DETROIT (4/11/22) – The Detroit Mercy softball team continues its seven-game road swing with a mid-week non-conference doubleheader at Bowling Green. Titans and Falcons play on Tue., Apr., 12 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Meserve Field.

Notes:
Scouting the competition:
Bowling Green is 20-11 overall with an 8-5 mark in MAC play. The Falcons are led by sophomore outfielder Greta L'Esperance who is batting.364 on the year with 29 hits, 5 RBI, 2 doubles, a triple and home run with 46 total bases.
 
A Long Time Coming:
The Titans look to compete in their first full season since winning the Horizon League Championship during the 2019 season. Due to Covid-19, Detroit Mercy played in 21 games in 2020 and only four in 2021.
 
Last Time Out: Titans Drop Metro Series DH at Oakland:
Senior Taryn Peru hit 3-for-7 overall recording two RBI with a run scored while Senior Piper Roth also went 3-for-7 with an RBI as Detroit Mercy dropped a pair of 7-2 decisions in Metro Series doubleheader action at arch-rival Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Senior Taylor Gauthier also posted three total hits including going 2-for-4 in game one. Junior Jordyn Chapman added a pair of hits going 1-for-3 in each game.
 
Murphy Shut Em' Down:
Liz Murphy tossed a gem on in the circle to lead Detroit Mercy to a 4-0 win over Green Bay with a complete game shutout matching a season-high five strikeouts while allowing only five scattered hits with no walks in 7.0 innings of work to pick up her first win of the season.
 
Titans Belt Three Home Runs Behind Murphy's Complete Game Shutout for First Win of the Season:
McKenna Tanguay and Taryn Peru and Jordan Hazel each hit as home run while Liz Murphy tossed a complete game shutout to lead Detroit Mercy to a 4-0 win against visiting Green Bay earning a doubleheader split at Buysse Ballpark. Hazel belted her first career home run over the right center field wall followed by a solo shot from Tanguay in the third inning. Peru added a two-run blast in the fifth inning for her second long ball of the season. That was all the offense Murphy would need as she matched a season-high five strikeouts while allowing only five scattered hits with no walks in 7.0 innings of work to pick up her first win of the season after the Titans fell 10-0 to the Phoenix in game one. Taylor Gauthier, Piper Roth and Jordyn Chapman each recorded a hit.
 
Gauthier Getting it Done:
Taylor Gauthier leads the team in batting (.300) and has posted a hit in eight consecutive games. She has posted four multi-hit games and has one three-hit game against RMU (3/18).
 
Hit Leaders:
Gautheir also leads the team in hits (21) followed by Taryn Peru (18), McKenna Tanguay (15), Leena Mortensen (15), Renee Trotman (13), Jordan Hazel (9), Jaiden Lara (9), Piper Roth (9) and Jordyn Chapman (8).
 
Two is Better than One:
Peru, Hazel, Roth and Mortensen all rank second on the team in multi-hit games (3) behind team leader Gauthier who has four.
 
Bring Em Home:
Peru leads the team in RBI (7) followed by Mortensen (5), Trotman (5), Lara (4), Allison Smith (4). Chapman, Hazel and Roth also have three each.
 
Get On Base:
Earlier this season, Gauthier reached base in 12 straight games followed by Peru who reached in nine consecutive games.

Ladies Dig the Long Ball:
Trotman, Lara and Peru lead the team in home runs (2). Trotman belted her first home run of the season against in-state foe Michigan State (3/6) and second against RMU (3/18). Lara also posted her first career long ball as a pinch hitter at YSU (3/10) and her second against RMU (3/17). Jordyn Chapman and Taryn Peru also each hit their first career home run against RMU (3/17-18). Jordan Hazel belted her first career home run against Green Bay (4/2). As a team, the Titans hit a season-high three home runs to earn their first win of the season over Green Bay (4/2).
 
Double Trouble:
Tanguay and Mortensen (3) leads the team in doubles followed by Gauthier (2) and Peru (2) while Piper Roth, Allison Smith and Jordyn Chapman have one each.
 
So Close:
The Titans have come up short in one-run games on two occasions, 2-1 at YSU (3/10) and 2-1 vs WMU (3/30) and have also had three setbacks in two-run games, 3-1 at YSU (3/10), 4-2 vs RMU (3/18 – 10 inn.) and 2-0 at MSU (3/29).
 
