For the first time, Valparaiso will be hosting a Nike Softball Camp – an immersive overnight softball experience – from June 23-26 for youths ages 8-18.
Valparaiso sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Ranieri (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) added another award to her list of honors on Thursday, as she was named a Second Team All-Midwest Region honoree by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). With the award, Ranieri becomes eligible for All-American honors.
The Valparaiso softball team came up one step short of capturing its third consecutive Horizon League title on Saturday in Dayton, Ohio, falling to top-seeded Green Bay in the championship game by a 9-0 score. Junior Tarah McShane (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic) and sophomores Janelle Bouchard (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) and Kaitlyn Ranieri (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) represented the Crusaders on the All-Tournament Team.
Another day just called for more walk-off heroics from the Valparaiso softball team, this time courtesy of junior Tarah McShane, who lined a two-run, two-out single into left field to give the Crusaders a 5-4 win in eight innings over UIC and send Valpo to Championship Saturday. The Crusaders lost their first game of the day to Green Bay, 9-1, and will have to beat the Phoenix twice on Saturday to earn the league title.
Making her second start of the day, Valparaiso sophomore Taylor Weissenhofer (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport Township) twirled a three-hit shutout as the third-seeded Crusaders defeated second-seeded Wright State 4-0 Wednesday afternoon at the 2014 Horizon League Championship. With the win, Valpo advances in the winner’s bracket and will play next on Friday morning at 10 a.m. CT.
For the third time in her career, senior Angie Doerffler delivered a walk-off hit in the Horizon League Championship, this time a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to give third-seeded Valparaiso a 4-3 victory over sixth-seeded UIC in the opener of the 2014 Horizon League Championship from Dayton, Ohio. With the win, the Crusaders advance to play second-seeded Wright State this afternoon.
Valparaiso sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Ranieri (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) was named the Horizon League co-Player of the Year and earned a First Team All-League spot as the league announced its postseason honors Wednesday morning. In addition, freshman Taylor Lawson (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) was tabbed a Second Team All-League honoree and was joined on the All-Freshman Team by fellow rookie Jorgi Calombaris (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East).
The Valparaiso softball team looks to make it three consecutive Horizon League titles this weekend as the Crusaders travel to Dayton, Ohio for the 2014 Horizon League Championship. Valpo will be the third seed for the tournament and opens play against sixth-seeded UIC at 10 a.m. CT on Wednesday.
The Valparaiso softball team will be the third seed for this week’s Horizon League Championship and will open tournament play at 10 a.m. CT Wednesday morning against sixth-seeded UIC from Dayton, Ohio. The Crusaders are in search of their third consecutive league title.
Valparaiso’s bats came alive Sunday, pounding out 14 hits in a 7-3 victory at Green Bay to finish up the regular season. With the win, the Crusaders close out the season in a tie for third place in the Horizon League standings and will be the third seed for the upcoming Horizon League Championship.
The Valparaiso softball team entered this weekend with a chance to earn the Horizon League regular season championship, but following Saturday’s action, it was Green Bay which had the chance to celebrate a title, as the Crusaders dropped a pair of road games to the Phoenix by final scores of 5-0 and 3-1.
The Valparaiso softball team closed out the non-league portion of its regular season Wednesday at Indiana, falling to the Hoosiers in the resumption of a suspended game, 5-0, before dropping an 8-0 decision in the nightcap.
The Valparaiso softball team’s scheduled home doubleheader Tuesday against IUPUI has been canceled due to poor field conditions. The games will not be made up. The Crusaders will return to action Wednesday afternoon at Indiana.
The Valparaiso softball team was unable to get much going offensively on Sunday in its series finale at Wright State, falling 3-0 to the Raiders.
Seniors Angie Doerffler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) and Jessie Marinec (Alsip, Ill./Marist) both broke program career records on Saturday as the Valparaiso softball team split a Horizon League doubleheader at Wright State. The Crusaders took the opener from the Raiders, 4-2, before falling 11-3 in the nightcap.
