April 04, 2019 / By mobanmarket
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Throughout the 2015 softball season, those of us at the NFCA will feature some of the sport’s highest-profile contests in our “Featured Five” Games of the Week segment.
Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, returnee info, Twitter accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another source for fans to visit during the season for information on some of collegiate softball’s best games.
As the year continues, we will attempt to expand our focus to include match-ups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week’s featured games come from NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III and NAIA, including a link to the NAIA Leadoff Classic.
We may not be able to highlight every division or big game each week, but our hope is to provide a spotlight for as many different teams and games as possible throughout 2015.
Make sure you follow the NFCA on social media through Twitter (@NFCAorg) and on Facebook (NFCA) and let us know what you think of our new “Featured Five” segment.
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#1 Florida (17-0) vs. #2 Oregon (14-1)
Tournament/Site: San Diego Classic I | SDSU Softball Stadium | San Diego, Calif.
Date/ Game Time: Friday, Feb. 27 (11:30 am PT)
Coverage: Live Stats | Radio (WGGG- AM – Florida)
Follow them on Twitter: @GatorZoneSBall | @OregonSB
Previews (Game Notes): Florida (Notes) | Oregon (Notes)
Florida: The Gators roll into this 1 vs. 2 meeting having won their first 17 games after edging No. 17 UCF, 2-1 on Wednesday evening… Prior to that, Florida went a perfect 5-0 in its Aquafina Invitational, outscoring its opposition, 52-8… Offensively, the Gators are batting .336 with 29 home runs and have seven different players knocking in 10-plus RBI and seven different players have crossed the dish 10-plus times… While the Gators are averaging eight runs per game, the pitching is being very stingy… The Gator trio of Lauren Haeger, Aleshia Ocasio and Delanie Gourley has posted a 0.61 ERA with eight shutouts, struck out 155 batters and held opponents to a .139 batting average… Haeger is the team lead on both sides of the spectrum… She is batting .400 (18-45) with six home runs and 24 RBI, while posting a 8-0 mark in the circle with a 0.34 ERA, four shutouts, 61 strikeouts in 41 innings, while holding batters to a .149 average… Taylor Swartz is batting .419 (13-31) with three doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and a team-best 17 runs scored… Ocasio (5-0, 0.79) has 49 punchouts in 35.2 innings and help opponents to a .129 average, while Gourley (4-0, 0.80) has struck out 45 in 26.2 innings of work… In addition to the Ducks, the Gators are facing off against Cal Poly SLO, UC Davis and hosts San Diego and San Diego State and will remain in California for the Judi Garman Classic.
Oregon: The Ducks are coming off an 8-1 road swing through Texas, which included win at then No. 23-Texas A&M and then-No. 7 Baylor… They suffered their first loss of the season to the host Bears in a second meeting… Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week Jenna Lilly paces a very balanced Oregon offense that is batting .378 and averaging seven run per contest with five players knocking in 10-15 runs and a nine different players leaving the yard… Only a freshman, she is batting .510 (25-49) with six doubles, a triple, home run, 15 RBI, 18 runs and is 6-for-6 in stolen bases… Janie Tanaka is batting .415 (22-53) and is tied with Lilley for a team-best 18 runs scored… In the circle, Cheridan Hawkins (5-1 0.40) is the reigning Louisville Slugger/NFCA Pitcher of the Week… The lefty has allowed just three runs (2 earned) with 54 strikeouts and held opponents to a miniscule .104 batting average… She’s appeared in 10 contests and recorded four saves…Geri Ann Glasco (4-0, 2.10) and Karissa Hovinga (5-0, 2.55) have appeared in eight and seven games, respectively… In addition to the Gators, the Ducks will face St. John’s, co-host San Diego State and Grand Canyon.