Back-to-Back Solid Outings for Murphy:
Murphy posted two solid outings despite the losing effort. At MSU, she went the distance allowing only two runs on six scattered hits with a strikeout and three walks in 6.0 innings of work. Murphy followed that performance tossing six shutout innings giving up scattered seven hits with two strikeouts before WMU got two runs in the seventh inning.
 
Spitzer Goes the Distance in First Career Start:
Freshman Chloe Spitzer had a solid outing in her first career start going the distance tossing 10.0 innings while allowing only one earned run with eight scattered hits and three walks.
 
Finally….Titans Return Home Sweet Home After 1048-Day Hiatus:
Prior to the home opening #HLSB series against Robert Morris, it had been 1048 days (2 years, 10 months, 13 days) since the last time Detroit Mercy played a home game at Buysse Ballpark. The previous home game was May 4, 2019 (Star Wars Day) when the Titans defeated IUPUI 4-0 heading into the Horizon League Championships.
 
Season Rewind:
Game 1 - Detroit Mercy 2 at Oakland 7 | Game 2 - Detroit Mercy 2 at Oakland 7 (4/10)
Senior Taryn Peru hit 3-for-7 overall recording two RBI with a run scored while Senior Piper Roth also went 3-for-7 with an RBI as Detroit Mercy dropped a pair of 7-2 decisions in Metro Series doubleheader action at arch-rival Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Senior Taylor Gauthier also posted three total hits including going 2-for-4 in game one. Junior Jordyn Chapman added a pair of hits going 1-for-3 in each game. Freshman Chloe Spitzer got the start in game one recording two strikeouts going 6.0 innings. Graduate student Liz Murphy tossed 6.0 innings in game two allowing only three earned runs.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 at Oakland 4 (4/9)
Tanguay went 1-for-2 with walk while senior Taylor Gauthier and graduate student Leena Mortensen each hit 1-for-3 as Detroit Mercy was blanked 4-0 in the Metro Series opener at Oakland on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Jaiden Lara accounted for the Titans fourth hit with a pitch hit single. Graduate student Liz Murphy recorded two strikeouts with no walks in 6.0 innings of work in the circle for the Titans.
 
Game 1 - Detroit Mercy 10 vs Green Bay 0 (6 inn.) | Game 2 - Detroit Mercy 4 vs Green Bay 0 (4/2)
Seniors McKenna Tanguay and Taryn Peru and junior Jordan Hazel each hit as home run while graduate student Liz Murphy tossed a complete game shutout to lead Detroit Mercy to a 4-0 win against visiting Green Bay earning a doubleheader split on Saturday at Buysse Ballpark
 
Detroit Mercy 1 vs Green Bay 9 (4/1)
Seniors McKenna Tanguay and Taryn Peru each hit 2-for-3 as Detroit Mercy dropped the series opener, 9-1, to visiting Green Bay. Senior Taylor Gauthier hit 1-for-3 for the third consecutive game with a run scored and stolen base while senior Piper Roth and junior Renee Trotman also each hit 1-for- 2
 
Detroit Mercy 1 vs Western Michigan 2 (3/30)
Graduate student Leena Mortensen went 2-for-3 with a double, while graduate student Liz Murphy posted her second solid outing in consecutive days in the circle, but the University of Detroit Mercy softball team couldn't hold a 1-0 advantage over Western Michigan who scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to come away with a 2-1 win on Wednesday at Buysse Ballpark. Murphy tossed six shutout innings before WMU got two in the seventh as she scattered seven hits and struck out two. Senior Taylor Gauthier went 1-for-3 for the second consecutive game.
 
Game 1 - Detroit Mercy 0 at MSU 2 | Game 2 - Detroit Mercy 2 at MSU 5 (3/29)
Senior McKenna Tanguay went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and run scored in game two while graduate student Leena Mortensen hit 2-for-2 with a walk as Detroit Mercy battled to the end but came up short in doubleheader action at Michigan State, 2-0 and 5-2, on Tuesday night at Secchia Stadium. Senior Taylor Gauthier also hit 1-for-3 with a run while senior Taryn Peru hit 1-for-3 in game two. Junior Renee Trotman added an RBI off a fielder's choice.
 