Valparaiso used back-to-back home runs in the first inning to claim an early lead at #21 Notre Dame, a lead it would carry into the fifth inning before the Irish scored six runs late as the Crusaders fell by a final score of 7-2 Thursday evening.
The Valparaiso softball team continued its strong play of late Tuesday in Macomb, Ill., sweeping a non-league doubleheader from Western Illinois by scores of 3-1 and 5-4, holding off Leatherneck threats in the seventh inning of both games. With the pair of wins today, the Crusaders have now won 11 of their last 13 games.
After three straight weeks of nothing but home games, the Valparaiso softball team plays six games in three different locations this week. A non-league doubleheader at Western Illinois and a single game at nationally-ranked Notre Dame set the Crusaders up for a huge Horizon League series this weekend at Wright State.
On a Senior Day where runs were at a premium at the Valparaiso University Softball Field, Valparaiso earned a 2-1 win in the first game of the doubleheader against Oakland before falling in extra innings for the first time this season, losing the nightcap 4-2 in eight innings.
Leading by just one run heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Valparaiso softball team batted around the order, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs to finish off a 11-3, six-inning victory in Horizon League play over Oakland Friday afternoon at the Valparaiso University Softball Field.
What will surely be the longest start-to-finish game in Valparaiso softball history is set for an April 30 conclusion, as Valpo and Indiana have agreed to resume their suspended March 1 game in Bloomington on the final day of the month, nearly two months later. The Crusaders and Hoosiers will then play a full second game following the conclusion of the suspended game.
The Valparaiso softball team closes out its 19-day, 14-game homestand on Easter weekend as the Crusaders welcome Horizon League newcomer Oakland to town for a three-game series. Valpo will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday in between games, honoring the six members of this year’s senior class.
Valparaiso sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Ranieri (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) has been named the Horizon League Player of the Week after capping another stellar week at the plate with a walk-off double on Sunday to give the Crusaders the series win over Cleveland State.
In a game full of many twists and turns, it was Valparaiso’s Kaitlyn Ranieri (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) who delivered the final blow, driving a double to the left-center gap to score Taylor Lawson (Tucson, Ariz./Sahuaro) as the Crusaders walked off with the 7-6 win in eight innings over Cleveland State. Valpo ends the weekend at 7-3 in Horizon League play and atop the league standings.
A reminder to fans that first pitch of softball's series finale against Cleveland State Sunday at the Valparaiso University Softball Field has been moved up to 11 a.m. If you can't make it out to the field, watch live on the Horizon League Network.
The Valparaiso softball team bounced back from a loss in Saturday’s opener against Cleveland State in a Horizon League doubleheader, overcoming a three-run deficit in the nightcap for a 6-4 win to pull out a spit of the twinbill. The Vikings hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to send the Crusaders to a 3-2 loss. First pitch of Sunday's series finale has been moved up to 11 a.m.
Owners of five straight victories, the Valparaiso softball team continues its long homestand this weekend with a key Horizon League series against Cleveland State. The Crusaders enter the weekend in second place in the league standings.
Valparaiso softball head coach Jordan Stevens joins the Valpo Coaches Show this week as the Crusaders carry a five-game winning streak into this weekend's home Horizon League series against Cleveland State.
An entertaining afternoon at the Valparaiso University Softball Field was capped in the most entertaining way possible for Crusader fans, as sophomore Janelle Bouchard (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning of the nightcap, giving Valparaiso a 4-3 victory over Northern Illinois and a sweep of the doubleheader. Valpo rallied from a four-run deficit for an 8-6 win in the opener.
The Valparaiso softball team made it a complete series shutout of Detroit in Horizon League play on Sunday, delivering the Titans a third straight blanking in an 8-0, run-rule victory at the Valparaiso University Softball Field to improve to 5-2 in league action.
