LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Throughout the 2016 softball season, the NFCA will feature some of the sport’s highest-profile contests in our “Featured Five” Games of the Week.
Each weekly installment will be released on Thursday, providing live stat links, game notes, team info, social media accounts and any available broadcast links in hopes of becoming another reason for fans to visit us 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 matchups throughout as many divisions as possible. This week’s featured games come from NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA.
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 2016.
Make sure you follow the NFCA on our social media (NFCAorg) through Twitter (Periscope), Instagram and on Facebook and let us know what you think of our “Featured Five” segment.
DI – No. 1 Florida at No. 7 LSU
March 25-26 (Fri.-Sat.) | 4 & 6:30 CT / 11:00 a.m. CT | Tiger Park |Baton Rouge, La. | SEC Series | SEC Network+ (Fri.) | ESPN2 (Saturday)
#1
30-1, 5-1
Game Notes | Statistics | Audio
Team BA: .349 | Team ERA: 0.87 | Runs Scored: 208 | Runs Allowed: 28
* UF enters this weekend looking to open its season with three-straight SEC series victories for the first time since 2013
* Florida and LSU last met at the Women’s College World Series on May 29, 2015, when the Gators defeated the Tigers, 4-0… The Gators hold a slight 6-4 advantage over the Tigers in the two schools’ last 10 meetings
* Florida is currently tied with its 2011 team for the best start to a season in school history with a 30-1 record
* UF has an overall scoring margin of 208-28, including 17 shutouts and 13 mercy-rule victories. Florida entered this week with the highest win percentage in the country (.968) and if the Gators win Game 1 of this three-game series, UF will improve to 31-1 on the season, marking the best start to a season in school history
* Florida has allowed just 28 runs and committed only 11 errors through 31 games… The Gators currently sport the best fielding percentage (.986) and earned run average (0.87) in the nation
#7
26-5, 3-3
Game Notes | Statistics | Live Stats (G1 / G2 / G3) | Audio
Team BA: .360 | Team ERA: 1.77 | Runs Scored: 244 | Runs Allowed: 75
* LSU holds the all-time series lead, 32-24, including 15-9 in Baton Rouge… The Tigers took two-of-three last season in Gainesville
* LSU is 20-2 at Tiger Park in 2016, following a 2-0 win over Nicholls on Tuesday night
* Eight of its regular starters hit above .300 for a team that is ranked seventh nationally in batting average… The squad’s .552 slugging is 14th in Division I and its .474 OBP is just a few points behind Florida for tops in the country
* Bianka Bell, Sahvanna Jaquish and Kelsi Kloss combine for 24 of LSU’s 29 home runs and rank 1, 2 and 3 in career homers with 51, 43 adn 35, respectively
* Carley Hoover leads the team in wins with 10 and strikeouts with 100, while Allie Walljasper has issued five walks and is dishing out les than one per game, which is top 10 nationally
DI – Southern Miss at No. 23 Florida Atlantic
March 25-26 | 4 & 6:00 ET / 12:00 ET | FAU Softball Stadium | Boca Raton, Fla. | Conference USA Series
15-16, 2-4
Statistics
Team BA: .296 | Team ERA: 4.90 | Runs Scored: 143 | Runs Allowed: 169
* Looking to bounce back from a mid-week sweep by UAB… The Eagles have dropped five of their last seven
* Five starters are batting .301 or better
* Tori Dew is tops in the lineup with a .364 average to go along with seven doubles, two long balls, 16 RBI, 16 runs and team-bests in OBP (.491) and walks (21)
* Katie Cleary (.326) has a team-high eight doubles and 22 RBI, while Lauren Holifield (.271) paces the squad with six home runs, 19 runs scored and a .541 slugging percentage
