Valparaiso University Sports Update, April 3, 2017

Women’s Golf Second Through Two Rounds at Fort Wayne Spring Classic
The Valparaiso University women’s golf team started the tournament on the right foot with its lowest round of the season on Sunday, and eventually ranked second after one day in the five-team Fort Wayne Spring Classic. Katie Willenbrink (Mishawaka, Ind. / Penn) competed as an individual and had the best day of any Crusader. Three Crusaders enjoyed season-best performances, two of which achieved career bests.

How It Happened

The Crusaders posted a 306 in the opening round, then rounded out their first day of competition with a 316 in Round 2.
Willenbrink carded a 78 in the first round, then made a four-stroke improvement to a 74 in Round 2. She sits in fifth place overall.
Angie Kim (Schaumberg, Ill/ Fremd) finished the first round with an 81, but rebounded with a 74 in Round 2 to finish the opening day at 155.
Kylie Shoemake (Schererville, Ind. / Lake Central) posted a 73 in the first round, then an 82 in Round 2. She is currently second on the team out of the No. 5 position with a Day 1 total of 155. Shoemake and Kim are tied for eighth overall.
Kiana Jongsma (Dyer, Ind. / Lake Central) also got off to a strong start with a 74 in the first round. She stroked an 83 in Round 2 to finish the day at 157, tied for 12th overall.
Madison McCreary (Batesville, Ind. / Batesville) had a 78 in Round 1, then finished with a Round 2 score of 82 to complete the first day at 180, in 16th place.
Tiffany Curtis (Crown Point, Ind. / Crown Point) joined Kim as Crusaders who improved from Round 1 to Round 2. She opened her day with an 84, then finished with a 78 for a total of 162, which put her in a tie for 19th.
Sydney Shrum (Cloverdale, Ind. / Cloverdale) joined Willenbrink in competing as an individual. She also had a solid day, carding a 77 in Round 1 and an 81 in Round 2 to finish the day at 158, in 14th place.
Kayla Kruger (Spring Lake, Mich. / Spring Lake) was the third Valpo player competing individually. She finished the day at 175, in 32nd place.

Inside the Round

The 306 in Round 1 was Valpo’s best team round this season. They bettered their mark of 309, which had stood since the WSU Cougar Cup on Sept. 20, by three strokes.
The second round was also among the team’s five best rounds this year.
Shoemake’s 73 in Round 1 matched Willenbrink’s mark from Sept. 20 as the best round by any Crusader this season. Shoemake established a new career best, shattering her old mark by five strokes.
Shrum, a senior, had her best round of the season. She finished Round 1 one stroke above her career low of 75, which was established her freshman season.
Jongsma, a junior, broke her career watermark of 77, which had stood since her freshman campaign.
Shrum had four birdies, finishing Day 1 in a four-way tie with three Oakland golfers for the tournament lead in that department.
Willenbrink averaged a 4.18 on Par 4 holes, sitting in a tie for the tournament lead through two rounds.

Thoughts from Head Coach Jon Haas
“I’m really impressed with the team’s performance today from the top of the lineup through our individuals. Posting a season-best score on a cold day was impressive. Hopefully the rain holds off and we can try to make a run at Oakland on Monday.”

Up Next
The event is slated to resume with a third round on Monday at 9 a.m. CT. However, the forecast for Monday is unfavorable. Check ValpoAthletics.com for any weather-related changes.

Valpo Falls to No. 47 South Alabama
The Valparaiso University men’s tennis team faced off with South Alabama and fell 4-2 on Sunday. The Jaguars, who check in at No. 47 in the latest ITA national rankings, boosted their record to 20-5 while handing the Crusaders (17-3) their second straight defeat.

How It Happened

After dropping the doubles point on Saturday against Middle Tennessee, the Crusaders returned to their usual doubles form by winning the doubles point against South Alabama. Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) and Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill. / Niles North) were the first to finish, downing Juan Cruz Soria and Loic Cloes 6-2 at No. 1.
South Alabama’s Olivier Gingras and Pierre Noyon picked up a 6-4 victory over Kyle Dunn (Fond du Lac, Wis. / Fond du Lac) and Brandon Ancona (Belvidere, Ill. / Rockford Christian) at No. 3, leaving the doubles point hinging on No. 2.
Chad Kissell (Latrobe, Pa. / Great Latrobe) and Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) came through at No. 2 doubles, beating Tuki Jacobs and Lucas Gonzalez 7-5 to clinch the doubles point for the Crusaders.
Gonzalez evened the team score with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Garrett Gardner (Poland, Ohio / Poland) at No. 5 singles.
The next singles match to finish was at No. 6, where Dunn made quick work of Noyon 6-0, 7-5.
Ancona suffered a 6-3, 6-3 setback at No. 4 singles against Cloes. That allowed the Jaguars to draw back to even at 2-2.
Jacobs put South Alabama on the brink of a win with his 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Kissell at No. 2 singles.
The Jaguars clinched the victory with a three-set win at No. 1 singles. Soria outdueled Schorsch 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.
The two teams played clinch-clinch, so the No. 3 singles match went unfinished. Bacalla dropped the first set to Gringas on a tiebreak 6-7 (5-7). He bounced back with a 6-2 win in Set 2 and held a 4-1 edge in the third set at the time the match went final.

Inside the Round

Schorsch’s loss at No. 1 singles snapped a 15-match winning streak. Before Sunday, he hadn’t dropped a set all spring.
Schorsch picked up his 107th career doubles win as he and Bacalla moved to 6-1 as a combo. It was Bacalla’s 73rd career doubles win, third in program history.
Emhardt earned his 110th career doubles win. He and Kissell are now 7-0 when paired together.
Dunn notched his 21st singles win of the season, moving into a tie with Schorsch for the team lead.
The Crusaders have dropped back-to-back matches for the first time since Feb. 12-13, 2016, losses to Louisville and Purdue.

Next Up
The Crusaders will return to Horizon League play on Saturday as they visit Northern Kentucky. The match is slated to get underway at 1:30 p.m. CT.

