Softball 5/6/2021 10:07:00 PM CU Athletics

MSC Preview: Lady Tigers and Blue Raiders square off in #BattleofHighway55 for chance at MSC finals

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — A chance to move into the Mid-South Conference finals is on the line Friday evening as the two top seeds in the MSC, No. 1 Campbellsville and No. 2 Lindsey Wilson, battle it out at Sparks Park with first pitch set for 5 p.m. ET.

Coverage begins on the CU Sports Network at 4:45 p.m. as Jordan Alves will broadcast the rivalry game. The winner will move into the MSC finals and have to be beaten twice on Saturday night. The loser will play in an elimination contest on Saturday afternoon.

Tickets:

Tickets are provided on a game-by-game basis. Fans will need to purchase tickets for each game - https://www.mid-southconference.org/hometown-ticketing
Upon arriving at Sparks Park, fans will be symptom and temperature checked. Face masks are required to be worn at all times while in the facility. Following the conclusion of each game, spectators will be asked to clear the stadium to allow the staff to prepare for the next game.

How did Campbellsville get here?

The Lady Tigers are entering after winning 5-1 over five-seeded Georgetown College on Thursday night.
The Lady Tigers had stellar defense, dominant pitching, and timely hitting. Ryley Whitney, the MSC Player of the Year, hit a three-run home run, Mia Aldridge delivered an RBI double and Ryleigh Oldham also had an RBI base knock.
Katy Chadwell went the distance allowing only a leadoff home run to score before sitting down 20 of the final 22 batters she faced.

How did the Blue Raiders get here?

The Blue Raiders are the two-seed and hosted University of Pikeville for a three-game MSC Opening Round series. LWC won 6-0 and 5-1 over the Bears to advance.
In the tourney, Lindsey Wilson pushed Freed-Hardeman to the loser's bracket after a 7-2 win. Tied 1-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Raiders scored six runs in the final two innings to pull ahead.
Annabelle Ramirez, the MSC Pitcher of the Year, allowed only two hits and two runs while striking out nine in the victory. Makaea-Al Kaluau went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI.

Scouting Lindsey Wilson:

LWC is without four starters due to COVID-19 protocols. Mikayla Marquez (LF), Brianna Griffiths (SS), Alexus Garza (DP), and Alexis Garayzar (C). All four started over 40 games for the Blue Raiders this season and will not play in the tournament.
The Blue Raiders enter as the fifth-ranked team in the entire country and are led by Ramirez in the circle. She ranked third in opponents batting average (.118) and hits allowed per game (2.79), No. 5 in saves (4), No. 5 in wins (25), and No. 7 in ERA (0.85).
The No. 2 in the circle is Hannah Epperson. She is 7-1 on the year with 15 starts and 78.1 innings. She boasts a 2.77 ERA and opponents are hitting .265 off her this year.
Offensively, LWC has outscored opponents 270-103 this season. LWC is led by Carissa Summers' .403 average as she's only played in the last 25 games after missing the early parts of the season.
Makea-Al Kaluau is the difference maker at the plate hitting .397 with 15 home runs and 51 RBI. She's added 12 doubles and is slugging .788.

Series History:

Friday marks the 78^th meeting between the two programs. CU leads the series, 40-37.
The Blue Raiders have the edge in the last 10 games with a 7-3 record.
While playing at Sparks Park, the series is tied 13-13.
The two teams have met 13 times in the MSC Tournament with LWC leading the matchups, 7-6. The Blue Raiders won the last MSC Tourney matchup, 3-2, to claim the MSC title in 2019.

MSC Tourney History:

Campbellsville has won the regular season a record nine times - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021.
The Lady Tigers have earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament eight times, with four of those turning into tournament championships.
Overall, the regular season champion has also won the tournament title only 11 of the 20 years.
The Lady Tigers have won the MSC Tournament five times – 2018, 2016, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
Lindsey Wilson has won the MSC Tournament seven times. Campbellsville and Lindsey Wilson have won 13 of the last 16 titles. In the regular season, the two programs have won or shared the championship the last 10 years.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Mia Aldridge: 1B; 5' 7"; Graduate Student; Lawrenceburg, Ky.

#16 Katy Chadwell: RHP; 5' 10"; Freshman; Danville, Ky.

#21 Ryleigh Oldham: RF; 5' 5"; Junior; Madisonville, Ky.

#15 Ryley Whitney: C; 5' 9"; Junior; Scottsville, Ky.

Players Mentioned

#4 Mia Aldridge
: 5' 7"; Graduate Student; Lawrenceburg, Ky.
: 1B

#16 Katy Chadwell
: 5' 10"; Freshman; Danville, Ky.
: RHP

#21 Ryleigh Oldham
: 5' 5"; Junior; Madisonville, Ky.
: RF

#15 Ryley Whitney
: 5' 9"; Junior; Scottsville, Ky.
: C