Grand Rapids, MI—The 2013 season has been one for the books. Coach Maloley has her team operating at optimum performance, knocking balls out of the park left and right while stymying the opposition’s offenses. The Raiders have put up an astonishing 33-16 record this season, and hope to cap their fantastic play with a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament.
Standing in their way, however, is a feisty Chargers squad from Ancilla College. The Raiders have bested the Chargers in the season series, winning 3 of 4, but Ancilla has accomplished some impressive feats of their own.
Ancilla has dealt losses to some of the MCCAA’s top competitors. The ladies split with Kellogg, won 3 of 4 against Lake Michigan and swept Jackson CC, three of the teams that have qualified for the District G Tournament.
Ingrid Kukla leads the Raiders pitching staff with an 18-6 record. Her 2.99 ERA falls just behind teammate Russelle Slimmen who leads her squad at 2.56. The pair are mowing down batters this season, combining for over 150 strikeouts.
The squad also has a pile of batters hitting over .300. Sophomore Tiani Beck leads the way with a ridiculous .459 average followed closely by teammate Tiffanie Wolan. Wolan has pounded 7 out of the park, trailing only teammate Megan Lee.
When Head Coach Paula Maloley recruited Megan Lee, she cited her speed as one of her key assets, adding that she’d be sure to help bolster the teams play in the field. Lee has absolutely lived up to the hype, and proved that she is a multidimensional player. With 8 homers on the season, she leads a team that has been hitting the ball better than most teams competing in the NJCAA.
Any way you look at the stat sheet, the #16 Raiders are impressive. Nearly every statistical category is littered with names of different Raiders, proving that the old adage of “there is no I in team” is true. Every member of the team has contributed at some level, which has allowed the Raiders to be as successful as they have been.
The team knows that the ranking is really just a number though. There is much tough competition ahead.
The Raiders travel to Battle Creek tomorrow to take part in the District G Tournament. The girls are scheduled to play at Bailey Park with first pitch at 4:00 PM.
