SEATTLE – Seattle University softball welcomes Cal Poly for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.
FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS
• Tuesday, Mar. 26 at 1 p.m.
• vs. Cal Poly
• Tuesday, Mar. 26 at 3:30 p.m.
• at Kansas City
ABOUT THE GAMES
• Seattle U (20-11) vs. Cal Poly (6-21)
• All-time series-Series is tied, 1-1
• Home-N/A
• Away-N/A
• Neutral site-Series is tied, 1-1
• Last meeting-Cal Poly won, 6-1, at San Diego (March 19, 2016)
NEWS AND NOTES
• The Redhawks won two out of three games at Kansas City to begin WAC action Mar. 22-23. In the first game of the weekend, SU compiled 12 hits and a season-high five stolen bases in a 6-3 win. Carley Nance picked up her 10th win and Shianne Smith pitched in relief to get her first save of 2019.
• In the second game, Andie Larkins threw a complete game and the Redhawks scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning on their way to a 5-3 victory.
• Kaylee Ree earned WAC Hitter of the Week after batting .500 with a home run, two doubles, and three RBIs in three games at Kansas City Mar. 22-23.
• SU went 3-1 at the Seattle U Invitational the weekend of March 16-17. It beat Portland State and North Dakota on Saturday before splitting two outings on Sunday at Logan Field.
• On March 17, Shianne Smith set a Division I program record with 11 strikeouts in eight innings against North Dakota. The sophomore struck out at least one hitter in seven different innings and struck out the side in the sixth frame.
• Carley Nance pitched a complete-game shutout against UND on March 16, allowing just three hits across seven innings.
• SU swept a doubleheader with Northern Illinois in the home opener on March 12. Cherise Silvan hit a walk-off single to lift the Redhawks to a 3-2 win in the first game and then Shianne Smith pitched a two-hitter in a five-inning 10-1 victory in the nightcap.
• Breanna Timmons went 4-5 with a run scored in the twinbill, while Kaylee Ree tallied three hits, four RBIs, and three runs. Madison Cathcart and Carley Nance both homered in the first inning to break open the second contest.
• The Redhawks won two out of three contests at the Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational on Mar. 1-2. They beat No. 25 Illinois, 5-2, and handled McNeese State, 6-1, while falling to Syracuse.
• SU’s win over the Illini is the first over a nationally-ranked foe in program history. Carley Nance pitched a complete game, while Alyson Matriotti tripled and Ally Choate homered to lead the offense.
• Seattle U’s 11-7 start matches the best 18-game start in Division I program history. Last year’s edition also won 11 of its first 18 outings. The 2018 Redhawks recorded the most successful season in D1 program history, winning 33 games.
• Seattle U went 3-2 at the 2019 Aggie Invitational, beating UTEP, Idaho State, and Saint Mary’s at the event. Carley Nance threw two complete games on the weekend, allowing just one earned run over 17 innings of work. She struck out 13 and walked two batters in three appearances.
• At the Rebel Classic in Las Vegas, the Redhawks went 5-0, marking their first unbeaten non-conference weekend since 2014.
• In a win over Georgetown on Feb. 15, SU tied an NCAA record with five home runs in an inning. Madison Cathcart, Bailey Thompson, Grace Dudden, Emma Mitchell, and Ally Choate each homered in the third frame, as the Redhawks became the ninth team in NCAA history to achieve the feat.
• Bailey Thompson won WAC Hitter of the Week for the period ending Feb. 17. The sophomore tallied eight hits, including five home runs and a double, in five games in Las Vegas. Thompson slugged 1.846 and drove in 11 runs on the weekend.
• Carley Nance earned WAC Pitcher of the Week honors for the period ending Feb. 17. She went 3-0 with a save in four appearances at the Rebel Classic. The redshirt sophomore struck out 17 hitters and walked just one, while allowing just two earned runs on the weekend.
• SU is tied for second nationally with 20 home runs through two weekends of the season. Bailey Thompson’s six homers are good for second in the country as well.
• At the season-opening Kajikawa Classic, the Redhawks went 1-4, coming within two runs in each of their four setbacks. SU beat Weber State, 8-0 in five innings, for its first win of 2019.
• Sophomore Ally Choate hit .667 (10-15) with three walks and a HBP in Arizona. She scored five runs to go with three RBIs, a double, a triple, and a stolen base in five outings.
• Shianne Smith threw a complete game three-hitter in the win over Weber State.
• The Redhawks came within a game of winning the 2018 WAC regular season title. They were voted to finish third in the 2019 WAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• At the 2018 Kajikawa Classic, SU went 3-2, including a win over Stanford and a pair of extra-inning victories.
• Coach Geoff Hirai is in his fourth year at Seattle U. In 2018, he guided SU to its most successful season in Division I program history, as the Redhawks won 33 games and played for the WAC regular season crown on the last day of the season.
• Madison Cathcart, Ally Choate, Andie Larkins, and Carley Nance were named Preseason All-WAC. In 2018, Cathcart, Larkins, and Choate were First Team All-WAC, while Nance, Kaylee Ree, and Bailey Thompson were picked Second Team All-WAC.
• SU will have to replace several contributors from 2018, including Maddy Kristjanson, a Second Team All-WAC choice last season, and Nicole Bolasky, who set the Redhawks’ single-season stolen base record with 26.
• Coach Geoff Hirai is in his fourth year at Seattle U. In 2018, he guided SU to its most successful season in Division I program history, as the Redhawks won 33 games.
• Madison Cathcart returns for her junior season after a fantastic sophomore campaign. She ranked in the top 10 nationally in six statistical categories. Cathcart set eight single-season SU records. She became the first player in program history to be chosen NFCA All-Region. The native of Longview, Wash., has been named to the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watchlist.
• Seattle U features the top pitching staff in the WAC, as Andie Larkins, Carley Nance, Shianne Smith, and Natalie Montgomery led the conference in ERA (2.98), wins (33), shutouts (9), strikeouts (288), and opponent batting average (.253) last season. Larkins was First Team All-WAC, winning 10 games and throwing seven complete games. In WAC play, she compiled a 1.78 ERA in seven appearances. Nance earned Second Team All-WAC recognition, winning 14 games and leading the WAC in strikeouts with 123. Smith paced the conference in ERA (2.42), opponent batting average (.210), and strikeouts per seven innings (6.84).
• The Redhawks feature six newcomers this season, with five freshmen and one transfer joining the squad for 2019.