Valparaiso (2-2, 0-0 MVC)
at Scotsman Invitational (Clinton, S.C.)
Feb. 21 - vs. Monmouth (0-10, 0-0 CAA) - 2 p.m. CT | at Presbyterian (5-3, 0-0 Big South) - 4:15 p.m. CT
Feb. 22 - vs. UMES (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) - 9 a.m. CT | vs. Cleveland State (1-8, 0-0 Horizon) - 11:15 a.m. CT

Next Up in Valpo Softball: The Valpo softball team continues early-season action this weekend at Presbyterian's Scotsman Invitational. The adjusted tournament schedule has the Beacons playing four games over two days, taking on Monmouth, UMES and Cleveland State in addition to the hosts.

Looking Ahead: Valpo heads to St. Charles, Mo. next weekend for the Lindenwood Invitational Feb. 28-March 2.

Following Valpo Softball: All four games of this weekend's tournament will have live stats available via ValpoAthletics.com. All home games and most MVC road games will be broadcast on ESPN+, while select nonconference games will have video streams depending on the host.

Head Coach Mike Armitage: Mike Armitage (71-69) is in his first season as head coach of the Valpo softball program after being hired as head coach on June 6, 2024. Armitage came to Valpo following a successful stretch as head coach at Minnesota State University Moorhead, turning around the Dragons' program, and brings familiarity with the Missouri Valley Conference with a stint on staff at Illinois State. Armitage spent the last three seasons as head coach at MSUM, posting the first back-to-back 30-win seasons in MSUM program history in 2023 and 2024 after inheriting a Dragons program which had not finished above .500 since 2007.

Series Notes: Monmouth - Valpo owns a 2-1 edge in the all-time series, with the most recent meeting being a 3-2 Valpo win in Orlando, Fla. on March 9, 2007.

Presbyterian - The two squads have split two all-time meetings. Last season, the Blue Hose earned a 6-1 win on Feb. 17 in Clinton.

UMES - First meeting.

Cleveland State - Valpo owns a slim 22-20 advantage in the all-time series. The last matchup was a walk-off victory for Valpo in extra innings, 7-5, on March 8, 2020 - a game which ended up being that season's finale due to COVID.

Another Old Friend: While its not quite as notable as opening weekend, when all four of Valpo's opponents were former conference foes, the Beacons do match up against another old rival this weekend in Cleveland State. Valpo and CSU were together in the Horizon League for the entirety of Valpo's league membership (2008-17). Valpo secured the HL regular season title in 2012 - the only regular season championship in program history - against the Vikings and kept their 2013 HL tournament title run alive with an extra-inning win over CSU.

A Big Sunday: It was a noteworthy day on many fronts on Sunday, Feb. 9 as the Beacons run-ruled Green Bay, 12-1, and followed with a 7-2 win over Detroit Mercy:
- Valpo won two games on the same day for the first time since March 4, 2023, when the Beacons defeated Bellarmine and Eastern Illinois. 
- The Beacons' 19 runs were the program's highest single-day output since plating 22 runs in a doubleheader split at Northern Kentucky March 25, 2017. 
- The 11-run win over the Phoenix in the opener was Valpo's largest win since an identical 12-1 score in a victory at Stetson March 1, 2020.
- The Beacons racked up 16 hits in the win over Green Bay, their highest single-game hit total since a 16-hit effort against Holy Cross Feb. 19, 2022.
- Valpo's win in the nightcap was its 36th win all-time against Detroit Mercy, the most in program history against a single opponent.

Four For 44: Sophomore Kayden Krug was locked in at the plate in the win over Green Bay, picking up base hits in four consecutive innings from the second through the fifth as she went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. It was the first four-hit game by a Valpo player since Feb. 19, 2022, when Ryan Milkowski tallied four base hits against Holy Cross. It also was the first time a Valpo player has recorded a base hit in four consecutive innings since April 2, 2010, when KC Boldt did so at Detroit.