* Samantha Robles sports an 8-6 record and staff-low 3.55 ERA with 60 strikeouts and two saves
#23
26-5, 3-0
Statistics | Preview | Live Stats (G1 / G2 / G3) | Video ($)
Team BA: .292 | Team ERA: 1.18 | Runs Scored: 162 | Runs Allowed: 45
* Coming off a 5-0 week, which included a win at RV UCF and a three-game sweep at Middle Tennessee in Conference USA play
* Ranked 23rd in the USA Today NFCA Top-25 Coaches Poll for the first time since 2004
* Kylee Hanson was selected Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Co-Pitcher of the Week; Hanson twirled three, two-hit shutouts last week… Hanson is 11-3 with a 0.76 ERA, seven shutouts and 129 strikeouts in 91.2 innings of work
* FAU leads the all-time series, 5-1 with the Owls sweeping the series in Hattiesburg last year
* Offensively, five Owls are batting .309 or better… Delaney Rickey is tops with a .371 average, a triple, 11 RBI and 19 runs scored… Emily Lochten (.354) powers the offense with a team-best, eight home runs, 31 RBI, 28 runs scored, .747 slugging percentage, .495 OBP and 11 stolen bases
Other Notable Division I Games
March 24
5:00 PT – No. 10 Washington (19-6, 0-3 Pac-12) at No. 14 UCLA (18-8-1, 1-0-1) | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks | Audio
March 25
6:00 ET – No. 8 Texas A&M (27-3, 2-1 SEC) at No. 12 Georgia (26-5, 1-2) | Live Stats | SEC Networks | Audio (Texas A&M)
6:00 ET – RV Mississippi State (20-9, 1-2 SEC) at No. 17 Tennessee (22-8, 3-3) | Live Stats | Audio (UT) | SEC Networks
6:30 CT – RV Texas (19-6, 0-0 Big 12) at No. 20 Baylor (24-6, 0-0) | Live Stats | Audio (Baylor / Texas)
7:00 PT – No. 10 Washington at No. 14 UCLA | Live Stats | Audio
March 26
2:00 ET – No. 8 Texas A&M at No. 12 Georgia | Live Stats | SEC Networks | Audio (Texas A&M)
6:00 ET – RV Mississippi State at No. 17 Tennessee | Live Stats | Audio (MSU / UT) | SEC Networks
2:00 CT (DH) – No. 16 Missouri (24-4, 2-1 SEC) at No. 6 Alabama (27-5, 1-2) | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Audio (Alabama) | SEC Networks
12:30 PT – No. 10 Washington at No. 14 UCLA | Live Stats | Pac 12 Networks | Audio
6:30 CT – RV Texas at No. 20 Baylor | Live Stats | Audio (Baylor / Texas) | ESPN2
March 27
6:00 ET – RV Mississippi State at No. 17 Tennessee | Live Stats | Audio (MSU / UT) | SEC Networks
2:00 ET – No. 8 Texas A&M at No. 12 Georgia | Live Stats | SEC Networks | Audio (Texas A&M)
DII – No. 21 Delta State at No. 4 (tie) North Alabama
March 25-26 | 2 & 4:00 / 1:00 CT | UNA Softball Complex at Cox Creek Park | Florence, Ala. | Gulf South Series
#21
27-7, 16-2 GSC
Statistics
Team BA: .331 | Team ERA: 2.29 | Runs Scored: 220 | Runs Allowed: 111
* Ranked in top-25 for first time in program history
* Tied with North Alabama for the top spot in the Gulf South standings
* Delta State has three players hitting .400 or better led by Katlin Moore’s .435 average… Moore leads the squad with 50 hits, 15 doubles, 38 RBI and a .481 OBP… Kassidy Tally (.400) provides some speed for the Lady Statesman, scoring a team-high 46 runs and swiping 50 of 52 bases
* Tally has over 200 career steals becoming only the sixth player in any division to do so in the history of NCAA softball
* The three-headed pitching staff has seen each arm toss between 77 and 79.1 innings… Katie Justice is 7-2 with a 1.91 ERA, two shutouts and a .245 opponent’s batting average… Taylor Johnson (9-4, 2.38) and Taylor Tucker (11-1, 2.56) each have logged 79.1 innings
#4 (tie)
32 -4, 16-2 GSC
Statistics | Live Stats | Video (Saturday only)
Team BA: .339 | Team ERA: 2.12 | Runs Scored: 261 | Runs Allowed: 78
