ROSEMONT, Ill. (February 5, 2020) – The Loyola University Chicago softball team opens the 2020 season this weekend at The Dome in Rosemont, Ill. for the Rambler Rumble. This is the fourth consecutive year the Ramblers will open the regular season with a tournament in Rosemont. Loyola's slate features a Friday afternoon doubleheader vs. Nebraska at Omaha (3 p.m.) and Miami (Ohio) (5:30 p.m.), a Saturday afternoon doubleheader vs. Green Bay (3 p.m.) and Butler (5:30 p.m.), and one game on Sunday afternoon vs. IUPUI (12:30 p.m.) to wrap up the weekend.
2019 Recap: The Ramblers finished last season with a 25-25 overall record (9-16, MVC). Four Loyola student-athletes earned All-MVC accolades, highlighted by
Allyson Ivey and
Kiley Jones, both named to the first team. Additionally,
Katie Kasubke and
Brooke Wilson picked up honorable mentions. Head coach
Alicia Abbott is set to begin her first season with the Ramblers, replacing Jeff Tylka after five seasons.
Scouting the Mavericks: Omaha was selected seventh in the Summit League Preseason Poll after finishing 4-43 last season. Head coach Amanda Eberhart is in her second season with the Mavericks and returns Summit League Players to Watch Jamie White and Emma Dargy. White led Omaha last season with a .263 batting average while tallying four doubles, five home runs and 21 RBI as a freshman. Emma Dargy collected Second Team All-Summit honors after hitting .254 with eight doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.
Scouting the RedHawks: Miami is coming off its first MAC regular-season championship in program history in 2019. The RedHawks return 15 athletes from the 2019 roster including seven postition starters, five all-conference selections and six academic all-conference selections. The RedHawks received 113 points in the MAC Preseason Poll and four first-place votes to repeat as regular-season champions. Junior pitcher Courtney Vierstra was named NFCA All-Region Third Team following the 2019 season and headlines the trio of pitchers all returning for the RedHawks. In 2019, the Miami pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.55), hits allowed (316), runs (150), earned runs (129), strikeouts (402), strikeouts looking (99), doubles (37), triples (3) and opposing batting average (.231). Head coach Clarisa Crowell was named MAC Coach of the Year for the first time in her career after leading the RedHawks to the best MAC win percentage (.800), longest win streak (10) in conference play and tying the program record for the most conference wins in a single season (16).
Scouting the Phoenix: Head coach Sara Kubuske begins her first season with Green Bay this season and will look to lead one of the youngest rosters in the Horizon League, which was heavily led by underclassmen last season. Kubuske replaces Scott Wachholz, who led the Phoenix for the past three seasons. Junior Morgan Bihun leads the returners after being named First Team All-Horizon League in 2019 on a team that finished 12-29 (7-12 Horizon League).
Scouting the Bulldogs: The Bulldogs return 2019 All-BIG EAST honorees Maddie Moore and Lauren Fey, as well as junior left-hander Alyssa Graves, who led the BIG EAST in strikeouts a season ago. Moore batted .441 with 15 hits, three doubles, seven RBI, while Fey batted .333 with 17 hits, one double and six RBI in BIG EAST games. Head coach Scott Hall enters his 10th season with the Bulldogs, who finished 16-32 (4-12 BIG EAST) last season. Butler was picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll.
Scouting the Jaguars: IUPUI returns All-League First Team choice McKenzie Loge as well as fellow senior starters Sabrina Trevino, Mandy Dallas, Delaney Thompson and Delainey Turner. Sophomores Jaida Speth and Lexi Lucas are also back for the Jags. IUPUI was picked sixth in this season's Preseason Poll after a 18-38 (11-11 Horizon League) finish in 2019. Head Coach Elisabeth Beirne is beginning her third season at the helm of the IUPUI softball program after leading the Jaguars to back-to-back appearances in the Horizon League Tournament.
Series Stuff: Loyola has a long history with Green Bay and Butler after all three teams were members of the MCC and the Horizon League in the 1990's through the late 2000's. The Ramblers lead both series, having an edge on Green Bay, 39-22 and Butler, 44-26. IUPUI and Loyola have faced each other the last three seasons in this tournament and have a tied series 3-3. Loyola is also tied with Miami, 2-2, while Omaha has one up on Loyola, 1-0.
Up Next: After the conclusion of opening weekend, Loyola will play in three more neutral site tournaments, beginning with the Bearkat Classic in Huntsville, Texas, Feb. 14-16. The Ramblers' opponents for the tournament include George Mason, Houston Baptist and Sam Houston State.
