After sweeping league opponent Calvin Saturday, the Belles look to continue MIAA success against Olivet.
The teams play a doubleheader this afternoon in Olivet, Michigan.
The Belles won three of four games last weekend against Calvin and Rose-Hulman, bringing their record to 13-3. The team is 2-0 in conference play.
"We always start well against conference teams," Belles coach Erin Sullivan said. "We had a goal of accomplishing that again this year."
The Belles owe much of their success to sophomore outfielder Ashley Peterson, who was named MIAA Player of the Week on Monday. Peterson, who is batting .517 overall, went 13-for-16 last weekend, including hitting her first home run of the season Sunday. She leads the team in every major offensive category.
"Ashley is just a consistent hitter who works hard on and off the field." Sullivan said. "She is very positive and she picks everyone up on the team."
As a whole, the team has a .333 batting average against opposing teams. Other top contributors include sophomore Maureen Healy, who leads the team with four stolen bases, junior Ashley Fusaro, and senior McKenna Corrigan.
Olivet (5-11) is led by junior shortstop Kacie Rosecrants - a 2007 first-team all-MIAA nominee. The Comets, who placed fifth in the MIAA in 2007, have yet to play a conference team this year.
Junior Calli Davison (7-3) will start the first game for the Belles, and Corrigan will start the second contest. Both pitchers have been strong so far this season. Davison has pitched complete games in all eight of her starts, and has 50 strikeouts in a total of 60 innings. Corrigan has five complete games, and holds a 2.96 ERA.
Olivet, located in southern Michigan, is about a two-hour bus trip. Sullivan said that though it is hard to get energized right after a long trip, the team always brings plenty of enthusiasm.