Wichita State Walks Off Again as Crusaders Drop Finale
The Valparaiso University baseball team suffered its third straight one-run loss on Sunday afternoon in Wichita, Kan. Travis Young, the same player who lashed a walk-off single to beat the Crusaders on Friday night, struck again. This time he snapped a 3-3 tie in the ninth with a one-out walk-off single to right to give the Shockers a 4-3 victory, their third straight one-run win in the series.

How It Happened

The Crusaders (9-16) delivered the first blow of the game in the opening inning. James Stea (Los Alamitos, Calif. / Oaks Christian) provided a leadoff single, Chad Jacob (Irvine, Calif. / Woodbridge) was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced on a double steal. Jake Hanson (Yorkville, Ill. / Aurora Christian) hit a bouncer to short and Jacob was caught in a run down between second and third. He was eventually tagged out for the second out of the inning, but Stea scored to make it 1-0 Valpo.
The Shockers (14-13) leveled the score by virtue of a two-out rally in the bottom of the second. A line drive to Scott Kapers (Schererville, Ind. / Mt. Carmel) at second base started a double play, putting the Crusaders one out away from ending the inning with nobody on base. However, No. 9 hitter Jordan Boyer eventually stroked a run-scoring single to left to tie the game at one. Wichita State settled for the one run as they stranded a pair in the inning.
Jake Larson (Irvine, Calif. / Woodbridge) replaced Michael Mommersteeg (St. Thomas, Ont., Canada / St. Joseph’s) on the hill to begin the bottom of the third, as Valpo went to the bullpen early. Greyson Jenista belted a go-ahead homer to right, giving Wichita State a 2-1 edge.
The Crusaders had a quality chance to get back to even right away in the fourth as Hanson led off with a two-bagger, but it went to waste as the Crusaders stranded two runners in the frame.
Valpo mounted a threat in the top of the sixth inning as Hanson walked, Kapers singled through the left side and the runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball. However, the runners were left stranded.
The Crusaders broke through with a pair of runs in the seventh, as a dropped third strike and walk created a scoring chance. Nate Palace (Westlake Village, Calif. / Oaks Christian) grounded a game-tying single up the middle to score Stea. Hanson followed by belting a go-ahead double into the left-field corner. Jacob crossed the plate, but Palace was thrown out trying to score from first. The Crusaders inched ahead 3-2.
The Shockers quickly got back to even as Young ripped a run-scoring single to left against Ellis Foreman (Round Rock, Texas / Stony Point) in the bottom of the seventh. That scored Boyer, who had started the rally with a one-out hit.
Montana Quigley (Lake Forest, Calif. / El Toro) was summoned from the bullpen with the tall task of trying to work out of a jam as the Shockers had men at the corners with one away. He faced only one batter and did just that, inducing a ground ball to Palace at first who stepped on the bag and threw home for a 3-2, inning-ending double play. The score remained 3-3 through seven.
Valpo had a man at second with one away in the top of the eighth but didn’t score. The inning ended on a deep fly ball crushed to left-center by Stea, but Alex Jackson made a sliding grab on the warning track to take away an extra-base knock.
The Crusaders had runners at first and second with nobody out in the top of the ninth, but the Shockers turned a 5-4-3 triple play.
The Shockers walked off with the win on a single to right by Young in the bottom of the ninth. A single, hit batter, passed ball and intentional walk had loaded the bags.

Inside the Game

Stea’s three-hit output was his second of the season. Sunday’s game marked his seventh multiple-hit performance, making him the fifth Crusader with at least seven multi-hit games this year.
Hanson’s RBIs marked his 10th and 11th of the season. He became the third Crusader with double-figure RBIs, joining Palace and Jacob. Palace extended his team lead with his 19th run driven in.
Stea swiped two bases, boosting his season total to 14. Wright State’s Zach Weatherford leads the Horizon League with 15.
Mommersteeg received no decision after allowing one run (earned) on three hits and one walk in two innings.
Wichita State starting pitcher Cody Tyler hurled five frames and yielded one run (earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out four.
Easton Rhodehouse (Gilbert, Ariz. / Highland) was hit with the loss to drop to 2-3, while Wichita State’s Clayton McGinness accomplished the rare feat of earning the win and pitching a full inning while throwing only one pitch. He delivered the heave that turned into Wichita State’s first triple play in 15 years.
The Crusaders lost three one-run games in the series. They are now 0-8 in one-run games this season.
Chase Dawson was sidelined due to an illness for the third straight game.

Next Up
The Crusaders will play their 26th straight road game on Tuesday at Illinois State in Normal, Ill. The game begins at 4:30 p.m. CT. and will be broadcast on ESPN3, WatchESPN and the ESPN app. Links to live video and stats will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Crusaders Rally To Close Out Series Win Over YSU
It was a wild ride Sunday for the Valparaiso University softball team, as the Crusaders jumped out to a quick lead on Youngstown State before surrendering the lead in the top of the sixth, only to reclaim the advantage in the bottom half of the inning and then receive clutch relief work from freshman Lindsay Zdroik (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) to close out a 6-5 victory which secured the series win over the Penguins.

How It Happened

The Crusaders jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in their first turn at-bat, scoring all three runs with two outs. A YSU error allowed sophomore Carly Trepanier (Manteno, Ill./Manteno), who led off the inning with a base hit, to score. Junior Jasmine Ramirez (Litchfield Park, Ariz./Millennium) then drilled a double to the left-field fence to plate two more runners and make it 3-0.
The Penguins scored an unearned tally in the top of the second, which was answered by one swing of the bat from senior Sam Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) in the bottom of the third. Stewart stepped in with one out and drilled a no-doubt homer to straightaway center – her eighth of the year – to restore the three-run edge.
YSU chipped away at the lead with two runs in the fourth, but left the bases loaded in that frame. The Penguins then evened the score at 4-4 on a Sarah Dowd solo homer in the fifth, and a run-scoring infield single in the top of the sixth put YSU on top, 5-4.
Trailing for the first time all day, the Crusaders rallied with the game-deciding runs in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Addison Pixley (Osceola, Ind./Penn) re-entered the lineup and singled to lead off the frame.
Following a sacrifice bunt, Trepanier lined a single into center field and then took an unguarded second base on the throw home, giving Valpo two in scoring position with one out. Two batters later, Stewart made contact right back through the circle for a base knock, enough to score both Pixley and Trepanier to make it 6-5 Valpo.
The Crusaders weren’t out of the woods yet, though, as YSU put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh. The call to the bullpen came for Zdroik, and the rookie delivered, striking out each of the last two hitters of the game swinging to close out the victory.

