DETROIT (2/29/24) – The Detroit Mercy softball team travels to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for the MTSU Invitational. UDM will play five total games against three different teams in Bradley, host Middle Tennessee State, and Army. All the games will be broadcast live from Blue Raider Softball Field on ESPN+.
 
The Titans open play with a doubleheader against Bradley on Friday, Mar. 1 at 10 a.m. ET followed by host MTSU at 3:30 p.m. ET. In the second day of action, the Titans will face the Braves again on Saturday, Mar. 2 at 10 am ET followed by the Black Knights of Army at 7:30 p.m. ET. Detroit Mercy concludes invitational play with a second game against MTSU on Sunday, Mar. 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
 
Notes:
WKU Hilltopper Classic Recap:
The Titans kicked off the 2024 campaign playing five games at the WKU Hilltopper Classic with they went 0-5.
• Sophomore Alison Donaugh led the way at the plate hitting .455 with five hits, a double, RBI, and run scored. She went 2-for-3 against EIU (2/23).
• Junior Amanda Schick was second on the team batting .333 posting a hit in three of four games played which included a double and RBI. She recorded her first hit in a Titan uniform against EIU (2/23).
• Sophomore Jenna Holt was the other player to record three hits going 2-for-3 vs Saint Louis with a hit vs EIU (2/25).
• Sophomore Elyssa Adams had two hits going 1-for-2 in both games vs EIU.
• Junior Jaiden Lara added her first hit of the season off an RBI double against WKU (2/24).
 
Freshman Firsts:
• Jada Davis recorded her first career hit against WKU (2/24). She also posted her first career double with a run scored vs Saint Louis (2/24).
• Claire Borg posted her first career hit vs EIU (2/23).
 
Give Em' Three Bags:
Sophomore Trinity Fessler the team's first triple against EIU (2/25) which also was the first of her career.
 
Meet the Skipper:
Dan Vitale was named Head Coach of the Detroit Mercy softball program in August 2023. Vitale returned to the program after helping guide the Titans to the 2019 Horizon League Championship as a Volunteer Assistant Coach.
 
After his three seasons at Detroit Mercy (2016-19), Vitale served as the Head Coach for the Dakota High School where he complied a 93-18-1 record over five seasons leading the Cougars to three consecutive MAC (Macomb Area Conference) Red titles and three straight District crowns. He also helped Dakota claim two regional titles along with a Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) State quarterfinal appearance and runner-up finish in 2021.
 
Additionally, Vitale is a two-time MAC Coach of the Year (2021, 2023) and Regional Coach of the Year (2021, 2022) and All-County Coach of the Year (2023). He also coached the 2022 High School All-Star team and under his guidance over the past three seasons, six Dakota student-athletes are playing softball at the Division I colligate level.
 
Coaching Staff:
Taylor Moceri (Assistant Coach): Moceri comes to Detroit Mercy after spending six years a Head Coach for the Michigan Batbusters high-level travel softball team where she led recently led the team to three tournament championships and 28-1-3 overall record during the 2023 summer season. She also served as the varsity softball Head Coach at L'Anse Creuse North High School for three years since 2020.
 
Pam Savich Assistant Coach/Pitching): Savich comes to the Titans after spending three years as an Assistant Softball and Pitching Coach under Vitale at Macomb Dakota High School where she helped guide the Cougars to three consecutive MAC (Macomb Area Conference) Red titles, three straight District crowns, two Regional titles along with a Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) State quarterfinal appearance, runner-up finish in 2021 and No. 1 ranking during the 2023 regular season.
 
Rob Ward Assistant Coach/Hitting): Ward brings 25 years of coaching experience to the Detroit Mercy coaching staff with a history of helping high school student-athletes achieve their dreams of playing softball in all divisions at the collegiate level. Ward has been a part of the Anchor Bay High School softball program since 2017-18 while serving as a Varsity Assistant Coach since 2020 where his responsibilities include overseeing hitting, infield mechanics, base running and player development. He has helped guide the Tars to a 132-50 overall record, two Metro Area Conference (MAC) Red co-championships, three district titles and three regional appearances.
 