* No. 4 ranking is the highest in program history
* Currently riding a 15-game winning streak
* Sits atop the Gulf South Conference standing tied with Delta State
* Brooklyn Clark jump starts the Lion offensive that has seven players hitting .323 or better… She is batting .462 with 54 hits, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 41 RBI, 33 runs, .504 OBP and .735 slugging percentage… Bailey Nelson (.372) has a team-best 43 runs, three triples and 14 stolen bases… Anna Gayle Norris (.371) leads the squad with eight dingers to go along with 38 RBI
* The pitching staff has recorded nine shutouts and held its opponents to a .192 batting average
* Hillary Carpenter (16-2, 1.54 ERA) and Raven Cole (15-1, 2.46 ERA) see the majority of the work making 31 of 36 starts… Carpenter posts staff best with five shutouts, one save, 109 innings, 22 appearances, 11 complete games and 16 wins as well as a .183 batting average against… Cole has a team-best 91 punchouts in 88.1 innings with a .206 batting average against
Other Notable Division II Games
March 24
7:00 ET – No. 7 Saint Leo (26-1, 8-1 SSC) at Barry (14-10,, 8-4) | Live Stats | Live Video
March 25
12 & 2:00 ET – No. 7 Saint Leo at Barry | Live Stats | Live Video
12 & 2:00 ET – Lewis (13-14, 2-6) at No. 2 Indianapolis (25-0, 8-0) | Live Stats | Video
3 & 5:00 CT – Southeastern Oklahoma (19-9, 15-3 GAC) at t-No. 4 Arkansas Tech (29-2, 17-1) | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Audio
5 & 7:00 CT – Cameron (24-9, 9-3 Lone Star) at No. 1 West Texas A&M (33-1, 15-1) | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Video
March 26
12 & 2:00 CT – Southeastern Oklahoma at t-No. 4 Arkansas Tech | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Audio
3 & 5:00 CT – Cameron at No. 1 West Texas A&M | Live Stats (G1 / G2) | Video
DIII – No. 9 Salisbury at No. 3 Christopher Newport
March 26 | 1:30 & 3:30 ET | Captains Park | Newport News, Va. | Capital Athletic Conference Series
#9
14-1, 0-0
Statistics
Team BA: .370 | Team ERA: 1.97 | Runs Scored: 140 | Runs Allowed: 48
* After a 2-3 start, the Sea Gulls have won 14 straight, including a sweep of fellow Maryland school Washington College on Wednesday
* The doubleheader against Christopher Newport opens league play for both schools
* Senior righty Annah Brittingham tossed her first career no-hitter (and the 49th in program history) and struck out 11 in the opener of a twinbill sweep of Houghton last Saturday
* The Sea Gulls have not allowed a run in 27 innings (a span of 4+ games)
* Senior infielder Paige Knussman hit her seventh homer of the season (and 29th of her career) in the first game against Washington
#3
16-1, 0-0
Statistics | Live Stats | Live Video
Team BA: .355 | Team ERA: 2.71 | Runs Scored: 134 | Runs Allowed: 51
* The Captains finally got back to action after an eight-day, rain-imposed layoff with a sweep of Roanoke
* The doubleheader against Salisbury opens league play for both schools
Senior outfielder Scoop Simon (.417, five doubles, three homers) comes into the doubleheader with multiple hits in three of her last four games
Christopher Newport’s lone loss this season was against top-ranked Texas-Tyler on March 13 at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic
The Captains are 8-0 at home this season
Other Notable Division III Games
March 25
11 & 1 p.m. ET — Bridgewater (4-12) vs. No. 2 Emory (25-1) | Lynchburg College | Lynchburg, Va. | Live Stats
Noon & 2 p.m. ET — No. 17 Birmingham-Southern (18-5) at No. 8 Berry (20-4) | Ford Field | Mount Berry, Ga. | Live Stats | Live Video
3 p.m. ET — No. 22 Tufts (5-2) vs. No. 7 Luther (14-1) | The Spring Games | Clermont, Fla.