Inside the Game

The Crusaders have now won each of their first two Horizon League series this season, both times winning the third game after splitting the first two.
Sunday’s win was Valpo’s third of the season coming from behind in its final at-bat for the win. Each of the last two weekends saw the Crusaders rally in the seventh inning for a victory.
Stewart led the way for Valpo at the plate, going deep for the eighth time this year and driving in the game-winning runs in the sixth. The senior continued her program-record streak of reaching base in every game this season [now 26] and has now driven in 31 runs already this year.
Trepanier reached base in three of her four plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a hit by pitch. On the weekend, the sophomore reached base in nine of her 12 trips to the plate.
Pixley, Ramirez, sophomore Jaymee Lawton (Goodyear, Ariz./Desert Edge [Utah Valley]) and junior Jenna Stauffenberg (Kankakee, Ill./Bishop McNamara) all reached base twice with a hit and a walk on Sunday. Stauffenberg also tallied her first career stolen base.
Junior Kenzie Grossmann (Perry, Mo./Mark Twain [Morehead State]) earned her third win in as many starts this week, throwing the first 6.1 innings before being relieved by Zdroik. Grossmann is now 10-5 on the year, while Zdroik earned her first career save.

Thoughts From Head Coach Kate Stake
“It was really a player-led effort in the huddle heading into the bottom of the sixth – players just reminding each other to have fun and be loose, and I think that’s what they did. You can recognize the potential pressure of that situation, but our players were able to re-frame it and view the at-bats as opportunities.”

“Tatum Christy (Youngstown State’s nine-hitter, due up with first and third and one out in the seventh) had obviously found success yesterday off of Ashlyn, and then was having a really good game today batting against Kenzie. (Pitching coach) Monica (Wright) said that if Christy came up, she wanted Lindsay out of the bullpen. Monica knows our pitching staff better than anybody else and really understands each pitcher’s strengths and weaknesses, and it was the right call in the right situation today.”

“Heads-up baserunning by Carly played a big part in the win. To be aware enough after picking up a key hit to take an open second base gave us two runners in scoring position, and then she got a great jump on Sam’s hit and did well to score on a ball that barely left the infield.”

“Kenzie did really well for us, working hard this weekend in throwing back-to-back games versus a pretty potent offense. Today was more of a battle, but I thought she did a really good job of bearing down and getting key outs in a couple tough situations to help us keep momentum.”

“I think any scouting report on us would include the fact that you can’t ever fall asleep against us – that we won’t give up until the final out. You can certainly win games with character, and I think that showed for us today.”

Next Up
The Crusaders (17-9, 4-2 Horizon) remain at home after having their series against Green Bay moved from the Phoenix home field to the Valpo Softball Complex. The three-game league set will begin with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday. Live coverage will be available via ValpoAthletics.com.

Webb Takes Medalist Honors at Hoosier Invitational
Senior Peter Webb (Madison, Wis. / James Madison Memorial) enjoyed the most memorable weekend of his collegiate career at the Hoosier Invitational in Bloomington, becoming the first Crusader to win medalist honors since September 2014. Webb had a five-stroke lead entering Sunday’s final round, and posted a 73 in the final 18 holes to finish the event with a first-place 54-hole score of 206 (-7), three strokes ahead of Charlotte’s Matty Lamb, who finished second.

How It Happened

Webb’s 73 on Sunday followed a glowing performance on Saturday’s first day of competition. He established a career high and equaled a program watermark with a 65 in Round 1, then followed with a 68 in Round 2. That put him in position to hold on for the first-place finish in a 78-player field.
As a team, the Crusaders climbed from 12th to ninth on Sunday. They posted their best round of the tournament with a team score of 292 to finish at 881 over three rounds.
Senior Nick Seitz (Xenia, Ohio / Carroll) had the best Round 3 performance of any Crusader, stroking a 71 to finish at 222, tied for 46th.
Michael Doherty (Lisle, Ill. / Naperville North) and Adam Baracani (Normal, Ill. / University) both had their best rounds of the event on Sunday as they each posted 74s. Doherty finished at 227, good enough for 60th, while Baracani was at 229, tied for 62nd.
Jeremy Wu (Medford, Ore. / St. Mary’s) finished in a deadlock for 70th at 232 after posting a 78 on the event’s final day.
Matthew McCarthy (O’Fallon, Ill. / Althoff Catholic) golfed as an individual and placed 77th at 235 after carding an 80 in Round 3.

Inside the Rounds

Webb became the first Crusader to take medalist honors since Zach Cutler won the CSU Cougar Classic on Sept, 23, 2014. That event had a field of 42 golfers, while Webb came out on top among 78 participants this weekend in Bloomington. Before Cutler, Valpo hadn’t had an individual event winner since 2012.
Webb’s 206 marked a career watermark and matched the 54-hole program record set by Seitz at the Golfweek Program Challenge in September 2014. The record book began when the program resumed in 2009.
The seven strokes under par ranked third in program history for a 54-hole event. He was one stroke away from his personal best set in October 2014 at the Firestone Invitational, when Webb went eight under to rank second in program history.
Webb led the event in Par 4 scoring at 3.79 and in birdies with 17.
Baracani posted an eagle for the Crusaders, one of six eagles in the event.
As a team, the Crusaders moved ahead of IUPUI, which finished two strokes behind Valpo, in 12th. They also leapfrogged Evansville and Oakland, who tied for 10th, one stroke in back of Valpo.
The Crusaders finished ahead of all three fellow Horizon League schools who participated in the event.
Charlotte won the team title at 841, 14 strokes ahead of second-place Indiana.

Up Next
The Crusaders face a quick turnaround as they make their way to Dayton, Ohio for the Wright State Invitational, which begins on Monday at Miami Valley G.C.

