DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team will open up its 2022 season with four games at the Spartan Classic, including a pair of bookend games against UMASS around an ESPN+ game against host USC Upstate and a single game against Towson University.
Fans are encouraged to check
NCCUEaglePride.com or the NCCU Eagles Athletics app for updates as the schedule is subject to change.
GAME INFO:
DATE: Fri., Feb. 11 vs. UMASS (12 PM)
DATE: Fri., Feb. 11 vs. USC Upstate (2 PM; Watch on
ESPN+)
DATE: Sat., Feb. 12 vs. Towson (11 AM)
DATE: Sat., Feb. 12 vs. UMASS (3 PM)
LOCATION: Cyrill Softball Stadium, Spartanburg, S.C.
FOLLOW:
LIVE STATS (All Games);
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
The Eagles are under the direction of second-year head coach
Cat Tarvin and she led NCCU to a runner-up finish in the 2021 MEAC Softball Championship tournament in her first season. NC Central went 13-31 in 2021 while posting its third consecutive winning record in league play with a 9-7 ledger against MEAC opponents. The Eagles were picked fourth out of eight teams in the MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish poll.
Four letter winners have been named Preseason All-MEAC for the Eagles, including senior catcher/designated player
Madison Mifsud (.311); junior third baseman
Maegan Garrison (.200 batting average in league play), sophomore catcher/utility player
Hailey Batista (.256, 23 RBI, 21 R, 15 extra-base hits) and sophomore middle infielder/pitcher
Jaylah Barr (.294 batting average in league play).
NCCU has a total of 11 returning players to go along with eight newcomers. The Eagles will have most of their experience playing in the infield; a couple of freshmen will be taking over majority of the pitching duties; and the outfield will have a new look compared to last season.
UMASS DUGOUT:
The Minutewomen went 16-17 last season with a level 12-12 ledger in league play. Massachusetts is under the direction of a new coach and was voted to finish fourth out of nine teams in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll.
Junior outfielder Jules Shields leads the returning UMASS veterans after batting a team-best .356 last season with 10 doubles and 25 RBI on the way to being named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.
Fifth-year senior Amy Smith (.354, 20 RBI), senior Kendra Allen (.341, 22 RBI), junior Caroline Deem (.318, 21 RBI) and sophomore Payge Suggs (.313) join Shields as returning bats that tallied averages over .300 last season for a Mintuewomen squad that had a .316 team batting average.
Junior Jessie DiPasquale (13-13, 5.00 ERA, 123 SO, 142.2 IP) returns to the pitcher's circle for UMASS and she hurled over 70-percent of the squads' innings pitched last season.
USC UPSTATE DUGOUT:
The Spartans registered a 29-17 record last season, including a 13-5 mark against conference competition. USC Upstate has posted a winning record every season it has been competed at the DI level (became full members in 2009-10) and was picked second out of 10 teams in the Big South Conference Softball Preseason Poll.
Senior infielder Sarah Price (.342, 24 RBI, 35 R, 20 SB) and junior catcher Peyton Darnell (.298, 38 RBI, 10 HR) both return as Big South First Team All-Conference selections last season. Junior infielder Tiffany Domingue (.297, 33 RBI, 18 extra-base hits) is another award winning letter winner as she made Second Team last year.
Upstate boasted a 2.85 team ERA last season and brings back 2021 Big South All-Freshman Team honoree in junior Savannah Brown (8-6, 2.85 ERA, 68 SO, 93.1 IP) to go along with another returning arm in sophomore Adison Yoder (5-2, 3.13 ERA, 31 SO, 47.0 IP).
TOWSON DUGOUT:
The Tigers posted a 14-17 record in 2021, with 13 of their 14 wins coming in non-conference play. Towson was picked last (8th) in the 2022 CAA Softball Preseason Poll after going just 1-11 in the Colonial Athletic Association last season.
Sophomore shortstop Mackenzie Lake (.398, 21 R, 16 RBI, 5 HR) was a CAA All-Rookie Team honoree last season after leading the team in batting average. Towson also returns senior third baseman Chloe Poulich (.370, 11 2B, 20 RBI, 21 R, 7 SB), who garnered CAA All-Second Team accolades last year. Senior Nicole Kidwiler (.337) is a third returning starter that batted over .300 last season.
The Tigers return all three of their pitchers that factored in their 14 wins last season, including fifth-year senior Melissa Abrahamian (5-7, 3.93 ERA, 41 SO, 78.1 IP), senior Julia Jackson (5-4, 4.43 ERA, 21 SO, 53.2 IP) and junior Madeline Harris (4-2, 5.14 ERA, 37 SO, 49.0 IP).
