Softball's 2024 season begins with Kajikawa Classic

THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES

The Toms play four opponents they have never played before (Boise State, Arizona State, Northwestern, and Grand Canyon).
They are 1-1 all-time against Wisconsin. The Toms' first Power 5 victory came in a 12-10 barnburner in Madison last season against the Badgers.
First pitch of 2024 is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. central time. The Toms play the Boise State Broncos at Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Game two will be against the hosting Sun Devils at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday's games will be played at the Grand Canyon University Softball Stadium. The Toms battle the reigning Big Ten Champion Northwestern Wildcats at 2:15 and then Grand Canyon at 7:30 p.m.
There is just one game for the Purple on Sunday, a 10:00 a.m. first pitch against Wisconsin.

WHERE TO WATCH

The Toms' games against Boise State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin will not be streamed.
Fans can watch St. Thomas play Arizona State if they subscribe to Pac-12 Live and Grand Canyon if they subscribe to ESPN+.

TOMMIE TIDBITS

Coach Jen Trotter secured her 700^th career win last season against Western Illinois on 4/7/23
18 wins last season was four more than in year one of DI play
Offensively, the 2023 Toms improved on the 2022 Toms as a team in – batting average (.246 to .254), OPS (.676 to .733), hits (312 to 344), walks (132 to 174), OBP (.325 to .345), doubles (34 to 72), RBI (151 to 203), slug. (.351 to .388), runs (172 to 193), triples (3 to 16), total bases (445 to 526), and stolen bases (38 to 67)
In the circle, they improved as well – WHIP (1.97 to 1.90), shutouts (1 to 5), BAA (.327 to .317), and ERA (6.03 to 5.39)
Avery Wukawitz was the only Tommie with a four-hit game last season, she also holds the single game record for total bases in a single game (9)
Three Tommies hit two home runs in a game last year (Brooke Ellestad, Wukawitz, and Morgan Klein)
The Toms were 3-13 in away games and 8-13 in neutral site games last season
The Purple were 4-3 in one-run games last season and are 10-8 all time
They were 12-15 last season when scoring first and are 24-23 all time
St. Thomas had an 10-9 record when hitting at least one home run last season but were 1-19 when giving up a home run
When outhitting an opponent last season, they were 15-5

DI PROGRAM RECORD HOLDERS

Kaitlyn Raymond – games started (101), at-bats (310), walks (33),
Avery Wukawitz – triples (6)
Christina Crawford – strikeouts (100), WHIP (1.70), K/9 (6.92)

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

The Toms open their season in Arizona with the Kajikawa Classic. They will play three games at Arizona State against Boise State, Arizona State, and Wisconsin. They will also play two at Grand Canyon against Northwestern and Grand Canyon.
Next up is the Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They will play two against Southern Indiana and Alabama, then wrap things up with a game against Virginia.
Their third early-season tournament is at Texas A&M. They play two against Southeastern Louisiana and UTSA, with one game against the host Aggies.
Their first softball outside of February is played in Edwardsville, Illinois at the SIUE Cougar Invite. They will play Loyola Chicago, Illinois State (twice), Creighton, and SIUE.
Conference play begins three weeks later on March 23 against the Kansas City Roos.

SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Christina Crawford was named the Tommies' Pitcher to Watch. The redshirt-sophomore missed the 2023 season due to injury but is expected to get a bulk of the innings in the circle this season. Her freshman year she pitched 130.1 innings with a 4.99 ERA and .279 batting average against. She also tallied 100 strikeouts including a program-record 19 strikeout performance. Crawford is the Toms DI program leader in: Strikeouts (100), K/9 (6.92), and WHIP (1.70).
Avery Wukawitz was named the Tommies' Player to Watch. The reigning Newcomer of the Year burst onto the scene last season with an extraordinary freshman season. She finished in the league's top-five in runs (40), total bases (94), slugging percentage (.584), on-base percentage (.449), stolen bases (19), and OPS (1.033). She is the DI program leader in triples (6).

TRANSFERS

Laken Lienhard is a third-year transfer from North Iowa Area Community College. In her two seasons with the Trojans she slashed .459/.555/.893 with a 1.448 OPS. Of her 133 hits, 67 went for extra bases with 27 home runs. She also pitched 278.1 innings to a 3.07 career ERA. She was named the inaugural Joan Joyce award winner which goes to the best Utility/pitcher player in all of NJCAA Division II. She is also a multi-time all-American.
Ruby Moore is a second-year transfer from NCAA Division II West Texas A&M. Her Buffs went 50-8 last season as she slashed .389/.500/.556 in 18 at-bats. She played in 49 games and made three starts. Moore also stole 10 bases on 11 attempts.

COACH TROTTER

Entering her third season for St. Thomas
Has a career coaching record of 708-475 across 22 seasons
Prior to St. Thomas, Trotter was the head coach at Missouri Western State, where she amassed 676 career wins (the most in the history of the MIAA) and a 676-404 overall record. She was a four-time MIAA Coach of the Year and led her team to two MIAA Regular Season Championsjops, two conference tournament championships, 11 NCAA Regional appearances, and 13 30-win seasons.

PRESEASON SUMMIT LEAGUE POLL
St. Thomas was picked tied for sixth place with Kansas City by the Summit League Head Coaches in this season's preseason poll. The Toms garnered 10 points after a 18-25 (6-14) record a season ago. St. Thomas did lose All-Summit League First-Teamer Brooke Ellestad but the Purple also retained the reigning Newcomer of the Year, Avery Wukawitz. South Dakota State came out on top in the poll with 34 points and four first place votes. The Mavericks of Omaha came in just underneath with 33 points and three first place votes. South Dakota and North Dakota State earned 24 and 22 points respectively while North Dakota finished four points in front of the Tommies and Roos.

Softball's 2024 season begins with Kajikawa Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Christina Crawford

Brooke Ellestad

Morgan Klein

Laken Lienhard

Ruby Moore

Kaitlyn Raymond

Avery Wukawitz

University of St. Thomas Athletics

Softball's 2024 season begins with Kajikawa Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Christina Crawford

Brooke Ellestad

Morgan Klein

Laken Lienhard

Ruby Moore

Kaitlyn Raymond

Avery Wukawitz

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