Owen Leads Valpo with Pair of Top 2 Finishes at Big Blue Classic
The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s track and field teams both increased their point totals from a day ago on the last day of the Big Blue Classic at Eastern Illinois University on Saturday. The men went home with 26 team points for a seventh-place result and the women received 22 and finished ninth. Senior Liz Owen (Freedom, Wis./Freedom) added first and second-place marks to her long list of career achievements as a Crusader runner, earning 18 points for the team.

How It Happened

In the 3,000m steeplechase (first), Owen crossed the finish at 11:01.69 and in the 1,500m race (second), she had a time of 4:40.87, coming within seconds of passing her second-place time in team history.
The 4x100m relay team of freshmen trio Shannon Lahey (Dixon, Ill./Dixon), Kayla Horne (Chicago, Ill./Luther North College Prep) and Jordan Houlihan (Hickory Hills, Ill./Amos Alonzo Stagg), along with sophomore Lindsey Arndt (Valparaiso, Ind./Wheeler) tallied a time of 51.98, adding the last four points to the team’s total.
Freshman Anne Mou (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) secured an 11th-place mark in the triple jump, leaping 34-9. She also led the squad in the javelin throw (72-7).
Horne had the top time in the 200m dash (27.18) and Arndt crossed the line at 1:08.55 in the 400m dash.
Adding eight points to the men’s score, sophomore Alexander Bruno (Bloomington, Ill./University) finished third in the 1,500m race (3:55.30). The runner moves into fifth in Valpo history after this performance. He paved the way for the Crusaders in the 800m event on Day 2 at the meet.
Freshman sprinter Ben Sekuloski (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) scored two points in the 400m dash, running 50 seconds flat and passing the top time from last season by three seconds.
The 4x100m relay team of senior Jeru Lollis (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield), junior James Sampson (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), senior Anthony Franze (Gunter, Texas/Gunter) and Sekuloski collected four points with a time of 42.41.
Four more points were added to the total with help from the 4x400m relay (3:26.31) of sophomore Josh Yonker (West Dundee, Ill./H.D. Jacobs), freshman Bryce Otterbach (Mendota, Ill./Mendota Township), Sekuloski and Franze.
Freshman thrower Jake Rasawehr (Celina, Ohio/Celina) launched the discus 146-9 for sixth place, collecting four points.
Junior pole vaulter Alexander Watson (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) cleared the bar at 14-9, moving the point total up two for the Crusaders.

Next Up
Valpo resumes action next Saturday, April 8 at the DePauw Invitational. The meet will begin at 11 a.m. CT in Greencastle, Ind.

Webb Turns in Career Best, Leads Hoosier Invitational After Two Rounds
Senior Peter Webb (Madison, Wis. / James Madison Memorial) compiled the best round of his collegiate career to begin the Hoosier Invitational hosted by Indiana University in Bloomington on Saturday. Webb stroked a 65 in the opening round, then followed with a 68 in Round 2. After one day of competition, his total score of 133 (-9) ranks first in the 78-player field.

How It Happened

As a team, the Crusaders are in 12th of 14 squads. They posted a team score of 295 in the first round, then carded a 294 in Round 2. Valpo’s total score is 589 with 18 holes remaining.
Senior Nick Seitz (Xenia, Ohio / Carroll) had the second-best day of any Crusader, rebounding from a 77 in Round 1 with a 74 in Round 2. He is tied for 58th with a total score of 151.
Michael Doherty (Lisle, Ill. / Naperville North) turned in Valpo’s third-best performance and is tied for 65th overall after one day on the course. He carded a 75 in the first round before stroking a 78 in Round 2.
Freshman Jeremy Wu (Medford, Ore. / St. Mary’s) improved four strokes from Round 1 to Round 2. He started his day with a 79, then posted a 75. He currently stands in a tie for 69th at 154.
Adam Baracani (Normal, Ill. / University) scored a 78 in the first round and a 77 in the second round. His total score of 155 is tied for 74th.
Freshman Matthew McCarthy (O’Fallon, Ill. / Althoff Catholic) golfed as an individual and turned in a 76 in the first round. He posted a 79 in Round 2 and is tied for 74th with a total score of 155.

Inside the Rounds

Webb’s 65 equaled the modern program record, which was set by Jared Magoline and Seitz on the same day, when both Crusaders posted a 65 at the Golfweek Program Challenge in September 2014. The Valpo record book began when the program resumed in 2009.
Webb went six strokes under par in the first round, tying a personal best set on Oct. 6, 2015 at the Firestone Invitational. That mark ranks third in program history.
On Sunday, Webb will attempt to become the first Crusader to garner medalist honors since Zach Cutler won the CSU Cougar Classic on Sept. 23, 2014.
The Crusaders finished ahead of two Horizon League foes and narrowly behind another. They hold a two-stroke edge on 13th-place Detroit Mercy and a 15-stroke advantage on 14th-place Youngstown State. Valpo is two strokes behind 11th-place Oakland.
Charlotte leads the event with a 556, followed by second-place Bradley at 563.
The Crusaders have done a strong job on Par 3 holes. They have a 3.17 average on Par 3s through one day, second among all teams participating in the event behind only the host Hoosiers at 3.13.
Valpo racked up 20 birdies on the first day of competition, 13 of which belonged to Webb. Webb’s 13 birdies are the most of any player in the field.
Webb has been at his best on Par 4 holes. He leads the event with a 3.69 average on Par 4s.
Webb owns a five-stroke lead on Charlotte’s Seth Gandy for medalist honors.

Thoughts from Head Coach Dave Gring
“There are a number of areas that our team is concentrating on this spring season and within each tournament. I feel that we are gradually progressing with each tournament round and we made some positive steps forward today. Our ball-striking from tee to green is improving. Chipping around the greens and saving par has been solid. We're getting some better scoring out of our No. 4 and No. 5 players and our No. 1 player went really low for us today.”

“Despite only three Par 3s on the course, our scoring was decent on those for the two rounds. The greens are designed with a lot of slope from back to front and we weren't able to capitalize on enough birdie opportunities. We need to get the ball closer to the hole from the fairway with our short irons, along with some better positions on the green to attack the hole. Our speed with the putts on those greens was not good enough and if we can dial that in, we will have better rounds tomorrow."