Game 1 - Detroit Mercy 0 at IUPUI 8 (5 inn.) | Game 2 - Detroit Mercy 3 at IUPUI 11 (6 inn.) (3/27)
Graduate student Leena Mortensen went 1-for-2 with a two-run double and a walk, Taylor Gauthier hit 2-for-4 with a run while junior Renee Trotman went 1-for-3 with an RBI single as Detroit Mercy dropped a #HLSB doubleheader at IUPUI 8-0 and 11-2 on Sunday afternoon at the IUPUI Softball Complex. McKenna Tanguay and junior Kara Wolfbauer drew two walks each as the Titans drew seven total walks in the nightcap but could not capitalize on bringing the base runners home. Taryn Peru and Jordyn Chapman recorded the only hits for the Titans in game one.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 at IUPUI 9 (5 inn.) (3/25)
Senior Taryn Peru recorded both of Detroit Mercy's hits going 2-for-2 with a run scored while senior Liz Paver posted a RBI sacrifice fly as the Titans fell 9-1 in series opening action at IUPUI at the IUPUI Softball Complex.
 
Detroit Mercy 2 at vs RMU 4 (10 inn.) (3/18)
Junior Renee Trotman and senior Taryn Peru each hit a home run to extend the game on two different occasions but it was not enough as Robert Morris outlasted Detroit Mercy 4-2 in 10 innings to take the Horizon League series. Senior Taylor Gauthier hit 3-for-5 with a double while junior Jordan Hazel went 1-for-4.
 
Game 1 - Detroit Mercy 2 vs RMU 10 | Game 2 - Detroit Mercy 8 vs RMU 14 (3/17)
Chapman connected on her first career home run with a three-run shot while hitting 2-for-7 overall while freshman Lara also hit a two-run shot for her second homer of the season as Detroit Mercy scored a season-high eight runs but dropped a 10-2 and 14-8 decisions in home opening doubleheader #HLSB action to Robert Morris.
 
Detroit Mercy 0 at Notre Dame 18 (5 Inn.) (3/15)
Junior Jordan Hazel went 2-for-2 from the plate while seniors McKenna Tanguay and Taylor Gauthier each hit 1-for-2 as Detroit Mercy fell 18-0 at Notre Dame on Tuesday at Melissa Cook Stadium.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 at YSU 2 (3/11)
McKenna Tanguay led the Titans hitting .400 (4-for-10) with a run at YSU. Renee Trotman and Jordan Hazel each hit .333 (3-for-9).
Allison Smith swung a hot bat going 2-for-5 overall with four RBI off a three-run double and RBI single with walk and run scored in the series opening doubleheader and hit .286 overall (2-for-7). Leena Mortensen and Taryn Peru also each had a double. In the circle, Liz Murphy had a solid outing in the series finale going the distance tossing 6.0 innings with three strikeouts allowing only two runs off two hits in the bottom of the second inning and only three scattered hits the rest of the game.
 
Freshman Jaiden Lara belted her first career home run in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter while seniors McKenna Tanguay and Taylor Gauthier each hit 1-for-3 as Detroit Mercy came up short, 2-1, in a pitcher's duel at Youngstown State in the series finale at the YSU Softball Field.
 
Game 1 - Detroit Mercy 6 at YSU 8 | Game 2 - Detroit Mercy 1 at YSU (3/10)
Junior Allison Smith swung a hot bat going 2-for-5 overall with four RBI off a three-run double and RBI single with walk and run scored while junior Jordan Hazel went 3-for-5 with a RBI as Detroit Mercy pushed Youngstown State to the limit before falling 8-6 and 3-1 in a #HLSB opening twinbill on Thursday at the YSU softball Field. Senior McKenna Tanguay also hit 3-for-7 overall with a run and walk while Senior Taryn Perun hit 1-for-2 with a double, two walks and a run scored overall.
 