The Valparaiso softball team got a pair of shutout efforts in the circle Saturday from sophomores Taylor Weissenhofer (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport Township) and Sierra Pico (Las Vegas, Nev./Legacy) as the Crusaders swept a Horizon League home doubleheader from Detroit by final scores of 6-0 and 9-0.
For the third time since returning from its spring break trip, the Valparaiso softball team has had a game canceled, as rain over the past 36 hours forced the Crusaders to call off their scheduled home game against North Dakota on Friday. The game will not be made up. In addition, Saturday's doubleheader against Detroit will now start at 2 p.m.
Men's tennis freshman Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and softball junior Tarah McShane (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic) have been named the Valparaiso athletic department's Athletes of the Month for the month of March.
Big innings proved instrumental in both games as the Valparaiso softball team split a home doubleheader Wednesday afternoon against Eastern Michigan. The Crusaders scored 11 runs over the final two innings to earn a 13-3 victory in six frames in the opener, but the Eagles combined for nine runs in the first and last innings of an 11-7 decision in the nightcap.
The Valparaiso softball team opened a long homestand Tuesday afternoon at the Valparaiso University Softball Field with its home opener, falling to Western Michigan in a single game, 5-0.
The Valparaiso softball team will start its home schedule with a bang this week, playing seven games over five days at the Valparaiso University Softball Field. Four non-league games will open the home slate before a three-game Horizon League series against Detroit this weekend.
For the second straight weekend, the Valparaiso softball team split a Horizon League doubleheader, as the Crusaders fell in the opener Sunday in Chicago against UIC, 10-2, before leading start-to-finish in a 6-2 win in the nightcap. The games were moved from Flames Field and were played at Cacciatore Stadium on DePaul’s campus.
Mother Nature continues to wreak havoc on Valparaiso's spring sports, this time forcing the cancellation of the Crusaders' game Saturday against UIC at DePaul. The forecast looks much better for Sunday's 2:30 p.m. doubleheader between the Crusaders and Flames, also slated to be played at DePaul.
The Valparaiso softball team was limited to just two hits Thursday afternoon in Charleston, Ill., as Eastern Illinois defeated the Crusaders by a 3-0 final.
Valparaiso's Horizon League series this weekend at UIC has been moved to DePaul's Cacciatore Stadium. In addition, the schedule has been adjusted, as the Crusaders and Flames will now play a single game Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and a doubleheader on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The Valparaiso softball team will attempt to continue its spring schedule with four road games this week. The Crusaders are slated to travel to Eastern Illinois for a single game Thursday afternoon before making the short trek to Chicago for a three-game Horizon League series versus UIC this weekend.
The Valparaiso softball team opened up Horizon League play on Saturday afternoon in Youngstown, Ohio, splitting a pair of high-scoring games with Youngstown State. The Crusaders captured the opener 7-4 before falling in the nightcap, 12-9. The third game of the series, scheduled for Sunday afternoon, has been canceled due to forecasted cold conditions.
The Valparaiso softball team looks to get Horizon League play off on the right foot this weekend as the Crusaders open the league slate with a three-game series at Youngstown State. The opening series is a rematch of last season’s final day of the Horizon League Championship, when Valpo downed the Penguins twice to claim the league title.
Valparaiso softball junior Tarah McShane (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward Central Catholic) has been named to the All-Tournament Team at the Rainbow Wahine Classic last weekend. Also Monday, head coach Jordan Stevens announced that Wednesday's scheduled home opener against Western Michigan has been postponed.
The Valparaiso softball team split a pair of games on its final day of action at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, beating BYU 6-4 before falling to Hawai’i in bracket play to close its spring break trip, 8-4.