"Pete played magnificently for us today. He has been driving the ball well this entire spring season - long and straight. His proximity to the hole with his irons was really sharp with numerous birdie putts inside six to seven feet. Pete also dropped a number of 10-15 foot putts, and with his excellent ball-striking that is a powerful combination. Today's rounds were certainly excellent boosts for his confidence and he is excited to go at it again tomorrow."

Up Next
The Crusaders will continue the Hoosier Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. on Sunday as they play the third and final round. Round 3 will have a 9 a.m. shotgun start. A link to live stats is available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Nightcap Win Gives Softball Split Saturday
For the second straight Saturday, the Valparaiso University softball team rebounded after a loss to earn a doubleheader split in league play, as the Crusaders fell in the opener to Youngstown State, 6-1, before earning a 4-1 win in the nightcap at the Valpo Softball Complex.

How It Happened – Game One

Both teams left runners on third base in the first inning before cracking the scoreboard in the second inning.
YSU scored one run in the top of the second, but was kept from scoring further by some nice defensive work from shortstop Jaymee Lawton (Goodyear, Ariz./Desert Edge [Utah Valley]). With runners on the corners and nobody out, Lawton started a 6-4-3 double play with a sweet glove flip to Carly Trepanier (Manteno, Ill./Manteno).
Then, with a runner on first and two outs, Lawton fielded a slow roller to short, feinted the throw to first and then tossed to Trepanier, who applied the tag to the runner who had rounded the second-base bag.
Lawton was also involved offensively in the second inning as well, drawing a leadoff walk to open the frame before eventually scoring on a grounder off the bat of freshman Addison Pixley (Osceola, Ind./Penn).
That would be all the run production for the Crusaders in the opener, however. Valpo put at least one runner on in four of the last five innings, but stranded six on base over that stretch.
YSU took the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, added two more on a Tatum Christy home run in the sixth and capped the scoring with a single run in the seventh.

How It Happened – Game Two

YSU needed just three batters to score in the top of the first, taking the early lead on an RBI double from Brittney Moffatt. But junior Kenzie Grossmann (Perry, Mo./Mark Twain [Morehead State]) recorded back-to-back strikeouts to keep Moffatt on second and limit the Penguins to one run.
The run which scored in the first was the only runner to even reach third base against Grossmann all game, as the junior kept the Penguins off balance throughout.
Valpo claimed the lead in the bottom of the third. Freshman Gabby Magnifico (Elmhurst, Ill./York) turned the lineup over with an infield single, and Trepanier drew a walk to put two on with nobody out.
After fouling off a sacrifice attempt, senior Jorgi Calombaris (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) was given the hit away sign and took full advantage, knocking a base hit just inside the left-field line to score Magnifico. Two batters later, the Crusaders executed a squeeze to perfection, as junior Jenna Stauffenberg (Kankakee, Ill./Bishop McNamara) laid down the bunt and Calombaris easily beat the throw home to make it 2-1 Valpo.
Junior Lanie Callaghan (Elburn, Ill./Kaneland) kept the momentum on the Crusaders’ side in the bottom of the fourth, leading off the frame with a homer to straight-away center. Freshman Morgan Matalin (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) followed with a double to the gap and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Calombaris.

Inside the Games

Senior Sam Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) drew a walk in both games on Saturday to extend her on-base streak to 25 straight games and set a new program record. Stewart broke the mark previously held by Sara Strickland, who reached base in 24 consecutive games during the 2011 campaign.
Trepanier accounted for half of the Crusaders’ hits in the opener, picking up three of Valpo’s six base knocks. The sophomore now has a team-best 12 multi-hit games on the season, including five three-hit efforts.
Junior Ashlyn Montgomery (Lebanon, Ind./Lebanon) took the loss in the start in the day’s first game, falling to 5-4 on the year.
The bottom of the order stood out in the Crusaders’ nightcap victory, combining to go 4-for-7 with three runs scored. Callaghan picked up a pair of hits out of the seven spot in the lineup.
Trepanier also reached base three times in the nightcap, picking up one base hit and walking twice.
Grossmann went the distance to earn the win in the second game of the day, scattering four hits and one walk while striking out four. She rolled up 15 groundball outs, including six straight back to the circle and five to Calombaris at third base.
Valpo’s win over YSU in the nightcap snapped the Penguins’ nine-game winning streak.

Thoughts From Head Coach Kate Stake
“We talked after the first game about the need for timely hitting – we hit OK that first game, but didn’t string anything together. In the second game, we did a better job of putting together good at-bats to get runners into scoring position, which gave us the opportunity to put on plays like the suicide squeeze in the third inning.”

“It was great to see Lanie continue to make adjustments in her at-bats and put together a very good day offensively. We’ve worked with her over the last couple weeks on some things, and it’s starting to pay off visibly in better outcomes.”

“It was nice to see Kenzie come out and give us a complete game for the second straight start today, especially slamming the door on the game the way she did with a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Once again, she played to her strengths, came out and fed the defense a lot of ground balls. I thought Jorgi gave us a very good game defensively at third base as well in the second game.”

Next Up
The Crusaders (16-9, 3-2 Horizon) look for their second straight league series win on Sunday, as they host the series finale at noon. The game can be seen live on ESPN3, WatchESPN and the ESPN app, and heard live on WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso). Links for the live video, audio and stats will be available via ValpoAthletics.com.

Women’s Tennis Falls to Flames on Saturday
The Valparaiso University women’s tennis team dropped Saturday’s match to UIC 7-0 at the Courts of Northwest Indiana. The Crusaders (1-12, 0-3 Horizon) have faced a strong schedule to open Horizon League play. Their first three league matches have been against the teams picked to finish first through third. UIC was projected as the second-place team and received four first-place votes.

