MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama softball team will take on Florida International in a key Sun Belt Conference match-up over the weekend at Jaguar Field. The three-game series opens Saturday afternoon with first pitch of a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m., with the final contest set to start at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Jags are (18-20, 5-8 SBC) entering the contest after falling to 24th-ranked Florida State 2-0 in a midweek game Wednesday at Jaguar Field. It was the Jaguars' fourth game against a ranked opponent this year. Freshman outfielder Britany Campbell and senior shortstop Carolina Mendoza collected the only two hits for South Alabama.
FIU (30-15, 11-5 SBC) enters the contest on a five-game win streak after sweeping its league series versus Middle Tennessee 7-6, 6-2, and 2-0 over the weekend at Blue Raider Field. Offensively, FIU has five batters hitting over .300 led by Ashley McClain (.394). Also batting .300 are Kayla Burri (.393), Brie Rojas (.385) and Jes Alfonso (.370). The Golden Panthers are led in the circle by Kasey Barrett and Jen Gniadek. Barrett (15-8) has a 1.98 ERA, and has fanned 166 batters in 148.1 innings of work. Gniadek (12-5) has also contributed 92 strikeouts in 107.2 innings on the year.
"This is a key series for us this weekend," USA head coach Becky Clark said. "We have to step up and take charge of our own destiny. We need to start making the plays and the hits that I know that we are capable of. FIU is playing extremely well and they are coming off a big win against Florida, so I am looking forward to the opportunity to play a great team on our home field."
" Morgan Druhan had a solid game Wednesday and that was very positive for the team. I have always said that the key to this game is having success in the circle. So hopefully we can start putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and having great success."
Senior pitcher Beth Pilgrim (13-10) continues to lead the Jaguars in the circle. She has gone the distance 15 times this season and has struck out a 183 batters in 146.2 innings, ranking her second in the league. The Cantonment, Fla., native is 4-5 in the SBC and has struck out 76 batters in 60 innings of work. She holds opposing SBC batters to a .214 batting average, ranking third in the conference in the category.
Sophomore pitcher Katy Neal (4-2) has also contributed in the circle for the Jags. The Gulf Shores, Ala., native is 1-1 in league play and has struck 29 batters in 47.2 innings of work overall. Druhan (1-8) went the distance in the circle, allowing just four hits and striking out seven in Wednesday's contest against FSU. The freshman has struck out 63 batters in 53.1 innings of work for the season.
Offensively, second baseman Brittany Fowler leads USA at the plate in batting average (.336), runs (27), hits (39) and triples (three).
Jaguar third baseman Christin Crocker ranks in the top 10 in the conference in doubles (nine) and triples (two). She has recorded 32 hits and crossed the plate 23 times this season.
USA outfielder Haley Hopkins is ranked second on the Jags' home run season record list and is one away from tying the program's all time mark. Hopkins leads the team in RBI's with (28) and home runs (eight), ranking her in the top five in the conference in the latter category in the latter category.
The Jags are 4-5 all time against the Golden Panthers. USA won last season's series, claiming the first two games by scores of 4-3 and 2-0, then falling in the final game 5-0. In the first game last year, which went into extra innings, Danielle Honore scored on a FIU error after a double by Marissa Boyd.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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