Complete Notes
Upcoming in Gray Wolves Softball: The 2024 regular season comes to a close this week for Lourdes as the Gray Wolves look to remain in the hunt for a berth in the upcoming Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament.  The Gray Wolves close out the home slate on Thursday entertaining Michigan-Dearborn before traveling to Concordia (Mich.) and Madonna on the weekend.

Head Coach Caitlin Blanchard: In her third season on the Lourdes bench, Caitlin Blanchard has a 37-74 (.333) 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: Michigan-Dearborn is 14-7 all-time against the Gray Wolves in a series that dates back to April 3, 2013.  The Wolverines have won the last eight games between the two schools after sweeping last year's twinbill 9-1 and 4-2 in Detroit, Mich.  Michigan-Dearborn won the only two previous meetings at Gray Wolf Field during the 2021 season.  Concordia (Mich.) holds a 17-6 all-time edge against Lourdes in a series that began April 17, 2013.  The Cardinals have won three straight games after a 6-1 and 4-0 sweep of the Gray Wolves at Gray Wolf Field last season.  Concordia is 6-2 against Lourdes all-time in Ann Arbor, Mich.  Madonna is 20-2 against Lourdes all-time in a series that dates back to April 14, 2013.  The two teams split last year's doubleheader at Pacesetter Park with Lourdes winning the opener 2-1 before the Crusaders took game two 8-0.  Madonna is 8-0 against the Gray Wolves all-time in Livonia, Mich.

Wrapping Up Last Week: Lourdes swept a doubleheader from Siena Heights 7-2 and 16-9 last Wednesday.  Olivia Hickman was 3-for-3 with two runs batted in in game one while Annalisse Palma had three hits and drove in seven in the nightcap.  On Saturday, Indiana Tech took a twinbill from the Gray Wolves 10-1 and 8-7.  Lourdes managed just three hits in the opener while Emily Wallace had a two-hit game in game two.  Cleary spoiled the Gray Wolves' Senior Day on Sunday taking 8-3 and 9-3 decisions.  Brooke Albert had two hits in game one while Jaylen Jackson drove in two runs in game two.

Scouting Michigan-Dearborn: The Wolverines have dropped four straight games after losing both ends of a doubleheader at Aquinas 3-2 and 8-3 last Saturday.  Olivia Scott leads Michigan-Dearborn batting .366 on the season while Makaila Cooper and Lindsay Marlewitz each have 16 runs batted in.  Brooklynn Jones has hit a team-high three home runs.  In the circle, Sydni Uhlenberg is 4-8 with a 4.79 earned run average.  She has struck out 48 in 73 innings of work.

Scouting Concordia (Mich.): The Cardinals have won three straight games after sweeping a twinbill from Rochester Christian 9-1 and 6-3 on Sunday afternoon.  Shannon McAlinden is hitting .469 with three homers and 37 runs batted in this season.  Katie Tobias has a team-high 39 RBI as well.  Emilee Underwood is 14-2 with a 1.93 ERA in 116 innings of work in the circle for Concordia, striking out 103 batters.

Still in the Hunt: With six games left to play, Lourdes still has an opportunity to qualify for the upcoming WHAC tournament.  The Gray Wolves trail Cleary by just one game in the loss column.  The top eight teams in the final standings advance to postseason play with Lourdes currently in a tie for ninth place.

Palma Sets Single Game Record: Annalisse Palma set a new Lourdes single game record with her seven runs batted in last Wednesday in game two of the doubleheader at Siena Heights.  Palma was 3-for-5 in the game with a double and a home run and also scored three times.  The previous single game mark was six set by Bre Megyesi on March 3, 2013 against Point Park and matched by both Marissa Kostick against Saint Mary (Neb.) in 2019 and Ashligh Riffle versus Calumet in 2022.

On Record-Setting Pace: Emily Wallace enters the final week of the regular season with a chance to set the school's single season batting average mark.  The Gray Wolf fifth-year senior is currently hitting .435 (27-for-62), slightly ahead of Alyssa Schaub's 2015 mark of .426 for those players with at least 50 at bats in a season.

Facing Ranked Foes: Madonna will mark the fourth time this season the Gray Wolves will face a ranked opponent, giving Lourdes six total games against the NAIA top-25 this season.  The Gray Wolves' last win against a ranked foe came on April 26, 2022, a 10-5 triumph over 22nd-ranked Aquinas. 

Getting on Base: Brooke Albert has reached base safely in 19 consecutive games entering this week.  The junior has drawn 18 walks on the season and leads the team with a .438 on base percentage.  She is batting .323 with 12 extra base hits and leads the team with 21 runs scored as well.

This and That: Megan Richardson and Annalisse Palma are the only Gray Wolves to appear, and start, in all 36 games this season ... Olivia Hickman has 10 multi-hit games this season ... Palma now has 13 doubles on the year.