Leena Mortensen (Assistant Coach/Graduate Assistant): Mortensen returns to the Titans as a Graduate Assistant after a stand-out three-year career as a student-athlete. She was a three-time Detroit Mercy Athletic Director's Honor Roll (2020-22) and three-time Horizon League Fall and Spring Academic Honor Roll member (2020-22). During the 2022 season, Mortensen started in 41 of a team-best 42 games played at designated player and first base where she led the team in at bats (120), ranked second in doubles (5), third in RBI (8), fourth in hits (24), and fifth in batting average (.200).
 
Team Breakdown - Returners (9):
Rusti Glenn:
• Recorded six hits with a home run, two RBI, three runs, nine total bases, and five walks.
• Named Nike® Horizon League Softball Player of the Week (3/21) after hitting a blistering .800 going 4-for-5 with a home run, RBI and run scored while accounting for seven total bases and a 1.400 slugging percentage. After going 2-for-2 in the game one setback at Robert Morris, Glenn hit 2-for-3 belting her first career home run to propel Detroit Mercy to a 2-0 win to earn a doubleheader split and secure the Titans' first #HLSB victory of the season.
 
Jenna Holt
2023 Highlights:
• 2023 Horizon League All-Freshman Team selection
• Started 23 of 34 games played while leading the team in walks (12), runs (7) and stolen bases (2).
• Also ranked second in batting average (.238), third in total bases (19), slugging percentage (.302), hits (15), doubles (2), and triples (1).
• Posted first career hit at RMU (3/16)
• Tied for second on the team with three multi-hit games
• Also ranked second on the team batting .288 in league games
 
Trinity Fessler
2023 Highlights:
• Ranked fourth on the team in hits (14), runs (5), RBI (3).
• Also ranked second in sacrifice bunts (3) and stolen bases (2) and third in at-bats (83).
• Tied for second on the team with multi-hit games (3).
 
Chloe Spitzer
2023 Highlights:
• Ranked second on team in innings pitched (71.2), strikeouts (31), complete games (7), appearances (17) and starts (13).
• Lone win came against at NC A&T (3/8) allowing only two runs on five scattered hits with four strikeouts while tossing 110 pitches.
• Posted season-high five strikeouts against arch-rival Oakland (4/12)
 
Elyssa Adams
2023 Highlights:
• Saw action in 11 games with seven starts.
• Had 18 at-bats with four walks
• Posted first career hit against Green Bay (5/6)
 
Alison Donaugh
2023 Highlights:
• 2023 Horizon League All-Freshman Team selection
• Lead the team in batting (.254), ranked second in hits (17), RBI (5), home runs (2), total bases (25) and slugging percentage (.373).
• Also led the team in batting (.333) in league games
• Made 14 appearances in the circle with three starts while posting 13 strikeouts.
 
Avery Paul
2023 Highlights:
• Saw action in five games
 
Jaiden Lara
2023 Highlights:
• Led the team in hits (23), RBI (13), home runs (6), runs (7), walks (12), total bases (42), at-bats (98) and multi-hit games (4).
• Her six home runs tied for first in the HL.
• Hit a home run in consecutive days at Elon (3/7) and at NC A&T (3/8) followed by her third at PFW (3/31), fourth against Oakland (4/12), fifth against IUPUI (4/29) and sixth at Green Bay (5/5).
 
Olivia Warrington
2023 Highlights:
• Led team in innings pitched (128.2 – 7th HL), strikeouts (90 – 8th HL), complete games (16), appearances (23), and starts (21).
• Recorded three wins on the season against RMU, YSU and at Green Bay.
• Tossed complete-game shutout allowing only two hits while matching a season-best seven strikeouts in 1-0 win at Green Bay (5/5)
• Posted season-high seven strikeouts on four occasions, vs BGSU (2/10), at NC A&T (3/8), vs IUPUI (4/27) and at Green Bay (5/5).
 
Fresh Faces (10):
- The Titans have 10 newcomers in Jada Davis, Amanda Schick, Alexis Hoff, Lauren Creon, Olivia Malcom, Ryleigh Carraway, Molly Upton, Clair Borg, Jordan Kavanaugh and Alicia Avina who will look to contribute and make an immediate impact.
 
2024 Preseason Poll:
Detroit Mercy was picked to finish ninth in the 2024 #HLSB Preseason Poll announced by the league office and voted on by the league's seven nine coaches. The Titans received 13 overall points.