Facing the nation’s second-ranked team for the second time in program history, Valparaiso struck for a run in the bottom of the first inning, but couldn’t push anybody else across the plate, falling to #2/4 Oregon 5-1 Thursday evening at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Valparaiso softball team lost a pair of games on the first day of action at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii on Wednesday. One swing was the difference in a 4-0 loss in the Crusaders’ opener against #RV/-- James Madison, while Valpo then fell 8-0 to host Hawai’i in the nightcap.
The Valparaiso softball team closes out spring break action with its first-ever trip to Honolulu, Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine Classic. The Crusaders will face the nation’s second-ranked team in Oregon and another squad receiving votes in James Madison, as well as BYU and the host Rainbow Wahine. All five teams in the tournament field advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season.
After a rain-delayed start to the final day of action at the Springhill Suites Invitational in Boise, Idaho on Sunday, the Valparaiso offense was never able to get on track, as the Crusaders lost to Indiana, 3-1, and Boise State, 7-0.
The Valparaiso softball team split two games Saturday in Boise, Idaho at the Springhill Suites Invitational, earning revenge on Weber State for Friday’s loss with a 10-7 victory before surrendering three runs in the bottom of the sixth to Boise State in a 6-5 loss.
The Valparaiso softball team opened up action at the Springhill Suites Invitational in Boise, Idaho on Friday afternoon, falling to Weber State 3-0.
The Valparaiso softball team continues its 2014 spring break trip this weekend at the Springhill Suites Invitational, hosted by Boise State in Boise, Idaho. The Crusaders will play two games apiece against the host Broncos and Weber State, while also taking on Indiana once.
The Valparaiso softball team played a pair of one-run games on Sunday at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., falling 1-0 to UT-Arlington before a walk-off home run from senior Amanda Wisniewski (Skokie, Ill./Huntley) gave the Crusaders a 7-6 win over Longwood.
Leave it to Mother Nature to follow the Valparaiso softball team all the way to Tucson, Ariz., as the Crusaders' schedule at the Wildcat Invitational was altered Saturday due to wet weather.
The Valparaiso softball team was unable to get its spring break trip off on a winning note Friday, falling to Iowa (8-0) and #10/9 Arizona (9-1) on the opening day of the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz.
After a weekend off, Valparaiso opens its 2014 spring break trip this weekend at Arizona’s Wildcat Invitational. The Crusaders will play five games in a 48-hour span, facing Iowa, Indiana, Longwood and UT-Arlington in addition to the nationally-ranked Wildcats.
Valparaiso senior Amanda Wisniewski (Skokie, Ill./Huntley) has been named Horizon League Player of the Week after her stellar performance at the plate for the Crusaders at last weekend's Ragin' Cajun Invitational.
A pair of errors from Valparaiso led to four unearned runs for Memphis early on in the Crusaders’ finale at the Ragin’ Cajun Invitational in Lafayette, La. on Sunday, and Valpo would not be able to recover, falling 7-3 to the Tigers. Senior Amanda Wisniewski (Skokie, Ill./Huntley) represented Valpo on the All-Tournament Team after hitting .538 with four runs scored and four RBIs over the course of the weekend.
The Valparaiso softball team was unable to come up with a victory Saturday at the Ragin’ Cajun Invitational in Lafayette, La., falling in a slugfest in the day’s opener to Central Arkansas, 10-8, and then failing to get anything going offensively in a 4-0 loss to Boston College.
The Valparaiso softball team dropped a pair of one-run games to open the Ragin’ Cajun Invitational on Friday in Lafayette, La., falling victim to a walk-off homer in a 4-3 loss to Central Arkansas and seeing its rally come up one run short in a 3-2 loss against host #20/20 Louisiana.
The Valparaiso softball team's schedule for this weekend at the Ragin' Cajun Invitational in Lafayette, La. has been adjusted yet again.
The Valparaiso softball team continues the 2014 campaign this weekend at Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun Invitational in Lafayette, La. The Crusaders will play five games over three days, highlighted by games on Friday against #6/4 Michigan as well as the 20th-ranked hosts. Valpo will also take on Central Arkansas, Boston College and Memphis at the tournament. The game against BC will be held off-site at Teurlings Catholic H.S.
