After playing 12 games in Florida over spring break, the Golden Eagles are set to host Indiana Tech and Michigan-Dearborn to kick off conference play. Both doubleheaders will be played on the brand new turf field on Cornerstone's campus. The home opener against Indiana Tech will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday before UM-Dearborn comes to town on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. start. Live links for this week's games can be found on cugoldeneagles.com.

Opponent: Indiana Tech
Date: Wednesday, March 28 (DH)
Times: 3:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich. (CU Softball Field)
Internet Coverage: Live Stats, Live Video (CSPN) & Twitter

Opponent: UM-Dearborn
Date: Saturday, March 31 (DH)
Times: 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich. (CU Softball Field)
Internet Coverage: Live Stats, Live Video (CSPN) & Twitter 

Scouting Indiana Tech
After a 4-38-1 overall record in 2017, the Warriors came in 10th place in the WHAC preseason poll to start this season. Cornerstone has a 9-1 record over Indiana Tech over the last ten meetings, including a pair of victories last year. The Warriors have gotten off to a 2-20 start in 2018 and have lost eight straight contests. The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 8.36 with the opposition batting .350. Ali LeNoue leads the team offensively with 18 hits, 16 runs scored, 11 RBI, and a .569 slugging percentage.

History vs. Indiana Tech
Since 2001, Cornerstone leads the series with a 28-26 record. The Golden Eagles have won nine of the last ten games against the Warriors.

Scouting Michigan-Dearborn
Head Coach Vince Alessandrini coached the Wolverines to a 30-10 overall, 16-4 WHAC record in 2017. The preseason WHAC poll had UM-Dearborn tied for first place with Aquinas. Offensively, the Wolverines have a team batting average of .335 while their defense has held the opposition to only a .252 batting average. Rachel Clem leads the team with 13 RBI, along with 14 hits and a .568 slugging percentage. In the circle, Gina Verduzco is one of the best pitchers in the NAIA. In 27.2 innings of work, she has given up only one earned run and 19 hits while recording 31 strikeouts. Her .250 ERA is the best in the NAIA. In six starts, she has recorded an 11-strikeout no-hitter and three one-hitters.

History vs. Michigan-Dearborn
Since 2001, Cornerstone leads the series with a 17-15 record. The Wolverines, however, have won six of the past ten games in the series.

Underclassmen Contribution
The freshmen and sophomore classes are batting an impressive .305 over the first 12 games of the season.

Sluggin' Sierra Sanchez
The freshman from Corona, California drilled the first pitch she saw as a Golden Eagle over the fence in right field. She finished the Florida trip with a .321 batting average and a team-high .536 slugging percentage.

Strong Pitching
Starting pitchers Rachel Younts and Brooke Leonard have ERAs of 2.19 and 2.74, respectively. A one-hit shutout of Bethel and a complete game victory over #RV Bellevue highlighted Younts' stat lines in Florida. Younts held the opposition to a batting average of only .261.

Maddie Vassar Finding her Groove
Over the first four games of the season, Vassar batted a cool .090, but the freshman from Naperville, Illinois heated up to bat .357 and scored 11 runs over the next eight games. The starting shortstop also made several highlight-reel plays while fielding at an impressive .930 clip.

Just like last year for Lieske
Lexi Lieske, who led the team with a .333 batting average last season, leads the team with a .385 batting average.

Ducharme's power vs. #RV Bellevue
Freshman Courtney Ducharme blasted two home runs to boost CU to a 3-2 victory over a strong Bellevue team, who is receiving votes nationally.

Ontiveros' plate presence
In addition to batting .296, Alicia Ontiveros has already tallied eight sacrifice bunts this season. In the 2017 season, she led the team with nine.

Spring break turnaround
After going 0-4 while being outscored 29-4 in the first four games, the Golden Eagles responded with a sweep and a trio of splits to bring home a respectable 5-7 record.