How It Happened

The Flames (11-5, 2-1 Horizon) swept their way to the doubles point with wins at all three spots. The closest match of the day came at No. 2 as Oana Manole and Bianca Zuzu eked out a 7-6 (6-1) win over Valpo’s Meg Modesto (Chesterton, Ind. / Chesterton) and Randi Wind (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South).
Valpo’s Dao Sysouvanh (Sun Prairie, Wis. / Sun Prairie) and Morgan Paras (Indianapolis / Bishop Chatard) also kept it close at No. 3 doubles, but UIC’s Georgie Sanders and Stefana Vasic notched a 6-4 win.
The Flames’ top doubles squad of Melika LeBlanc and Rachel Le Comer also emerged victorious, beating Kathleen Hebble (Sellersburg, Ind. / Silver Creek) and Paige Heuer (Munster, Ind. / Munster) 6-2.
The closest singles scores came at No. 5, as Sysouvanh fell to Le Comer 6-2, 6-4.
At No. 2, Heuer dropped her match with Sanders in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
Modesto was on the wrong end of a 6-1, 6-4 decision at No. 3 against LeBlanc.
At No. 1 singles, Hebble also lost in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1 to Manole.
Jordan Kopfer (Eagan, Minn. / Eastview) fell 6-3, 6-0 against Zuzu at No. 4 singles, while Wind succumbed to Miranda Rodriguez 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6.

Next Up
The Crusaders hit the road for a pair of Horizon League matches next weekend. They visit Northern Kentucky on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT before clashing with Wright State on Sunday, April 9, at noon CT in Dayton. Northern Kentucky was picked eighth in the preseason poll, one place ahead of the Crusaders. Wright State was selected to finish fourth.

Winning Streak Snapped as Crusaders Fall to Middle Tennessee
The Valparaiso University men’s tennis team’s 16-match winning streak screeched to a halt on Saturday at Middle Tennessee’s Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The Crusaders (17-2) suffered their first defeat since falling 4-3 to Wisconsin in the second match of the season. The Blue Raiders climbed to 8-12 on the year with a 4-2 triumph over the Crusaders.

How It Happened

The Blue Raiders did something few opponents have been able to accomplish against the Crusaders this season – they took the doubles point. Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) and Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill. / Niles North) suffered a 6-3 loss to Tom Moonen and Gonzalo Morell at No. 1, then Nicolas Buitrago and Max Rauch got the better of Kyle Dunn (Fund du Lac, Wis. / Fond du Lac) and Garrett Gardner (Poland, Ohio / Poland) 6-2 at No. 3.
The No. 2 doubles match went unfinished. Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) and Chad Kissell (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) owned a 5-4 edge on Gian Issa and Miguel Negre at the time play was halted.
Schorsch was the first singles player to finish, taking care of Middle Tennessee’s No. 1 singles player Morell 6-2, 6-4.
Nigre got the best of Emhardt 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3 singles, allowing the Blue Raiders to regain a 2-1 edge in the match.
The remaining four singles matches all went to three sets. The Crusaders had won the first set on each of those courts. At No. 5, Dunn suffered a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 loss to Issa that put Middle Tennessee on the brink of the win.
Brandon Ancona (Belvidere, Ill. / Rockford Christian) fended off Middle Tennessee’s Buitrago 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 6 singles to extend the match.
Middle Tennessee capped the victory at No. 2 singles, as Moonen knocked off Kissell 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The two teams played a clinch-clinch match, so the remaining singles showdown went unfinished. Bacalla took the first set from Luis Morillo Diaz 7-5, then lost the second 6-4 and faced a 5-4 deficit in the decisive set at the time play was halted.

Inside the Round

The Crusaders bounced back from the doubles loss by taking five of the first six singles sets, but couldn’t close the bulk of those matches.
Schorsch extended his singles winning streak to 15 and hasn’t lost a set all spring. He has 105 career singles wins. Schorsch now owns sole possession of the team lead with 21 wins. He’s 21-5 overall and 15-0 in dual matches.
Ancona upped his record to 19-8 with his win and improved to 12-3 in dual competition.

Next Up
The Crusaders will face a tough challenge on Sunday as they battle nationally-ranked South Alabama. The Jaguars (19-5) check in at No. 47 in the latest ITA Rankings. The match will get underway at 10 a.m. CT.

Crusaders Incur One-Run Loss on Saturday
The Valparaiso University baseball team has been competitive over the course of its tough road schedule to start the season, but one-run losses have been a bugaboo for the Crusaders. Valpo suffered its second straight one-run defeat to Wichita State on Saturday afternoon at Eck Stadium, falling to the Shockers by a score of 3-2.

How It Happened

The Shockers (13-13) had an immediate chance in the bottom of the first, as Jacob Katzfey led off with a double and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He tagged and tried to score on a fly ball to left field, but after the Crusaders appealed, he was ruled out for leaving early.
The Crusaders (9-15) had an opportunity of their own in the top of the second. Jake Hanson (Yorkville, Ill. / Aurora Christian) led off with a single, then Sam Shaikin (West Hills, Calif. / Chatsworth) reached on a bunt hit after dodging the tag of Wichita State starting pitcher Tommy Barnhouse. Scott Kapers (Schererville, Ind. / Mt. Carmel) tried to sacrifice, but the Shockers got the lead man at third. A fly ball, hit by pitch and bases-loaded strikeout followed, as the Crusaders failed to score and stranded the bases juiced.
The Shockers scored the first run of the game on an unusual play in the bottom of the second. With runners at first and third and nobody out, Trey Vickers hit a fly ball to shallow right, which was dropped by Kapers. Right fielder Giovanni Garbella (San Diego, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic) picked it up and gunned it to second to retire the runner from first for a fielder’s choice. A run scored on the play to make it 1-0 Wichita State.
Chad Jacob (Irvine, Calif. / Woodbridge) led off the third with a triple to deep center, but was stranded 90 feet away as Barnhouse wiggled out of the jam.
The Shockers scored again in the third as Travis Young singled up the middle, a ball that was misplayed in center. The runner from second would have held at third, but he scored on the E-8. Young attempted to advance to second, but was cut down.
Wichita State scored a single tally for the third consecutive frame in the fourth. Valpo turned a 4-6-3 double play, but a run crossed the dish to make it 3-0 Shockers.
The Crusaders took a bite out of the Wichita State lead in the fifth. They loaded the bases with one out after a hit batter, double by Jacob and a dropped third strike. That set up a ground ball to short by Barczi. The Shockers tried to turn two, but the second baseman’s relay throw to first was wild. Barczi reached on a fielder’s choice and received one RBI, then a second run crossed the dish and Barczi advanced to second on an E-4. Barnhosue got a ground ball to third to end the inning, but not before Valpo had cut the deficit to one at 3-2.
Alex Dirienzo (Somerset, Pa. / Somerset [Akron] was summoned from the bullpen to replace Valpo starter Wes Gordon (Waukegan, Ill. / Warren [Lake County]) with two on and one out in the fifth. The right-handed reliever delivered back-to-back strikeouts to work out of the jam.
The Crusaders made a pair of strong defensive plays in the game’s late innings – a diving grab by James Stea (Los Alamitos, Calif. / Los Alamitos [Golden West]) in the sixth and sliding catch by Garbella on the warning track in right to end the seventh.
Stea doubled to shallow left with two outs in the ninth, but Wichita State’s Ben Hecht induced a ground ball for the final out to nail down his fifth save.

