LIVE STATS
GAME NOTES

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology softball team opens the 2024 season on Monday, February 26 with a pair of games against Grove City and Alma at 12:15 PM and 2:30 PM.

ROSE-HULMAN GAME NOTES:
* Rose-Hulman softball hits the road as the Fightin' Engineers travel South for ten games in five days in Melbourne, Florida.
* The Fightin' Engineers open up their spring trip with a pair of games against Grove City and Alma on February 26.
* In the next four days, the Fightin' Engineers will continue their Southern trip with games against Grove City, Alma, Houghton, and Eastern as the USSSA Space Coast Complex.
* Rose-Hulman opens their 22nd consecutive seaosn under head coach Brian Shearer as the Fightin' Engineers look to bounce back from a 7-24 season in 2023 that included a 1-14 record in the HCAC.
* The Fightin' Engineers lost three of their top six hitters from the 2023 season, and they also lose over 50% of their innings pitched from last season's team.
* Rose-Hulman returns a pair of CSC All-District players from last season's team including Katie Palmer and Hailey Hofmann.
* The Fightin' Engineers started off last season a little rough on their spring trip, finishing the trip at 1-5 overall and having four games cancelled due to weather.
* Rose-Hulman won their opening game of the season against Agnes Scott before being swept in doubleheaders by Emory and LaGrange.
* Phoebe Worstell is the top returning player from the 2023 season with a .327 batting average and 15 extra base hits on the season. She also led the team innings pitched with 93.2, wins with 4, and strikeouts with 82.
* Jadyn Winkler had an excellent freshman season with a .319 batting average and .884 OPS. She also stole 11 bases with only one caught stealing on the year.
* Rose-Hulman was selected ninth overall in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason poll. The Fightin' Engineers received 20 poll points. Worstell, Katelyn Sarvis, Winkler, and Aubrey Smith were named Players to Watch.

GROVE CITY NOTES:
* Grove City is coming off a 21-15 season with a 13-7 record in the PAC.
* The Wolverines finished 4-6 on their Florida trip in 2023 with wins over Anna Maria, Clark, Alverno, and SUNY-Postdam.
* Grove City plays Alma in their season opener at 10 AM before playing Rose-Hulman at 12:15 PM.
* The Wolverines finished the 2023 season ranked top-20 in NCAA Division III in both batting average (0.345) and runs per game (6.61).
* Maci Linhart ranked top-20 in NCAA Division III last season with 40 runs scored. She added a .425 batting average and a 1.012 OPS last season.
* Kaitlyn Constantino led the Wolvers in pitching with 17 starts and an ERA of 3.55. She totalled 11 wins, 13 complete games, and 72 strikeouts.
* Rose-Hulman and Grove City will play three more times this week with games on Feb. 28, Feb. 29, and Mar. 1.

ALMA NOTES:
* Alma is coming off a 23-18 season with a 12-4 record in the MIAA.
* The Wolverines finished 6-4 on their Florida trip in 2023 with wins over MSOE, Bridgewater, Chatham, St. Mary's, Houghton, and Sage.
* Alma opens their season on Sunday with a pair of games against Point Park and British Columbia before playing Rose-Hulman on Monday.
* The Scots ranked top-20 in NCAA Division III in stolen bases with 116 last season, but they lost their top-5 base stealers from last year's team.
* Danielle Dumoulin ranked top-75 in NCAA Division III last season with 40 RBIs. She is the top returning hitter for the Scots this season.
* Morgan Westall leads the Scots' pitching staff with 8 complete games in 12 starts, a 2.60 ERA, and 77 strikeouts in 2023.
* Rose-Hulman and Alma will play one more time on the spring trip with a game on March 1 at 10 AM.

2023 RETURNING TEAM HITTING LEADERS (Min. 1.5 AB/Game):
BATTING AVERAGE - Phoebe Worstell (0.327)
ON-BASE PERCENTAGE - Jadyn Winkler (0.398)
SLUGGING PERCENTAGE - Phoebe Worstell (0.561)
HITS - Phoebe Worstell (32)
DOUBLES - Phoebe Worstell (11)
TRIPLES - Jadyn Winkler (1)
HOME RUNS - Phoebe Worstell (4)
RUNS - Katelyn Sarvis (23)
EXTRA BASE HITS - Phoebe Worstell (15)
RBI - Phoebe Worstell (25)
STOLEN BASES - Jadyn Winkler (11)
WALKS - Phoebe Worstell / Jadyn Winkler (8)
HIT BY PITCHES - Jadyn Winkler (2)

2023 RETURNING TEAM PITCHING LEADERS (Min. 0.5 IP/Game)
GAMES - Phoebe Worstell (22)
STARTS - Phoebe Worstell (15)
INNINGS - Phoebe Worstell (93.2)
WINS - Phoebe Worstell (4)
ERA - Phoebe Worstell (6.43)
WHIP - Phoebe Worstell (2.04)
SAVES - None
STRIKEOUTS - Phoebe Worstell (82)
K/BB - Phoebe Worstell (1.78)
K/7 - Phoebe Worstell (6.12)
BB/9 - Phoebe Worstell (3.44)
OBA - Phoebe Worstell (0.346)

SERIES HISTORY:
* Rose-Hulman leads the all-time series 1-0 over Alma.
* The Fightin' Engineers won the only all-time meeting 3-0 in 2014.
* Alma leads Rose-Hulman 6-1 in the all-time series
* The Scots have won the last four meetings including a 9-0 win in 2011.
* Rose-Hulman's only win over Alma came in 2005 with a 3-2 victory.

CAREER RECORDS:
* Kennedy Michnewicz - 6th with a 0.980 fielding percentage, 7th with 439 putouts, and 11th with 19 double plays turned
* Jadyn Winkler - T-8th with 11 stolen bases
* Phoebe Worstell - 6th with 130 strikeouts, T-7th in school history with 7 home runs, 11th with 29 strikeouts looking, 11th in pitching shutouts, 11th with 39 pitching appearances, 12th with 162.2 innings pitched, and T-15th with 8 wins

HCAC STANDINGS / NEXT GAME:
Franklin - 0-0 (3-1) - Feb. 25 at Centre (DH)
Mount St. Joseph - 0-0 (2-2) - Feb. 24 vs. William Peace / Huntingdon
Anderson - 0-0 (0-0) - Mar. 13 at Asbury (DH)
Bluffton - 0-0 (0-0) - Mar. 3 vs. Wentworth / Elms
Defiance - 0-0 (0-0) - Mar. 3 vs. Concordia-Chicago / Ursinus
Earlham - 0-0 (0-0) - Mar. 2 vs. Olivet (DH)
Hanover - 0-0 (0-0) - Feb. 24 at Webster (DH)
Manchester - 0-0 (0-0) - Feb. 24 at Asbury (DH)
Rose-Hulman - 0-0 (0-0) - Feb. 26 vs. Grove City / Alma
Transylvania - 0-0 (0-0) - Feb. 24 vs. Spalding / at Wooster