Softball | 3/19/2021 11:48:00 AM

STORM LAKE, Iowa - The Buena Vista softball team is off to a strong start to this season and now will begin the second phase of its schedule on Saturday afternoon when it kicks-off American Rivers Conference play at Simpson College for a three-game weekend series.

THE MATCH-UP
Saturday, March 20
Buena Vista (8-4, 0-0 A-R-C) at Simpson (2-4, 0-0 A-R-C)  |  2:00 a.m.  |  Live Video  |  Live Stats (Game 1)  |  Live Stats (Game 2)
Indianola, Iowa |  Simpson Softball Complex

Sunday, March 21
Buena Vista (8-4, 0-0 A-R-C) at Simpson College (8-4, 0-0 A-R-C)  |  1:00 p.m.  |  Live Video  |  Live Stats
Indianola, Iowa |  Simpson Softball Complex

LAST TIME OUT
Buena Vista has been off since sweeping a doubleheader at Greenville University (Ill.) back on March 8.  In those two games, junior Ashtyn Miller went a combined 6-for-7 with a double, home run and two RBI.  Savanna Pohlmann and Shelby Gunther each added three hits with Pohlmann adding a double.  The Beavers went on to win the opener of that twinbill 4-2 before completing the sweep with a 6-2 victory in the finale.  Carrie Dose picked up the win inside the circle in game one with Kennedi Claycomb notching her first career win in the second.  Both hurlers went the distance and combined for 11 strikeouts and no walks.

SCOUTING SIMPSON
The Storm have not been on the field since February 28 when it played six games over a three-day span to begin their season.  After splitting a doubleheader against Illinois College to begin the year, the team fell to DePauw (5-4) and notched a win over Fontbonne (4-2), respectively.  The most recent contests on the 28th resulted in losses to both Illinois College (8-7) and Concordia-Chicago (15-12).  The Storm are currently fourth in the A-R-C with a .343 batting average and is averaging just over 6.0 runs per game.  Sara Trent is ninth in the league with a .500 average (11-for-22) out of the gate and is tied for third among the league leaders in doubles (5).  Megan Crockett is right behind with nine hits and a .429 average while Randie Richmond is also hitting .368 and is second with seven runs scored.  Crockett has also chipped in with three doubles and has connected on the team's only home run.  Richmond has also posted one of the team's wins on the mound and sports a 3.11 ERA while pitching 9.0 innings over three appearances.  

BVU NOTES
-- Ashtyn Miller was named this week's A-R-C Softball Position Player of the Week
-- Senior Carlee Guyett currently leads the A-R-C in hits (17) and is second in runs (15) and 11th in average (.486).  She ranks 7th nationally with 7 doubles.
-- Miller is second in the A-R-C in RBI (17) and ranks 3rd in all of DIII
-- The Beavers rank second as a team in the league with a .348 batting average.  Their 76 runs scored are third, 21 doubles are second and slugging percentage is fourth (.480).
-- BVU is fourth with a 2.27 team ERA.
-- Miller is sixth in the A-R-C with a 1.40 ERA.  Her 25 IP are second-most and she leads all pitchers in the A-R-C with 40 strikeouts.
-- The team ranks fourth in DIII with seven triples on the year
--- The 116 hits by the offense ranks 13th nationally.

ON DECK:  The Beavers are scheduled to play their home opener next Sunday afternoon in Storm Lake by hosting Bethel University in a non-conference doubleheader at 2:00 p.m.  They are then to begin American Rivers Conference play the following weekend at Simpson.