DURHAM, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University softball team will return to the Upstate region of South Carolina for a second straight weekend tournament when the Eagles play four games in the PC Invitational on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 18-19.
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. 18 vs. Presbyterian (DH at 12:15 & 2:30 PM;
LIVE STATS)
DATE: Sat., Feb. 19 vs. Detroit Mercy (10 AM;
LIVE STATS)
DATE: Sat., Feb. 19 vs. App State (3 PM;
LIVE STATS)
LOCATION: PC Softball Complex, Clinton, S.C.
FOLLOW: LIVE STATS (different links above);
@NCCUAthletics
NC CENTRAL DUGOUT:
The Eagles started the 2022 season by going 1-3 in the Spartan Classic hosted by USC Upstate last weekend. NCCU (1-3 Overall) – selected fourth out of eight teams in the MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish Poll – picked up its first win with a 2-1 triumph over Towson University.
A couple of freshmen made the biggest noise for the Eagles on the opening weekend with left fielder
Jaidyn Hamby earning MEAC Rookie of the Week honors after going 5-for-12 (.417) with one home run, five RBI and two runs scored.
From the pitcher's circle, freshman
Jaden Davis tossed complete games on back-to-back days and earned the win against the Tigers. Davis (1-1) pitched in all four games and sports a 2.10 ERA and nine strikeouts in 16.2 inning pitched. Davis hit her first collegiate home run and is batting .250 for the Eagles.
Four letter winners have been named Preseason All-MEAC for the Eagles, including senior catcher/designated player
Madison Mifsud, junior third baseman
Maegan Garrison, sophomore catcher/utility player
Hailey Batista and sophomore middle infielder/pitcher
Jaylah Barr.
Mifsud (.167) and junior
Diamond Porter (.250) are the only other players to have multiple hits for the Eagles last weekend after Hamby and Davis.
PRESBYTERIAN DUGOUT:
The Blue Hose are hosting a weekend tournament for a second straight week. PC (1-3 Overall) notched a 6-1 win over South Carolina State University in the Blue Hose Invitational finale for its first win of the season.
Freshman leadoff hitter and shortstop Jersey Silver has a team-best .462 batting average after collecting six hits last week, including a double and a triple to go along with three RBI and three stolen bases.
Presbyterian – picked sixth out of 10 teams in the Big South Conference Preseason Poll – returns two all-conference honorees from last season. Sophomore second baseman Kaitlyn Tucker (.200) had two hits and scored twice last weekend after batting .270 in 2021 to earn BSC All-Freshman Team honors last campaign.
The Blue Hose return all 15 of its pitching wins from last season. Fifth-year senior, left-handed pitcher Haley Haselden (105.00 ERA), who was named All-Big South Second Team last season with seven wins and a 2.40 ERA, but was ruffed up in her first appearance of this season. Junior Jenna Greene had a team-best eight wins last season and sports a 2.05 ERA in two appearances this season.
Freshman Morgan Hess (1-0, 1.62 ERA) has PC's win against the Lady Bulldogs and is batting .333 on the season with two doubles, two runs and one RBI.
DETROIT MERCY DUGOUT:
The Titans will be making their 2022 debut in Saturday's game against the Eagles. University of Detroit Mercy (0-0) had both of its last two seasons cut short due to the pandemic, going 2-2 in 2021 and 2-21 in 2020. The Titans, who won the Horizon League Championship in their last full season in 2019, are picked eighth out of 10 teams in the Horizon League Preseason Poll.
A few noteworthy bats for a Detroit Mercy squad that is loaded with 13 juniors and seniors includes senior infielder Taryn Peru (hit team-high three home runs in 2020), senior outfielder McKenna Tanguay (2019 Horizon League All-Freshman Team; .274 career batting average); and junior catcher Jordyn Chapman (team-best .385 average in 2021).
Fifth-year senior Liz Murphy provides the Titans with a veteran ace on their pitching staff. She was the Horizon League Championship Most Outstanding Player in their title run of 2019, while also earning First Team All-Horizon League that season and All-Freshman Team laurels in 2017. Over four seasons, Murphy has 30 wins, including a no-hitter, and a 3.38 career ERA with 283 strikeouts in over 450 innings pitched.
APPALACHIAN STATE DUGOUT:
The Mountaineers secured a pair of wins at the Elon Tournament last weekend, defeating both IUPUI (5-4) and Saint Francis (9-7). Appalachian State (2-1 Overall) was voted sixth out of 10 teams in the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after going 27-19 last season.
Senior outfielder Mary Pierce Barnes continues to patrol centerfield for the Mountaineers and is off to a hot start this season batting .400 with five RBI in their first three games. Junior left fielder Emily Parrott, who has App State's lone home run, is also batting .400 and follows with four RBI. Sophomore right fielder Kayt Houston (.300, 3 R, 1 SB) rounds out a veteran outfield after leading the squad with a .326 batting average last season.
Other significant bats in the lineup include fifth-year senior catcher Baylee Morton, who has 23 career home runs and led the Mountaineers with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 2021, and sophomore Emma Jones, who batted .397 in 18 games last season before injury and leads the team this season with four runs scored this season in her return to the lineup.
Sophomore Delani Buckner (1-0, 3.36 ERA) and freshman Sejal Neas (1-0, 3.94 ERA) have App State's two pitching victories this season. App State lost its top two pitching wins' leaders from last season so Buckner is their top leading returning pitcher after posting four wins as a rookie.