Some Additional Major Division I Games This Weekend:
#20 Missouri (8-2) vs. #23 Notre Dame (9-5) (2/27 at 2:30 ET) Live Stats
#3 Michigan (13-1) at #21 Arizona State (12-5) (2/27 & 3/1 at 4:30 & 1:30 MT) Live Stats | Live Stats 2
#13 Minnesota (13-1) vs. RV Mississippi State (13-3) (2/27 at 1:15 ET) ESPN3 | Live Stats
RV Florida Atlantic (13-1) at #7 LSU (16-0) (2/28 at 7:30 CT) Live Stats
#23 Notre Dame (9-5) vs. RV Mississippi State (13-3) (2/28 at 3:30 ET) Live Stats
#24 South Alabama (11-3) at RV South Carolina (11-4) (3/1 at xx) SEC+ | Live Stats
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#5 Louisiana Lafayette (14-0) at #4 Alabama (13-3)
Site: Rhoads Stadium | Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Date/ Game Time: Saturday, Feb. 28 (1:00 CT / DH) | Sunday, March 1 (1:30 CT)
Coverage: Live Stats (G1 / G2 / G3) | SEC Network+ (G1 / G2 / G3) | Audio
Previews (Game Notes): Louisiana (notes) | Alabama (notes)
Follow them on Twitter: @RaginCajunSB | @AlabamaSB
Louisiana Lafayette Tidbits: The undefeated Ragin’ Cajuns leave the friendly confines of Lamson Park for the first time this season and face a top-25 opponent for the first time as well… Last weekend, ULL posted three shutouts and went 5-0 in the Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational taking care of Iowa, Hofstra (twice), Missouri State and McNeese State… Louisiana has outscored its opponents 100-7 in the first 14 games with seven shutouts… The pitching staff is allowing 0.52 earned runs per game (5) and have struck out 128 in 87 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .121 average… Jordan Wallace (5-0, 0.46) has totaled more than half the innings (39.0) of the four-person staff… She has surrendered two runs on nine hits with 72 strikeouts and held opponents to a .069 batting average… Aleah Craighton is batting .489 (23-47) with four doubles, three triples, four home runs, 17 RBI, 13 runs scored and a .957 slugging percentage. Shellie Landry (.386) and Haley Hayden (.383) have hit a team-best seven home runs apiece with Landry leading the squad with 20 RBI and Hayden a team-best 16 runs scored.
Alabama Tidbits: The Crimson Tide went 2-2 hosting the Bama Bash last weekend with both defeats coming at the hands of then-No. 5 Michigan… With the cancellation of its Wednesday road game at Jacksonville State, Alabama is now in the midst of 11 straight contests at home… Haylie McCleney is batting a staggering .551 (27-29) with seven doubles, two triples, 16 RBI and 20 runs… She is 13-for-14 in stolen bases and has recorded a .635 on base percentage… Demi Turner comes in a .451 (23-51) with three doubles, three triples, a home run, 14 RBI and 15 runs scored… Danielle Richard (.333) has knocking a team-best 17 runs to go along with 12 runs a double, triple and home run… Offensively as a team, Alabama is batting .338 with 28 doubles and 30 stolen bases in 35 attempts… Sydney Littlejohn paces a pitching staff with a 5-0 mark, 0.88 ERA, three shutouts and 26 strikeouts while holding batters to a .173 average… Alexis Osorio is 5-1 (2.53 ERA) with a team high 41 strikeouts, 36 inning pitched and .162 batting average against.
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#13 Minnesota (13-1) vs. #20 Missouri (8-2)
Site: Diamond 9 Citrus Classic | ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex | Orlando, Fla.
