alexandria is led by first-year head coach McKewn Dannelly.

Scouting Christian Brothers
The Buccaneers are 4-6 on the season and have yet to win back-to-back games, but are coming off a 4-2 win over Bethel (Tenn.). 

Christian Brothers is led by Alana Kramer who is first on the team in hits (14), homeruns (5), RBI (12), and tied for first in runs scored with nine. Kathleen Nelson is second on the squad with three homeruns and Casey King has driven eights runs in so far. 

Kimmi Hayden is in her first year as head softball coach at Christian Brothers after playing three years for the University of Memphis.

Scouting Belhaven
The Blazers have raced out to an impressive 13-1 record so far, with the only loss coming in extra innings. 

Belhaven has one top offenses in the nation, averaging 9.67 runs per game, which is third best in the NAIA. As a team, the Blazers are batting a cool .395 and have belted 10 homeruns. On the base paths, the squad already has stolen 50 bases. 

The Blazers are undefeated at home so far, compiling a 13-0 record. 

Belhaven is led by fifth-year head coach Rick Fremin, who has led the program to four straight 30 win seasons.

Up Next
Lindenwood will return to St. Charles for the start of a 20-game homestand. The Lady Lions will begin by hosting Columbia College on March 9th.