Rain, Rain, Go Away:
The second game of the doubleheader at Gardner-Webb was canceled in the second inning due to rainy weather conditions with the Detroit Mercy trailing 5-0. Due to continued rainy weather conditions in the Greensboro, North Carolina area, the Titans' doubleheader at North Carolina A&T (3/9) was also canceled.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 at Gardner-Webb 4 (3/8)
Sophomore Maddy Heilner, senior Taylor Gauthier and graduate student Leena Mortensen each recorded a hit while junior Olivia Warrington tossed 2.1 innings allowing no hits, no runs with three strikeouts in relief as Detroit Mercy came up short 4-1 at Gardner-Webb on Tuesday. The second game of doubleheader was canceled in the second inning due to rainy weather conditions.
 
Elon Softball Cardinal Invite 3/5 – 3/6
Detroit Mercy completed play at the Elon Cardinal Invite in with an 0-4 record. Taryn Peru, Leena Mortensen and Renee Trotman each recorded three hits. Jaiden Lara and Piper Roth each posted two hits with Roth and Taylor Gauthier notching their first doubles of the season.
 
Detroit Mercy 1 vs MSU 13 (3/6)
Junior Renee Trotman hit her first home of the season going 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored while graduate student Leena Mortensen hit a combined 2-for-6 and as Detroit Mercy completed play at the Cardinal Invite with a 13-1 set back against Michigan State and 8-0 loss at host Elon on Sunday at the Elon Softball Park. Senior Taylor Gauthier also hit her first double of the season going 1-for-2 with a walk against the Phoenix. Junior Kara Wolfbauer recorded her first hit of the season while senior Taryn Peru also recorded a hit against Elon.
 
PC Invitational 2/19 – 2/20
The Titans opened the 2022 season with a 0-4 mark at the PC Invitational in Clinton, SC. McKenna Tanguay led the way for the Titans going 2-for-8 with the team's only double while Renee Trotman also went for 2-for-8. Mortensen, Roth, Peru and Jaiden each recorded two hits with Mortensen and Roth each recording an RBI. In the circle Olivia Warrington and Liz Murphy recorded 10 and eight strikeouts respectively.
 
Team Breakdown:
- The Titans return five impact seniors who were a part of the 2019 championship team in graduate students Liz Murphy and Leena Mortensen along with seniors, McKenna Tanguay, Taylor Gauthier and Liz Paver.
 
- Murphy is the ace pitcher on the staff, First Team All-Horizon League selection and was named the Most Outstanding Player in 2019 Horizon League Championships after helping the Titans win the title with back-to-back shutouts against first-place UIC in the semifinals and championship game. In her career, she has appeared in 123 games with 81 starts and has posted 32 wins, a 3.57 ERA with 42 complete games and nine saves in her career along with a no-hitter. She is second in school history with 344 strikeouts, sixth in wins and complete games, fourth in innings pitched (527.2) and first in saves (nine). She also is a two-time Horizon League All-Academic Team selection (2020, 2021).
 
- Mortensen (first base) ranked third on the team in hitting (.317) with 20 hits and .397 slugging percentage in league play
with10 and a home run in the HL Quarterfinals versus arch-rival Oakland in 2019.
 
- In 2019, Tanguay (utility) played in 55 games 51 stars hitting .275 with,19 RBI and 42 hits including three hits at the NCAA Regionals 3-for-4 game versus SIU. In 2020, she played in all 23 games with 22 starts hitting .233 while leading the the team with 60 at-bats while ranking second in doubles (5) and stolen bases (2), tied for second in runs scored (4), third in hits (14) and tied for third in walks (5).
 
- Gauthier (utility) played in 35 games making 20 starts with two doubles and an RBI going 8-for-10 on stolen base attempts
 before her season ended due to injury in 2019.
 
- Paver (outfield) started in 27 games in 46 played with 13 hits and four RBI in 2019 and was second on the squad with six walks, tied for second on with four runs scored, third with four doubles and knocked in two runs in 2020.
 
- The Titans have three new comers in freshmen Jaiden Lara and Chloe Spitzer and redshirt freshman Alexis Murphy.
 
- Head Coach Marc Gillis returns for his fourth season at the helm for the Titans
 
2022 Preseason Poll:
- Detroit Mercy was picked to finish eighth in the 2022 Horizon League Softball Preseason Poll announced by the league office and voted on by the league's seven 10 coaches. The Titans received 29 overall points.