Complete Notes Gray Wolf Field - Sylvania, Ohio

Upcoming in Gray Wolves Softball: Lourdes looks to return to the diamond for four doubleheaders in seven days beginning on Tuesday with a home twinbill against Malone.  The Gray Wolves will travel to Michigan-Dearborn on Wednesday and Northwestern Ohio on Saturday before hosting Aquinas in a make-up game next Monday.

Head Coach Caitlin Blanchard: In her second season on the Lourdes bench, Caitlin Blanchard has a 20-37 (.351) record at the helm of the Gray Wolves as well as a collegiate head coach.  She is the only the second head coach in Lourdes program's history.

Series Notes: Lourdes and Malone split the only doubleheader they two schools have played with one another on March 22, 2022 in Canton, Ohio.  The Gray Wolves won the opener 7-6 before Malone bounced back with a 2-1 win in game two.  Michigan-Dearborn is 12-7 versus Lourdes dating back to April 3, 2013.  The Wolverines have won six straight games after winning last year's doubleheader 7-0 and 2-1 in eight innings.  Northwestern Ohio holds a 16-2 series edge over the Gray Wolves dating back to April 5, 2014.  The Racers have won the last 16 games between the two schools after 6-2 and 5-3 triumphs in 2022.  Aquinas is 13-6 in the all-time series against Lourdes going back to April 26, 2013.  The two schools split a pair of games in Grand Rapids last year, with Lourdes winning the opener 10-5 before the Saints took game two 11-3.  

Wrapping Up Last Week: Cornerstone scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning of game one to defeat the Gray Wolves 4-2 on Friday.  Brooke Albert had two hits and Annalisse Palma drove in two runs.  In game two, the Golden Eagles downed Lourdes 10-6.  Megan Richardson was 4-for-4 for the Gray Wolves.

Scouting Malone: The Pioneers enter the week having dropped a doubleheader at home against Tiffin on Sunday.  Malone hosts Findlay on Monday before visiting Lourdes.  Taylor Kern leads the Pioneers with a .319 batting average while Karlie Duvall has three home runs and 11 runs batted in.  In the circle, Jensen Miller leads the way with a 4-6 record and a 3.33 earned run average.

Scouting Michigan-Dearborn: The Wolverines snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Concordia (Mich.) in game two of Sunday's doubleheader.  Michigan-Dearborn hosts Indiana Tech on Monday before entertaining Lourdes.  Makenna Millhorn leads the Wolverines with a .406 batting average.  She has hit three home runs and driven in nine runs.  In the circle, Sydni Uhlenberg is 4-3 with a 2.23 ERA.

Scouting Northwestern Ohio: The Racers have won four straight games after sweeping a doubleheader from Concordia (Mich.) last Thursday.  Northwestern Ohio hosts Cleary on Tuesday before facing Lourdes.  Anna Ankney is hitting a team-high .424 with five home runs and 30 runs batted in.  Carlie Hanes leads the pitching staff with a 9-5 record and a 2.29 ERA.

Scouting Aquinas: The Saints enter the week having won a doubleheader from Siena Heights on Sunday.  Aquinas plays Cornerstone, Lawrence Tech, and Cleary before visiting Lourdes.  Darrien Roberts is hitting .360 this season while Courtney Hardin has hit five home runs  Izzy Dawson has a team-high 16 RBI.  Leah Ash is 9-2 with a 1.29 ERA in the circle.

Schedule Updates: Lourdes has rescheduled several of its postponements this season.  The Malone doubleheader is being made up on Tuesday while the Aquinas games will be next Monday, April 10.  The Gray Wolves will play at Rochester (Mich.) on April 12 and at Siena Heights on April 13.  The Saint Francis (Ill.) games have not been rescheduled at this time.

Freshmen Swinging a Hot Bat: A pair of rookies have led the Gray Wolf offense through the first 20 games of the season.  Maddie Darrah is hitting .396 (21-for-53) with 10 doubles and slugging .585 in her rookie season.  Darrah has scored seven times and driven in nine.  Olivia Hickman, another freshman, has is second in the team in batting average at .321.  She has eight RBI and has scored nine times.

Dealing in the Circle: Freshman Berlynn Keller has led the Gray Wolf pitching staff in the circle thus far this season.  The rookie is 3-7 with a 2.92 earned run average.  In a team-leading 62.1 innings of work, she has 30 strikeouts while limiting opposing hitters to a .276 batting average.

Four-Hit Game: Megan Richardson went 4-for-4 at the plate in game two against Cornerstone for the Gray Wolves' first four-hit game of the season.  In fact, it was just the 13th such game in program history.

Gray Wolves Tabbed 10th in WHAC Preseason Poll: Lourdes was picked to finish in 10th place in the WHAC this season according to the league head coaches in their annual preseason balloting.  The Gray Wolves were selected just behind Siena Heights and just ahead of Cleary in the poll.  Michigan-Dearborn was tabbed as the preseason favorites.

This and That: Annalisse Palma ranks fifth in program history with 26 career stolen bases ... Katie Devine has been hit by three pitches this season and 12 for her career, fourth most in program history.