Date/ Game Time: Sat., Feb. 28 (1:15 ET)
Coverage: Live Stats | Live Blog (Minnesota)
Follow them on Twitter: @GopherSoftball | @MizzouSoftball
Previews (Game Notes): Minnesota | Missouri
Minnesota Tidbits: The Gophers were a perfect 5-0 at the Diamond Devil Tournament, which included a 4-1 victory over the host and then-No. 19 ranked Arizona State…Offensively, Minnesota is batting .3799 with 24 home runs and are averaging about eight runs per game… Three Gophers are batting above .500 led by Hannah Granger at .525 (21-40) with two doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI and .604 OBP… Kaitlyn Richardson is batting .523 (23-44) with three doubles, three home runs and a team-best 18 RBI, while Erica Meyer is at .514 (18-37) with a team best seven doubles, four home runs and 17 runs scored… In the circle, Sara Groenewegen is 7-1 with a 0.71 ERA, two shutouts and 83 strikeouts in 49 innings… She has held her opponents to a .140 batting average… In addition to the Tigers, the Gophers face Mississippi State (RV), James Madison (RV), Omaha and Fordham.
Missouri Tidbits: The Tigers are coming off a 4-1 showing at the Marry Nutter Collegiate Classic… Mizzou picked up wins over No. 25 Texas (4-3), then–No. 13 Arizona (3-2), Cal State Fullerson (10-2) and Long Beach State (6-2), while its only loss was to then-No. 12 UCLA… Freshman lefty Paige Lowary went 3-0 at the tournament, which included victories over the Longhorns and Wildcats and was named SEC Pitcher of the Week for her efforts, and improved to 5-0 on the season… She has struck out 230 batter and held opponents to a .184 average… In her two starts vs. ranked foes, Lowary surrendered three earned runs and fanned 15 batters in 14.2 innings of work, while limiting Long Beach State to two hits and striking out seven… The pitching trio of Lowery, Tori Finucane and Cheyenne Baxter have allowed only 12 combined earned runs in 10 games… Finucane is 2-2 with a 150 ERA with 19 strikeouts and held opponents to a .204 average… Junior Taylor Gadbois has stolen 11 bases in 10 games to start the 2015 campaign.. She has a team-high 16 hits and 12 runs scored, batting .485 to open the season… In addition, the Tigers will face Penn State, Maryland, No. 23 Notre Dame and James Madison (RV).
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Division III
#6 Trine (0-0) vs. Saint Mary’s (Minn.) (2-0)
Site: Dot Richardson Spring Games | National Training Center | Clermont, Fla.
Date/ Game Times: Sun., March 1 (1 p.m. ET)
Follow them on Twitter: @TrineAthletics | @SMUSID
Trine Tidbits: Trine is ranked sixth in the latest NFCA Division III Top 25 poll and is favored to win its fourth straight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAA) title. … The Thunder have won a conference-record 46 straight MIAA games. … Last season, Trine advanced for the first time to the eight-team NCAA Championship at Suddenlink Field in Tyler, Texas, after reaching the NCAA Regional for the eighth straight year and then winning its NCAA Super Regional at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. … The Thunder set a school record for victories with a 43-6 record in 2014. … NFCA All-American outfielder Carly Searles leads seven returning starters in a solid Thunder lineup and is the NCAA’s active Division III leader in triples (38) after her 17 triples last season ranked tops in the country. … NFCA All-Region selections Kaitlin Clark (.399 average, team-high 16 homers and 62 RBI), a junior outfielder, Kendra Marshall (.365 average, 11 doubles, 41 RBI), a junior third baseman, and Rachel Harris (.369 average, nine homers, 45 RBI), a senior designed player, also return. … Reigning MIAA Pitcher of the Year Bree Fuller (24-3, four saves, 1.85 ERA, 241 strikeouts and 35 walks in 177.2 innings) is back for her senior season after logging a no-hitter and the first perfect game in school history last season.
Saint Mary’s (Minn.) Tidbits: The (2-0) Cardinals started their season with a doubleheader sweep of Wartburg on Feb. 21 at the Rochester (Minn.) Dome … Saint Mary’s rolled to a 13-1 victory in the opener behind five doubles as a team and three RBI apiece from sophomore outfielder Kathi Opsahl and freshman infielder Allie Borawski (bases-loaded double) and a combined two-hitter by sophomore Ashley Betzold (two hits) and freshman Katie Homan (no hits) over five innings. … In game two, Betzold tossed a complete-game two-hitter, senior shortstop Alex Raske went 3-for-3 with a double and Opsahl went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the 2-0 triumph.