Inside the Game

An illness held Chase Dawson out of the lineup for the second straight day. Kapers, normally Valpo’s catcher, again played second base.
Jacob’s triple was his first of his collegiate career in 56 games. He had another multi-hit output, his seventh of the season in 13 games played.
Gordon allowed three runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out two in 4 1/3 innings. He was hit with the loss and drops to 1-4 on the year.
Barnhouse went five innings and yielded two runs (none earned) on five hits while walking none and striking out five. He grabbed the win to boost his record to 2-2.
Stea was hit by a pitch twice in the game, boosting his season total to 10, which leads the Horizon League.
Palace extended his hitting streak to 11, while Jacob reached base for the 13th straight game.
The Crusaders are now 0-7 in one-run games this season. They’re also 0-8 when opponents score first.

Next Up
The Crusaders and Shockers will round out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3, WatchESPN and the ESPN app. Links to live video and stats are available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Day One Closes at EIU Big Blue Classic
The Valparaiso University men’s and women’s track and field teams finished the first day of competition in the Eastern Illinois Big Blue Classic on Friday. Of the 17 schools participating in the event, the men are in eighth with two points and the women enter Saturday seeking their first team point.

How It Happened

Earning Valpo’s first two points in the event, senior Max Morello (Plano, Ill/Plano) crossed the finish in seventh in the 10,000 meter race, running a 32:35.4. The veteran trimmed 30 seconds off his 2016 season-best time and fell just shy of entering the Top 10 in school history.
Junior Montel Hall (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) captured the men’s second-best overall finish from Day 1 of the Classic, taking 14th in the long jump (21-0.5).
Leading the Crusaders in throwing events, junior Andrew Guzek (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) achieved a distance of 45-3.5 in the shot put and a 145-4 in the hammer throw.
Jack Mader led the team in the 5,000m race and freshman Bryce Otterbach (Mendota, Ill./Mendota Township) was the top Valpo runner in the 400m hurdles.
Sophomore Chidimma Ozodi (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) earned the best finish for the women. Her performance in the long jump (16-4.5) scored her a 15th-place result.
Sophomore Nellie Bonham (Palos Hills, Ill./Stagg) led the Crusaders in two events, in the shot put (38-10.50) and the hammer throw (130-05.00). Her distance in the shot put moves the thrower into fifth in team history in that event.
Junior Kim Heiny (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lakes) finished as the women’s only runner on the first day of competition, holding a time of 19:10.06 in the 5,000m race.

Next Up
The Big Blue Classic resumes with Day 2 on Saturday in Charleston, Ill.

Wichita State Walks Off with Wild Win over Valpo
Friday’s game at Eck Stadium featured no shortage of late drama, as the Valparaiso University baseball team put together a thrilling rally for two runs in the top of the ninth to take a 3-2 lead over Wichita State, only to see the Shockers bounce back with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. The game culminated with a two-out, walk-off single through the left side by Travis Young, giving the Shockers a 4-3 win.

How It Happened

Sophomore Scott Kapers (Mount Carmel / Schererville, Ind.) singled to lead off the third, marking the first base runner by either team in the game. He moved up to second on a sac bunt by Patrick Donohue (Arlington Heights, Ill. / Prospect) and Giovanni Garbella (San Diego, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic) drew a one-out walk, but Wichita State (11-14) turned an inning-ending double play.
Valpo (10-13) starting pitcher Mario Losi (Anaheim, Calif. / Canyon) sent down the first eight men he faced, but No. 9 hitter Jordan Boyer grounded a single up the middle with two down in the third for the Shockers’ first base runner. Losi induced a fly ball to right to end the inning.
Alec Bohm belted a two-run shot to left-center with one out in the bottom of the fourth to give the Shockers a 2-0 lead. Greyson Jensita, who drew the first walk of the day for either team, was along for the ride. The Crusaders eventually got out of the fourth inning by turning their fourth double play in the last two games, 6-4-3, despite the fact that the runner was in motion from first.
Wichita State’s Jordan Boyer smoked a two-out triple to deep left in the fifth, but Losi rebounded to induce a pop fly for the third out.
The Crusaders had a man reach scoring position in the top of the seventh as Chad Jacob (Irvine, Calif. / Woodbridge) worked a walk, then moved to second on a bouncer to third. However, Lewis induced a fly ball followed by a ground ball to get out of the inning unscathed.
Sam Shaikin (West Hills, Calif. / Chatsworth) singled to lead off the eighth, then Kapers followed by drawing a base on balls. The Shockers pulled Landon Holifield from the game, then inserted lefty Reagan Biechler for a one-batter assignment. He pitched to Donohue, who laid down a sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third.
Giovanni Garbella ripped a sharp single to left to drive in Shaikin. Kapers held at third, representing the tying run with one away.
James Stea (Los Alamitos, Calif. / Los Alamitos [Golden West]) laid down a bunt, as the Crusaders attempted a safety squeeze, but Kapers was cut down at the plate on a close play for the second out of the inning. A wild pitch allowed runners to advance to second and third, but Jacob bounced out to second to end the threat.
After allowing the two-run blow in the fourth, Losi dealt for the remainder of his outing. At one point, he sent down nine straight.
Nate Palace (West Lake Village, Calif. / Oaks Christian) put Wichita State pitching back on the ropes in the ninth, when he grounded a single through the hole on the left side of the infield for a leadoff single. Christian Barczi (Naperville, Ill. / Naperville North) followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Palace to second with one out.
That set up some clutch hitting by senior Jake Hanson (Yorkville, Ill. / Aurora Christian), who belted a double to the gap in right center, plating Palace to tie the game.
Shaikin went the other way with a single down the right field line to score Hanson, giving Valpo its first lead of the game at 3-2.
Kapers kept the ninth-inning hit parade going as he singled to right, allowing Shaikin to scamper to third, but the Crusaders could do no further damage.
Freshman closer Jon Tieman issued a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, then fell behind the next batter before giving up a fly ball that was caught in deep left-center, just shy of the track.
That prompted Valpo head coach Brian Schmack to remove Tieman and insert Easton Rhodehouse (Gilbert, Ariz. / Highland) with one out and one on. Alex Jackson and Trey Vickers greeted Rhodehouse with back-to-back hits, the second of which scored the tying run. Rhodehouse followed with a big strikeout for the second out of the inning, but Young’s single through the left side altered the Shockers’ mode from shocked to celebratory.

