Games 16-20: Diamond 9 Citrus II Classic Game Notes.pdf

GAMES: 16-20 | DIAMOND 9 CITRUS II CLASSIC
March 3-5, 2017 | Kissi, Fla. | ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

South Alabama (13-2, 0-0 SBC)
Rankings: RV / RV (USA Softball / NFCA)

James Madison (12-2, 0-0 CAA)
Rankings: 13 / 12 (USA Softball / NFCA)

Boston College (8-7, 0-0 ACC)
Rankings: -- / -- (USA Softball / NFCA)

Bryant (1-4, 0-0 NEC)
Rankings: -- / -- (USA Softball / NFCA)

Kansas (10-5, 0-0 Big 12)
Rankings: -- / -- (USA Softball / NFCA)

Purdue (2-12, 0-0 Big 10)
Rankings: -- / -- (USA Softball / NFCA)

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, March 3
South Alabama vs. James Madison    2:30 p.m. (CT)
South Alabama vs. Boston College    4:45 p.m. (CT)

Saturday, March 4
South Alabama vs. Bryant        11:30 a.m.
South Alabama vs. Kansas        1:45 p.m.

Sunday, March 5
South Alabama vs. Purdue        9 a.m.

Television: None
Radio: None
Live Stats: www.USAJaguars.com
Live Stream: None
Twitter: @USAJagsSoftball

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS    
– South Alabama (13-2) enters play this weekend at the Diamond 9 Citrus II Classic after having its eight-game win streak snapped on Tuesday with a 7-1 loss at McNeese State.
– USA entered the game ranked first in the nation in team earned run average, but saw it's ERA double in the outing.  The Jags allowed a season-high seven runs on eight hits – six of which were for extra bases.  Of the six extra-base hits, four were doubles and two were home runs.
– Despite the outing, South continues to lead the Sun Belt and rank fourth in the NCAA in ERA at 0.91.
– Junior right-hander Devin Brown continues to lead the Sun Belt in ERA (0.41), opposing batting average (.112), strikeouts (77), hits allowed (7) and runs allowed (3).
– Brown also ranks among the NCAA leaders in shutouts (first), hits allowed per seven innings (2.63, T-fourth), strikeouts (seventh), ERA (14th) and strikeouts per seven innings (14th, 10.6).
Brown has twice been named the Community Coffee Pitcher of the Week this season, including this week.
– As a staff, South leads the Sun Belt in ERA, opposing batting average (.170) and strikeouts (111).
– Offensively, MC Nichols leads the club at the plate and ranks second in the conference in batting, hitting .462.  Nichols – who earned co-player of the week honors on Tuesday – had her eight-game hit streak snapped against the Cowgirls.  
– The redshirt freshman outfield does have seven multi-hit performances this season.
– Kristian Foster (.381) and Kaleigh Todd (.378) rank tied for seventh and ninth, respectively, in the SBC coming into action this weekend.
– Todd's nine steals are also second-most in the conference.
– One of the hotter hitters as of late for the Jags has been junior outfielder Haleigh Lowe.  Lowe's .385 average is second-best on the roster.
– Since beginning the season 0-for-7 through her first three games, Lowe has recorded 10 hits in her last 19 at-bats for a .526 clip.  During that eight-game stretch, she has posted all seven of her runs driven in.

SCOUTING THE DUKES    
– James Madison enters the Diamond 9 with a 12-2 overall mark this spring.  Last weekend, JMU posted a 4-1 record at the Tiger Invitational hosted by Auburn.
– On Sunday, the Dukes closed out the tournament with a one-hit, 1-0 shutout victory over No. 2 Auburn, snapping AU's 13-game win streak.
– On Tuesday James Madison  climbed up to No. 12 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 and No. 13 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll.  
– With the win over the Tigers, JMU now has four victories (4-2) this season over teams either ranked or receiving votes nationally.
– Junior Megan Good improved to 8-0 this season with Sunday's victory and handed Auburn its first shutout loss since 2015.  For her efforts, Good earned her third-straight CAA Pitcher of the Week accolade while she was also named Fastpitch News National Pitcher of the Week.
– Good has now recorded five consecutive shutouts and has not allowed a run in 32.2 innings.  Nationally, Good ranks second in victories, shutouts (5) and hits allowed per seven innings (2.33) while ranking fourth in strikeouts (78) and 10th in ERA (0.27).  She has also combined on two more shutout efforts.
– As a staff, JMU is tied with Florida State for fifth nationally with a 0.92 ERA, having allowed just 12 earned runs over the first month of the season.
– The Dukes are batting at a .327 clip at the plate while outscoring opponents 84-20.  
– Senior shortstop Nikki Prince leads the club with a .455 batting average.  She enters the weekend with a nine-game hitting streak and seven of her 20 hits on the season have gone for extra bases - five doubles and two home runs - to go along with 12 RBI.  She also has a .705 slugging percentage and is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts.
– Cambry Arnold and Madyson Moran are batting .405 and .385, respectively,  Moran also has two home runs and 12 RBI..  
– Last season, the Dukes nearly advanced to the College World Series in Oklahoma City as they fell in the Super Regional at home to LSU.
– JMU will take on Charlotte on Friday morning before facing the Jaguars.

