
Lady Warriors set to face Southwestern Christian in NCCAA World Series
Sterling College softball claimed the no. 2 seed in the NCCAA World Series held Monday through Wednesday, May 19-21 in Grapevine, Texas. The Lady Warriors took the automatic bid after winning the NCCAA Central Region Championship and are set to take on the no. 7 seed, Southwestern Christian University on Monday, May 19 at 1 p.m.
Sterling is led by the NCCAA Central Region Coach of the Year, Taylor Lira who is in her fourth year at the helm of the Lady Warrior softball program.
This year, she has led the team to one of the most successful seasons in program history with a 35-17 record. As a team, the Lady Warriors have recorded 360 runs over 52 games with a batting average of .352, an on base percentage of .425 and a slugging percentage of .497 with 20 home runs to boot.
It is truly a team effort as Sterling shares the love through statistics. Off the bat, KCAC Newcomer of the Year and NCCAA Central Region Player of the Year, Mariah Cunningham leads the Lady Warriors in slugging percentage with .723 and batting average with .439 while Bryley Westfahl, All-KCAC First Team and NCCAA Central Region First Team, leads Sterling in on base percentage with .557.
All-KCAC Second Teamer and NCCAA Central Region First Teamer, Desiree Perales has recorded a team-high seven home runs this season, while Cunningham has the most triples with 16 and Madilynn Green, All-KCAC Second Team, has the most doubles with 16. Cunningham and Perales both lead Sterling in RBIs with 76.
On the base path, Cunningham leads the Lady Warriors in stolen bases with 39, total bases with 125 and runs with 66. Westfahl is right behind with 37 stolen bases and 50 runs while Perales racked up 110 bases so far this season.
Perales and Westfahl also get it done defensively for Sterling in the infield. Perales has a team high 90 assists from the second base position while Westfahl is close behind with 89.
In the center circle, Sterling is led by two senior aces, Allie Olivarria, All-KCAC First Team and NCCAA Central Region First Team, and MacKenzie Viehland, All-KCAC Second Team and Gold Glove.
Through the season, Viehland has gone 15-6 recording 94 strikeouts, with an ERA of 2.44 and a WHIP of 1.03.
Olivarria puts up near identical stats with a record of 17-7 with 59 strikeouts, an ERA of 2.53 and a WHIP of 1.15
The Warriors will face Southwestern Christian University who have gone 29-26 on the season under head coach Kent Williams.
As a team the Eagles are have a batting average of .323, an on base percentage of .387 and a slugging percentage of .466 with a total of 22 home runs throughout the season.
They are led by Lexi Cahwee, NCCAA Central Region Second team, who leads the team in home runs with 10, RBIs with 50 and has a slugging percentage of .703. She also leads Southwestern Christian in total bases with 111.
Backing her up in the batter's box is Hannah Keele, NCCAA Central Region First team, who has a batting average of .414 and an on base percentage of .462 and leads the Eagles in runs with 60 and stolen bases with 38.
Keele also gets it done defensively for Southwestern Christian leading the Eagles from the infield with 119 assists.
From the center circle, Jessica Czikra and Lainey King lead the Eagles. Czikra has a 13-8 with an ERA of 3.41, a WHIP of 1.54 and a total of 26 strikeouts on the year. King went 10-9 on the year with an ERA of 4.81, a WHIP of 1.76 and a total of 37 strikeouts throughout the year.
The winner of this game will go on to play the winner of no. 3 Mid-America Christian and no. 6 Geneva College at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 19.
For more information about the NCCAA Softball World Series visit their championship page at https://thenccaa.org/tournaments/?id=4828&path=softball.
To support the Sterling College Lady Warriors and their travel expenses for the tournament, go to https://scwarriors.com/donate.
Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #swordsup. Watch all of the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.