The Newberry College softball team heads south this weekend, avoiding the cold weather but running into some strong competition.
Newberry takes on Rollins College and Armstrong State University in the Pirate Softball Classic III presented by Holiday Inn Savannah.
PIRATE SOFTBALL CLASSIC III PRESENTED BY HOLIDAY INN SAVANNAH
WHO: Newberry College softball
WHERE: Savannah, Ga. - Armstrong Softball Field
DATES: Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22
NEWBERRY’S SLATE: Saturday - Newberry vs. Rollins, 10 a.m. and Newberry at Armstrong, Noon. Sunday - Newberry vs Rollins, 10 a.m. and Newberry at Armstrong, 2 p.m.
RECORDS: Newberry comes in to the doubleheader with a 6-6 record. Rollins is 6-0. Armstrong is 6-4.
LIVE STATS: http://www.athletics.armstrong.edu/softball/xlive.htm
LIVE VIDEO (Sunday’s Armstrong game only): http://www.ustream.tv/armstrongpirates
FORECAST: Saturday - Mostly cloudy with a high of 65 degrees. Sunday - High of 73 degrees, 50 percent chance of showers in the afternoon.
THE NEWBERRY WOLVES
Newberry is coming off of its best offensive performance of the season in Tuesday’s doubleheader split at USC Aiken. The Wolves totalled 19 hits in the twinbill and averaging 12 runs a day in the last two doubleheaders.
Maude McCourry (Centreville, Md.) broke out of the offensive doldrums Tuesday, hitting three homeruns and driving in seven runs against the Pacers.
As a team, the Wolves have a .267 batting average and a .337 on-base percentage. Sophomore Mallory Gerndt (Burke, Va.) leads the team with a .385 batting average, reaching base in all 12 Newberry games. Ashlen Ayres (Kennewick, Wash.) is hitting .368 on the season.
In the circle, Madison Burnett (Pickens, S.C.) will look to start each day on the right foot for the Wolves. She has a 4-1 record with a 2.26 ERA. Newberry will look for more consistency in the second game of each day, as McCourry (3.18 ERA, 11 IP), Hannah Blakley (Manning, S.C., 1-2, 3.23 ERA, 13 IP) and Brittany Middleton (Lizella, Ga., 1-3, 6.49 ERA, 22.2 IP) look to set a better tone.
The Wolves’ fielding has been strong, with .959 percentage on only 15 errors. Newberry’s opponents have committed 31 errors for a .913 fielding rate.
[Newberry Team Stats]
THE ARMSTRONG STATE PIRATES
The Pirates have a 6-4 record against some quality opposition, but have not played a game on the road this season. Only three of the 10 games have gone the regulation distance, as Armstrong has won five games by run-rule and lost two of those games. ASU has a 2-4 record against South Atlantic Conference opposition this season, losing two each to Lenoir-Rhyne and Wingate, while taking a pair from Queens.
Armstrong went to the Division II championship final eight last year, taking their opener from West Chester before being eliminated with a 36-15 total record.
Alexis Mercer won Peach Belt Player of the Week honors last week and is hitting .583 with 14 hits, 17 runs, three doubles, five homers and 13 RBIs in the 10 games.
Six of the Pirates’ regular starters are hitting over .300 with Mercer and two others in double digit RBIs already. Jane Trzaska has driven in 15 runs and Autumn Parrish has brought home 11 runs.
The team has a .387 batting average, .465 on-base percentage and 27 extra base hits.
The offense has carried the Pirates, who have a 4.97 team ERA. Ollivia McLemore is 3-2 with a 4.56 ERA in 25.2 innings in five starts. Trzaska is 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA, throwing 23.1 innings with a .340 opponents’ average.
[Armstrong Team Stats]
THE ROLLINS TARS
The Tars’ schedule didn’t start until last weekend, but swept a doubleheader from Embry-Riddle followed by a strong performance in a four-game set against Kentucky State on Wednesday and Thursday.
Rollins’ team ERA is at a measly 0.62 with opponents hitting .177. Niki Fogle is 3-0 with a 0.47 ERA in 15 innings with 21 strikeouts, while Tiffany Osmanski is 3-0 with an 0.88 ERA in 16 innings pitched.
At the plate, the Tars are hitting .403 with a .460 on-base percentage. They have also been aggressive on the basepaths with 17 steals on 19 attempts.
Hailee Keisling is hitting .714 with 10 hits and six RBIs, while Courtney Durbin is hitting .526 with 15 RBIs, three homers and 10 hits total.
Of Rollins’ top eight hitters in terms of plate appearances, six are hitting over .350, but this weekend should be the Tars’ toughest test in the early going.
[Rollins Team Stats]