Inside the Game

An illness to Chase Dawson required the Crusaders to make a few tweaks to their usual lineup. Kapers got the nod at second base, the first time in his collegiate career he’s played a position other than catcher. Hanson started at catcher for the second time this year.
Losi was efficient early, as the first seven Wichita State batters saw 16 total pitches.
Lewis was lifted after seven shutout innings. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out a pair while receiving no decision.
Garbella’s RBI was his eighth of the season in 19 games. Shaikin’s run scored was his 12th of the year.
This outing marked quite the turnaround for Losi, who lasted just 1 1/3 innings at UIC last Friday. This was the first time since his sophomore year – May 9, 2015 – that Losi worked eight innings.
Losi went eight innings and limited the Shockers to two runs (earned) on five hits and one walk while striking out five. He received no decision.
Hanson, Shaikin and Kapers had two hits apiece for Valpo. Kapers enjoyed his fourth multi-hit game, Hanson his fifth and Shaikin his seventh.
Ben Hecht was awarded the win in relief to improve to 1-1, while Rhodehouse was hit with the defeat to drop to 2-2.

Next Up
The Crusaders and Shockers will do it again tomorrow with Game 2 in the series at Eck Stadium. The game has been moved up an hour and will now start at 1 p.m. CT due to the weather forecast. All three games in the series will be broadcast on ESPN3, WatchESPN and the ESPN app. Links to live video and stats are available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Make It 17-1 for Valpo Men’s Tennis
The Valparaiso University men’s tennis team started the weekend off right on Friday at Middle Tennessee State’s Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn., winning a neutral-site match against the University of Alabama-Birmingham 4-2. The win allowed the Crusaders to extend their impressive winning streak to 16 and boost their overall record to 17-1, while UAB fell to 9-7.

How It Happened

Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) and Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill. / Niles North) dispatched Kenton Parton and Anru Fourie 6-2 at No. 1 singles in quick fashion.
Kyle Dunn (Fund du Lac, Wis. / Fond du Lac) and Garrett Gardner (Poland, Ohio / Poland) cruised by Eric Komati and Nikolai Manchev at No. 3 singles, winning 6-0 to nail down the doubles point.
The No. 2 doubles match went unfinished with Valpo’s Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) and Chad Kissell (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) leading UAB’s Tim Dollman and Stefan Gonzalez 5-4.
Bacalla was the first singles player to finish, beating Manchev 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4.
Schorsch enjoyed yet another straight-sets win at No. 1, downing Dollman 6-4, 6-2.
Komati, a senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil who started his career at Fresno State, was victorious 6-3, 6-2 over Kissell at No. 2.
The Crusaders also dropped a match at No. 6 singles, as Parton outdid Brandon Ancona (Belvidere, Ill. / Rockford Christian) 6-3, 6-1.
With Valpo holding a narrow 3-2 edge in the team score, and Dunn trailing his match at No. 5 singles, Emhardt came through a crucial situation at No. 3 singles. He capped off a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Gonzalez, clinching the match for the Crusaders.
The two teams played a clinch-clinch match, so Dunn’s dual with Fourie at No. 5 singles went unfinished. Dunn dropped the first set 6-4 and trailed the second 4-2.

Inside the Round

The Crusaders now have wins over teams from eight different Division-I conferences this season – Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Horizon League, the Big East, the Ohio Valley Conference, the Colonial Athletic Association, the Atlantic 10 and the Northeast Conference. They also have a close loss to Big Ten foe Wisconsin, a team that is currently ranked 30th nationally and a win over the No. 2 ranked Division-II team in the country (Saint Leo).
Schorsch has won 14 straight matches and has not dropped a set all spring. He now has 104 career singles wins, while Emhardt pulled ahead of Dunn for second in Valpo history by notching his 86th career singles triumph.
Ancona’s defeat snapped his streak of nine straight singles wins.
Schorsch earned his 106th career doubles win as Schorsch and Bacalla improved to 5-0 as a combo. It was Bacalla’s 72nd career doubles win, third in program history behind Emhardt and Schorsch.
This was the first time in the last five matches and just the second time in the last 13 matches that an opponent scored two team points against the Crusaders.

Next Up
The Crusaders will continue the Middle Tennessee State Shootout on Saturday as they compete in a 2 p.m. CT match against the host Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee State is another Conference USA opponent and stands at 7-11 this year. Live stats will be available for Saturday’s match. The link can be found on ValpoAthletics.com.

Valpo Softball to Host Green Bay Series Next Week
Fans hoping to catch the Valparaiso University softball team at the Valpo Softball Complex this season have a few more opportunities to do so now, as the program announced Friday that its mid-week series next week versus Green Bay has flipped sites and will now be hosted at Valpo. The Crusaders and Phoenix will face off in a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m., followed by a single game on Wednesday at noon.

While Valpo will host the games, since the series was originally scheduled to be played at Green Bay, the Phoenix will remain the designated home team in all three games and will bat second.