The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced that the Greenville University softball team earned the top team grade point average (GPA) in NCAA Division III following the 2019 season. The team, under the direction of head coach Buddy Foster and assistant coach Kylie Grant, posted a team GPA of 3.78, tying for the top position with Johnson & Wales of Providence, R.I.
The softball program collected a variety of regional and national awards from the NFCA and NCCAA following the completion of their 2019 season. Among Greenville's awardees was Beth Mersinger with an NFCA NCAA Division III midwest all-region first team honor.
The softball season came to an end on Saturday in the SLIAC tournament at Westminster. Greenville fell 9-0 in a winner’s bracket game against Eureka, the SLIAC regular season champion, and moved into an elimination game with Spalding that they dropped 9-6. Between games, the SLIAC announced the all-conference awards that featured two first team selections from Greenville.
The softball team advanced to the winner's bracket in the SLIAC tournament with a 4-2 victory over Iowa Wesleyan in the opening game of the tourney. Greenville got all the runs they needed in the first inning, and Caitie Opp delivered a complete game pitching effort in the win.
The softball team was defeated in both ends of a non-conference doubleheader by St. Mary-of-the-Woods on Tuesday. The Panthers fell by one run in each game, taking a 3-2 loss in game one, followed by a 2-1 defeat in eight innings in game two. In the second game, pitchers Cayla Speaks and Caitie Opp combined to hold SMWC hitless for 7.2 innings before the Pomeroys singled in two runs in the top of the eighth.
The softball team became the first SLIAC softball-playing institution to complete their conference schedule in Saturday’s doubleheader split against Spalding. Spalding defeated Greenville 11-2 in five innings in game one, and the Panthers came back with a 3-1 win in the second game on Senior Day.
The softball team competed against William Woods on Wednesday at Panther Field in a non-conference doubleheader. Greenville won game one 8-5 and lost 5-1 in the second game.
The softball team won a pair of mercy-rule decisions at Principia on Tuesday night. Greenville won game one 16-2 in six innings and followed that with a 20-1 victory in five innings.
The softball team hosted Blackburn on Wednesday in a SLIAC doubleheader. The Panthers came from behind to force extra innings in game one as they fell 6-5 in nine innings, and they capped the day with a 7-2 win in game two.
The softball recorded two more SLIAC wins on Monday in a doubleheader against MacMurray. Greenville won both games by the mercy rule, 8-0 in five innings of game one and 11-3 in five innings of game two.
The softball team split a doubleheader with Eureka on Saturday. Greenville lost game one 8-7 in eight innings after allowing the Red Devils to rally from a four run seventh inning deficit to force extra innings, but Greenville bounced back to win game two 6-4 with two runs in the top of the seventh.
The softball team took the early edge in the race for the 2019 SLIAC championship with a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday over Westminster, whose team was favored by SLIAC coaches to repeat as conference regular season champions.
The softball team defeated Fontbonne in both games of the doubleheader in the SLIAC "Game of the Week" on Wednesday. Greenville received a complete game five-hit shutout from Caitie Opp in their 2-0 first game win and scored eight runs in the first inning of game two in rolling to 11-8 win.
The softball team concluded their Spring Break trip to South Carolina with a pair of wins on Friday. Greenville topped Lycoming 4-3 in their first gameof the day and concluded their week with a 14-6 win over Lancaster Bible to finish 6-2 on the week.
The softball team split a pair of games in Myrtle Beach on Thursday as they resumed action after a day off. The Panthers lost 9-7 to Fitchburg State in a game that went 11 innings and followed that with a 12-2 win over Lancaster Bible.
The softball team ran their winning streak to three with a pair of wins on Tuesday in South Carolina. Greenville pulverized Morrisville State 18-0 in five innings in their morning game before needing extra innings to dispatch Medaille 4-3 in eight innings.
The softball team earned a split in South Carolina in their first action of the season. The Panthers played Immaculata and Centenary in Myrtle Beach and received a 3-0 loss from Immaculata before topping Centenary 8-0 in five innings.
Saying “yes” to serving as foster mom at age 22 to neglected and abused children was a bold move for recent graduate, psychology major Emi Hug ’18. Then again, Emi is accustomed to bold moves.