THE SERIES    
– The meeting between South Alabama and James Madison will mark the first in the all-time series between the two clubs.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES    
– Boston College (7-7) comes into the Diamond 9 after dropping four of five at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational in Fort Myers, Fla., last weekend.  The Eagles defeated Wisconsin 4-1 in the opener, but dropped their final four games of the tourney.
– BC does hold a 3-2 road win over No. 20 Arizona State this season, defeating the Sun Devils in Tempe back on Feb. 20.
– Boston College will take on Kansas (Thursday, 4 p.m. [CT]) and Charlotte (Friday, 12:15 p.m. [CT]) before facing the Jaguars.
– Senior Tatiana Cortez ranks second in the ACC and 34th nationally with four home runs.  Cortez is batting .289 and is also tied for the team lead in doubles with three.
– Jordan Chimento leads the team with a .364 batting average and runs driven in with 11. Her three home runs are tied with Chloe Sharabba.  
– Sophomore Lexi DiEmmanuele has stolen seven bases – fourth in the ACC.
– The Eagles rank third in the conference in stolen bases (18) and fifth in home runs (12).
– BC's pitching staff ranks first in the ACC in batters struck out looking (33), third in strikeouts (81) and fifth in opposing batting average (.236).
– Jessica Dreswick ranks in the top three of four pitching categories in the ACC: first in batters struck out looking (17), first in games started (eight), second in strikeouts (40) and third in innings pitched (50.2).
– Senior Jordan Weed ranks second in the ACC in fewest hits allowed (15), fifth in opposing batting average (.192) and fifth in ERA (1.52).

THE SERIES    
– The meeting between South Alabama and Boston College will mark the first in the all-time series between the two clubs.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS    
– Unlike the rest of South Alabama's opponents this week, last weekend was Bryant's first action of the season.  In those five games, BU went 1-4 defeating Cleveland State, but falling twice to both East Carolina and Fordham at the ECU Pirate Clash in Greensboro, N.C.
– Haylee Haas went 5-for-12 at the plate during the opening weekend and leads the club with a .417 batting average.  Haas also has a .583 slugging percentage and two RBI, which is tied with Tiffany Bell.
– Robyn Ukegawa (.364) and Taylor Burger (.308) are also batting over .300 for the Bulldogs.
– Bryant has struggled in the circle this spring as a staff as the Bulldogs hold a team earned run average of 8.13.
– Logan Paul has been the bright spot in the circle as she has a 0.78 ERA in her two appearances and nine innings of work.
– Paul also allowed just one run, while the rest of the staff has surrendered 37.
– Bryant will take on Chattanooga and Purdue on Friday before facing the Jaguars on Saturday.

THE SERIES    
– The meeting between South Alabama and Bryant will mark the first in the all-time series between the two clubs.

SCOUTING THE JAYHAWKS    
– Kansas enters the weekend with a 10-5 overall mark.  The Jayhawks won three of five last weekend at the Cardinal Classic hosted by Lamar in Beaumont, Texas.
– KU picked up wins over South Dakota State, Lamar and Alabama A&M, but both of its two losses (to Northern Illinois and Tulsa) were one-run decisions and ended in walk-offs.
– At the plate, Kansas ranks fourth in the Big 12 in batting average (.289) and the Jayhawks have recorded the third-most hits in the league with 113, including 36 for extra bases.  KU leads the Big 12 in home runs with 16.
– Individually, Lily Behrmann is fifth in the Big 12 with a .405 batting average and the senior outfielder is tied for third in walks with 11.
– Junior infielder Jessie Roane is batting .360 and is first in home runs (5). She also has driven in a conference-best 18 RBI.
– Harli Ridling is close behind Roane in runs driven in as she has 10 on the year.
– Erin McGinley has been dangerous on the base paths, swiping all 10 of her steal attempts.
– Through 15 games, KU has posted the lowest ERA in the Big 12 at 1.27.  All five Jayhawk pitchers who have seen time in the circle this spring have under a 2.00 ERA.
– Alexis Reid owns a 6-1 record and she has four shutouts on the year with a 0.90 ERA, which leads the Big 12.  The sophomore has also struck out 27 this spring.,
– Ania Williams (0.64), Mandy Roberts (1.81) and Sarah Miller (1.97) have also pitched well for the Jayhawks.
– The Jayhawks have already faced one Sun Belt opponent this season, falling 5-4 to Georgia State on Feb. 17 at the Osprey Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla.
– KU will take on Boston College, Purdue, Mercer and Florida International before facing South Alabama.

THE SERIES    
– The meeting between South Alabama and Kansas will mark the first in the all-time series between the two clubs.

SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS    
– Purdue (2-12) comes into the Diamond 9 riding a four-game losing streak, but the Boilermakers have already faced tough competition facing Arizona State, Stanford, Louisville, North Carolina, Arizona and Houston.
– During the first three weeks of action, PU has traveled to Arizona, North Carolina and California.  
– Last weekend, Purdue defeated UC-Santa Barbara in its first game of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic held in Cathedral City, Calif., but dropped each of iast four, including a 21-5 decision on Sunday to defending NEC champion LIU-Brooklyn.
– Maya Hughes leads the team, batting .386 with 17 hits and nine runs.
– Kaylah Hampton sits second on the team with 11 hits, six runs, while batting .324.
– Maddie Damon is 2-3 in the circle, posting a 4.69 ERA, while Kaitlynn Moody is 0-4, with a 7.70 ERA.
– The game against the Jaguars will be the final of the tournament for the Boilermakers as they will take on Kansas, Bryant, Notre Dame and Charlotte before facing USA.

THE SERIES    
– The meeting between South Alabama and Purdue will mark the third in the all-time series between the two clubs.  
– Each of the first two meetings have been on a neutral field.
– The two clubs have split the first two meetings with USA earning a 7-5 victory back during the 2012 season at the Citrus Classic in Orland, Fla.  The Boilermakers took the first meeting in the series, defeating the Jaguars 7-6 in eight innings at the 2008 Hampton Inn Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/sports/2013/3/13/Bull%20Pen%20Club.aspx?id=27