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NAIA
#2 William Carey (5-3) vs. #4 Lindsey Wilson (4-0)
Site: NFCA Leadoff Classic | South Commons Softball Complex | Columbus, Ga.
Date/ Game Time: Fri., Feb. 27 (2:30)
Social Media: @CareyAthletics | @LWCAthletics
William Carey Tidbits: The Crusaders are coming of split at home against No. 11 Belhaven, winning game one, 13-4, but dropping the nightcap, 8-7… William Carey returns to the site where is was a runner-up for the NAIA National Championship in 2014… In the circle, Hannah Moak is 3-0 with 1.91 ERA, 18 strikeouts and holds the opposition to a .135 batting average… Chelsea Nette is batting a team-best .476 (10-21) with four RBI, eight runs and a .577 OBP… Cecilia Lawn is batting .345 with seven runs scored and four RBI, while Kimberley Gilbert has knocked in a team-best eight runners… In addition to Lindsey Wilson, William Carey will take on No. 21 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 16 Central Methodist in pool play.
Lindsey Wilson Tidbits: The Blue Raiders also return to Columbus where they participated in the NAIA National Championships just a season ago… Lindsey Wilson has opened 4-0 with road wins at Albany State (5-1 & 7-0) and Thomas (3-1 & 6-3)… The offense is paced by Mid South Player of the Week Chelsea Sowers who is batting .467 (7-15) with two doubles and five runs scored… Amanda Trampe has recorded a team-high three doubles and six RBI with a home run… Mid South Pitcher of the Week Jordan Hood is 1-0 with a 0.00, 16 strikeouts and a .182 batting average against in nine innings… Casey Hood is 2-0 with a 1.58 ERA and 10 punchouts in 13.1 innings… In addition to the Crusaders, the Blue Raiders will face No. 21 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 16 Central Methodist in pool play.
Additional NAIA Games at Leadoff Classic (All Times Eastern)
Feb 27
#13 Olivet Nazarene (0-0) vs. #3 Reinhardt (4-4) (Feb. 27 at 12:00)
#16 Central Methodist (0-0) vs. #2 William Carey (5-3) (Feb. 27 at 12:00) Live Stats
#11 Belhaven (5-3) vs. RV Corban (9-2) (Feb. 27 at 12:00) Live Stats | Audio (Belhaven)
#24 UCSB (6-0) vs. RV Georgia Gwinnett (6-2) (Feb. 27 at 5:00)
#4 Lindsey Wilson (4-0) vs. #21 Oklahoma Baptist (3-5) (Feb. 27 at 5:00)
#7 LSU-Alexandria (6-1) vs. RV Bellevue (0-0) (Feb. 27 at 7:30)
#21 Oklahoma Baptist (3-5) vs. #16 Central Methodist (0-0) (Feb. 27 at 7:30) Live Stats
#11 Belhaven (5-3) vs. #19 William Woods (2-4) (Feb. 27 at 7:30) Live Stats | Audio (Belhaven)
#2 William Carey (5-3) vs. #21 Oklahoma Baptist (3-5) (Feb. 28 at 10:00 am)
#1 Auburn Montgomery (2-1) vs. #7 LSU-Alexandria (6-1) (Feb. 28 at 10:00 am)
#16 Central Methodist (0-0) vs. #4 Lindsey Wilson (4-0) (Feb. 28 at 12:30) Live Stats
RV Corban (9-2) vs. #19 William Woods (2-4) (Feb. 28 at 12:30)
RV Campbellsville (2-0) vs. #24 UCSB (6-0) (Feb. 28 at 12:30) Live Stats
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