Freshman of the Week: Freshman catcher Madison Vrastil earned the first MVC Freshman of the Week honor of the season after a standout opening weekend in Rosemont. Vrastil went 9-for-16 (.563) at the plate with six runs scored and three stolen bases while slugging at an .813 clip. She picked up at least one hit in all four games and had three multi-hit games, including three-hit efforts against Butler and Detroit Mercy. Vrastil led all MVC players in hits on opening weekend, tied for the conference lead in runs and stolen bases, ranked third in batting average and fifth in OPS. She is the first Valpo freshman to earn a weekly award from the conference office since Peyton Moeder in 2019.

Strong in the Circle: Valpo's pair of newcomers who saw action in the pitching circle on opening weekend both acquitted themselves well. Transfer Azalya Lopez took a tough-luck loss against DePaul despite giving up just three hits and two runs in five innings of work, as she faced the minimum through the first four innings, and came back with the win against Green Bay as she allowed just two hits in four innings and struck out six. Meanwhile, freshman Erin Metz's debut featured five strikeouts in 3.1 innings of two-hit relief work against Butler, the first of three consecutive scoreless appearances to start her collegiate career.

Another Trip to SC: For the second straight season, Valpo heads to Presbyterian for one of its early-season tournament weekends. This marks the fifth time in the last 10 years Valpo has played an early-season tournament in the Palmetto State.

Hitting the Road: This weekend's games continue a long and winding road for the Beacons before they finally get the chance to play at the Valpo Softball Complex. This is the second of four weekends of action prior to the start of Missouri Valley Conference play, as Valpo played its first weekend at the Rosemont Dome and will also play in tournaments at Lindenwood and Marshall and a single game at Northern Kentucky in preconference action. The Beacons' first MVC series is on the road as well at Indiana State before they come home to host Southern Illinois March 21-23. In all, Valpo is slated to play its first 22 games of the season away from home.

Who's Back: Valpo returns 13 of 21 letterwinners from its 2024 squad for the 2025 campaign. The returnees accounted for 51.7% of the team's plate appearances and 46.3% of the Beacons' innings pitched last season.

Who's New: Coach Armitage brought a pair of transfers with him from MSU Moorhead - junior infielder Mack Gallagher and junior pitcher/infielder Azalya Lopez, both of whom were All-Conference honorees. In addition, the program welcomes nine freshmen this season as well.

A Large Roster: Do the match from the above two notes, and you find that this year's Valpo softball roster is comprised of 24 players. That is the largest roster in program history, topping the previous high of 21 players. Even more notable is that only two of this year's 24 players are seniors.

Taking Advantage of the Numbers: Coach Armitage showed he wasn't afraid on opening weekend to utilize his large roster as much as possible. 20 players saw action in the season opener against Butler, while 19 players apiece appeared in the wins over Green Bay and Detroit Mercy.

Making Debuts: Eight of Valpo's 11 newcomers made their first appearance in the Beacons uniform in the season opener against Butler. Gallagher started at first base and Lopez in the circle in their first game at Valpo. Six of Valpo's freshmen made their collegiate debut against the Bulldogs as well: Madison Vrastil (started at DP), Marissa Jackson (started in CF), Erin Metz (pitched in relief), Sophia Leitzen (pinch-hitter), Brooklynn Couch (pinch-runner) and Kyndal Shively (pinch-runner).

Workhorse in the Circle: Sophomore pitcher Sydney McDermott is the lone returning pitcher for the Beacons in the circle, coming off a freshman campaign where she tossed nearly half the team's innings. McDermott, who had seven starts last year where she gave up two or fewer runs while pitching at least six innings, became the first Valpo pitcher since 2008 to throw a complete game in three straight starts and give up three hits or fewer in all three with an early-season trio of games. She also carried shutouts into extra innings twice in MVC play and earned victories in the circle over UNI (second place) and Belmont (third place).