The Valparaiso softball team made it two straight wins to close out the opening weekend of play Sunday at the Hampton Inn Invitational in Buies Creek, N.C., defeating UMass Lowell by a final score of 5-2.
The Valparaiso softball team set numerous program records on Saturday, earning its first victory of the season with a 24-1, run-rule shortened victory over Big East foe Seton Hall in Buies Creek, N.C. as part of Campbell’s Hampton Inn Invitational.
Due to delays in getting Saturday's action started at the Hampton Inn Invitational at Campbell, Valparaiso's tournament schedule has been shifted around. The Crusaders will now play Seton Hall this evening at 5 p.m. CT and UMass Lowell Sunday morning at 10 a.m. CT. Further updates will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.
The Valparaiso softball team was unable to push any runs across the plate on the opening day of the 2014 season on Friday, falling 6-0 to IPFW and 3-0 to Campbell at the Hampton Inn Invitational in Buies Creek, N.C.
For the first time in program history, the two-time defending Horizon League champion Valparaiso softball team has been selected to win the league in preseason polling of the league's head coaches. The poll was released by the league office Thursday afternoon on the eve of the 2014 campaign.
With the Valparaiso softball team opening the 2014 campaign this weekend at Campbell's tournament, read up on what to expect from the Crusaders entering the season, and watch head coach Jordan Stevens on the Valpo Coaches Show as he previews the coming year.
Four Valparaiso softball players have been selected to the College Sports Madness preseason All-Horizon League teams, highlighted by the choice of sophomore Taylor Weissenhofer (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport Township) as the league's Pitcher of the Year.
The two-time defending Horizon League champion Valparaiso softball program will host a pair of camp dates this winter. The Crusaders’ hitting/pitching camp will be held Sunday, January 19, while an all-skills camp will be held Sunday, February 23. Both camps are open to youths grades 2-12.
Valparaiso softball head coach Jordan Stevens announced today that nine players have signed to join the two-time defending Horizon League champion Crusader softball program as freshmen for the 2015 season.
In addition to raising the basketball banners, director of athletics Mark LaBarbera presented rings to the baseball, softball, and men's golf Championship teams from 2012-2013 at the season opener versus Murray State.
Following a facility conflict that forced the cancellation of the UNI Dome Invitational on the opening weekend of the 2014 softball season, the Valparaiso softball program has found a replacement tournament in Buies Creek, N.C. at Campbell's Hampton Inn Invitational.
The Valparaiso softball program has again earned All-Academic Team honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) after posting a team GPA of 3.343 during the 2012-2013 academic year, while individually, nine Crusaders were recognized as All-America Scholar Athletes by the NFCA as the organization announced its annual academic awards this week.
Valparaiso softball head coach Jordan Stevens announced today that former Crusaders Joylyn Ichiyama and Alex Lagesse will both serve as assistant coaches for the Valpo softball program in 2014.
Head coach Jordan Stevens announced today the 2014 spring schedule for the two-time defending Horizon League champion Valparaiso softball program, a schedule which includes 16 home games at the Valparaiso University Softball Field and features at least 12 games against NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago.
Valparaiso softball head coach Jordan Stevens announced today the Crusaders' 2013 fall schedule, a slate which includes eight games over four days.
Valparaiso softball head coach Jordan Stevens announced today that Mollie Lindeman has transferred into the Crusader softball program. Lindeman will be immediately eligible for the 2014 season and has three years of eligibility remaining.
The Valparaiso softball program, two-time defending Horizon League champions, will be holding one individual and two team camps this fall. The Crusaders' fall experience camp will be held on Sunday, Sept. 15 on campus, while Valpo will host an 18U/16U team camp Sept. 7-8 and a 14U/12U team camp Oct. 19-20 at Imagination Glen Park in Portage.