March 26
2 & 4:30 p.m. ET — Lynchburg (7-7) at No. 10 Virginia Wesleyan (15-4) | Marlins Field | Mount Berry, Ga. | Live Stats
Noon ET — No. 17 Birmingham-Southern at No. 8 Berry | Ford Field | Mount Berry, Ga. | Live Stats | Live Video
NAIA – Texas Wesleyan at No. 2 Oklahoma City
March 24 | 5 & 7:00 CT | Ann Lacy Stadium | Oklahoma City | Sooner Athletic Conference Doubleheader
11-15, 2-0
Statistics
Team BA: .307 | Team ERA: 4.23 | Runs Scored: 135 | Runs Allowed: 138
* The Rams are coming off a split on their final day of Spring Break, picking up a 4-1 over University of Northwestern, 4-1; Finished 2-8 at the Spring Games in Clermont, Fla.
* Samantha Vasquez is batting .386 (27-for-70) with five doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored to pace the offense.. Lauren Davis (.323) has a team-high 14 RBI, while Kayla Prachyl (.359) is tops on the squad with 18 runs scoredz
* Brittany Rosenberry posts a team-low 3.87 ERA with a 4-5 record and 17 strikeouts, while Amanda Windham is 5-5 with a 3.92 ERA and a staff-best .262 opponent’s batting average
#2
30-1. 5-1
Statistics | Live Stats | Video
Team BA: .391 | Team ERA: 1.07 | Runs Scored: 272 | Runs Allowed: 42
* Started season 29-0; Dropped first game of the year in game one of a doubleheader split at No. 4 St. Gregory’s on Tuesday
* Six players hit .411 or better and four more hit between .345 and .380
* Samantha Stallbaumer is tops with a .474 average, 35 runs and 29 stolen bases… Leslie Miller (.429) has registered a team-best 41 RBI and .766 slugging percentage with 11 doubles and five long balls… Kali Pugh (.380) has clubbed a team-best nine home runs with 35 RBI, 35 runs and a .750 slugging percentage
* All three hurlers have a 1.32 ERA or lower and as a staff hold their opponents to a .135 batting average
* Georgia Wall (7-0, 0.52) has three shutouts and 50 strikeouts in 54.1 innings… Abby Meador (12-0, 1.26) also has three shutouts with a staff-best 119 strikeouts and .119 opponent’s batting average in 66.2 innings… Leslie Miller (11-1, 1.32) owns a team-high four shutouts, along with 89 punchouts and a .128 opponent’s batting average
Other Notable Division NAIA Games
March 24
2 & 4:00 CT – No. 4 St. Gregory’s (17-3, 3-1 SAC) at Mid America Christian (13-7, 2-0) | Live Stats (G1 / G2)
2 & 4:00 PT – La Sierra (11-9-2, 0-0 CalPac) at No. 8 Simpson (20-2, 0-0)
March 25
2 & 4:00 ET – Shawnee State (9-9, 2-2 MSC) at No. 5 Campbellsville (20-7, 5-1)
2 & 4:00 ET – No. 1 Auburn-Montgomery (25-2) at Truett McConnell (13-15)
12 & 2:00 PT – La Sierra (11-9-2, 0-0 CalPac) at No. 8 Simpson
4 & 6:00 ET – Kentucky Christian (11-12, 0-0 AIC) at No. 10 Georgia Gwinnett (28-10, 0-0) | Live Stats (G1 / G2)
March 26
12 & 2:00 ET – Shawnee State at Campbellsville
1 & 3:00 CT – University of St. Mary (13-16, 2-0 KCAC) at No. 25 Friends (15-9, 1-1) | Live Stats | Video