This Week: Notre Dame College softball plays four games this weekend in Evansville, Ind. for the Blue Bridge Battle. On Feb. 23, NDC will take on Kentucky Wesleyan University, with a first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m., and then the Falcons will play Ashland University, at 5 p.m. On Feb 24, NDC will meet Lincoln University of Missouri, at 11 a.m., before wrapping up the weekend against Tiffin University, at 1 p.m.
 
Records: Notre Dame started the season going 0-2 versus the University of Findlay, on Feb. 10. Ashland went 2-1 at the Music City Invitational in Tennessee. Kentucky Wesleyan has played in tournaments in both Alabama and Tennessee, jumping out to a 3-3 record. After starting the season with two losses against William Jewell College, Lincoln University has won four consecutive games heading into this weekend. Tiffin has a record of 3-2 after playing five games at the Music City Invitational.
 
Coaches Corner: Kelsey Stopp is in her sixth season in the dugout at NDC, leading the Falcons to a record of 92-120. Emlyn Knerem is in her seventh season at Ashland, while Miles Mallette is entering his 18th year at Kentucky Wesleyan. Jason Ollison has been the head coach at Lincoln for one season and Paige McMenemy is in her third season leading Tiffin.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II top 25.
 
Series History: The Falcons played Kentucky Wesleyan for the first time last year and won, 3-0. Since 2013, Notre Dame has gone 4-9 against Ashland and 2-4 versus Tiffin. NDC has never played Lincoln University.
 
Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame started the season a couple weeks ago, playing a double-header with the University of Findlay, played on Ashland University's field. The games were originally scheduled for Feb. 14 in the Rossford Dome, but were moved up to Feb. 10 with a chance to play outside. Danielle Fick and Lindsay Breuer both had three hits over the two games, while Fick totaled three extra base hits.
 
Last season, Notre Dame went 2-2 at the Blue Bridge Battle, defeating KWU (3-0) and Ashland (7-2).
 
Noting the Panthers: Kentucky Wesleyan played last weekend, down in Nashville, Tenn. The Panthers beat Wisconsin-Parkside and McKendree, but lost to Purdue-Northwest. So far this season, Cam Mann (.412), Chloe Apple (.350), Kristyn Murphy (.333) and Kennedy Matheis (.333) are all hitting well over .300. Madison Beckhart leads the pitching staff with a 2.93 ERA and eight strikeouts over 14 1/3 innings pitched.
 
Noting the Eagles: Last weekend in Tennessee, Ashland played three very close games. The Eagles lost to McKendree, 3-2, in eight innings, and beat Illinois Springfield, 8-7, in eight innings. They also beat Davenport by a score of 7-5. Over the three games, Lily Rockwell went 5-for-10 at the plate, with two doubles, while Sophia Martin and Delaney Keith both had four hits. The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 4.26.
 
Noting the Blue Tigers: Lincoln University of Missouri has already played three double-headers. On Tuesday, LU outscored Westminster, 23-5, over a two-game sweep. Leslie Callahan (.474 batting average) already has nine hits and two doubles on the season, while Maris Ollison (.444) has eight hits, which includes two doubles and two home runs. Tori Hinnah is also hitting .400. Lincoln has used seven pitchers so far in 2024 and the staff has an ERA of 2.98, while striking out 26.
 
Noting the Dragons: Last weekend at the Music City Invitational, Tiffin went 3-2, over five games. The Dragons took down Drury (5-2), McKendree (5-4) and Parkside (5-2). Reagan Mengerink has gone 8-for-13 at the plate (.615) with six RBI and Maci Head is hitting .500, with two doubles, a triple, a home run and six RBI. Jules King has thrown 14 innings, striking out 17, with a 1.00 ERA. Claire Feldkamp holds a 3.27 ERA with 14 strikeouts over 15 innings pitched.