10 things to look for this weekend in College Softball
#25 Mississippi State at #6 Texas A&M
The Bulldogs are riding a 15-game winning streak into College Station this weekend. The three-game series will be the first ranked opponent the Bulldogs have faced since Fresno State on Feb 16. The two teams stack up close to even. Take a look.
MSU Category A&M
19-3 Record 19-1
15 Longest Win Streak 15
.301 Batting Average .318
99 Runs 121
179 Hits 154
12 Home Runs 20
60 Walks 90
.383 On-Base % .428
0.98 Team ERA 1.12
4 Shutouts 9
56 Walks Allowed 57
148 Strikeouts 147
Players to watch: Alexis Silkwood, Bevia Robinson, Cassady Knudsen, Samantha Show, Kaitlyn Alderink and Ashley Walters
#24 Arkansas at #12 Alabama
For the first time since 2013, the Razorbacks have cracked the Top 25 and are looking to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide, dating back to 2012. They also extended their winning streak to 11 games over the weekend. Through 20 games, their 19-1 record is the best in program history. Alabama is coming off two midweek wins, 5-0 over Loyola and 1-0 over Valparaiso. Those two wins extended the win streak to 14. The highlight of the weekend will be between the NCAA leader in strikeouts, Alexis Osorio and the hot-hitting Nicole Schroeder. Alabama will have to provide the offense in order for Osorio to really succeed this weekend. If not, Arkansas could put its program on the map with a couple of huge wins.
Players to watch: Nicole Shroeder, Shelby Hier, Autumn Storms, Merris Schroder, Alexis Osorio and Bailey Hemphill
#4 Minnesota at #11 Washington
The Gophers are taking their perfect 18-0 record to Seattle for the Husky Classic. They will face the 17-3 Washington Huskies twice. It is a rematch of the Seattle regional championship that saw Washington move on. One of two or both potentially could be a pitcher’s duel between Minnesota’s Sara Groenewegan and Washington’s Taran Alvelo. Groenewegan brings a 0.50 ERA and 9-0 record. In 56.1 innings she has given up 26 hits, seven walks and struck out 72. Alvelo has pitched 65.2 innings, given up 52 hits and 15 walks while striking out 68.
Players to watch: Sara Groenewegan, Tori Finucane, MaKenna Partain, Taran Alvelo, Sis Bates and Casey Stangel
#15 Michigan at #19 Kentucky
The Wolverines will face the Wildcats in the John Cropp Classic in Lexington on Saturday and Sunday. This weekend ends a 22-day road trip for the Wildcats and is their first home weekend of 2017. Kentucky has gone 1-2 against ranked opponents while Michigan has gone 2-5-1 versus the Top 25. The Wolverine offense has struggled as of late, hitting .242 over a five-game stretch. They will have to pick it up against an experienced Kentucky staff.
Players to watch: Abbey Cheek, Meagan prince, Erin Rethlake, Faith Canfield, Kelly Christner and Megan Betsa
Speedy Dawgs
The Georgia Bulldogs lead the Power 5 in stolen bases per game. Through 22 games, UGA has swiped 63 of 69 attempted bases and has averaged 2.86 per game. Cortni Emanuel is 26-27 and her sister, Sydni is 11-12. Look for all those numbers to go up this weekend. The Bulldogs are in Orlando for the UCF Tournament and will face Mercer, Ohio State, Delaware State and UCF.
Electric Elantra
Ole Miss junior Elantra Cox leads the NCAA in batting average through 20 games this season. Her .597 average and 37 hits in 62 at bats have her on pace for a career year. To put in perspective, last season she hit .357 with 61 hits and as a freshman she hit .378 with 62 to lead the Rebels.
Fiery Fagan
Auburn senior Haley Fagan is on a 20-game on-base steak and a 19-game hitting game streak entering the weekend series against LSU. She is hitting .397 and leads the Tigers in hits with 25. She is also slugging .698 with nine extra base hits. The senior missed the majority of last season with an ACL injury.
DII Dominance
Cameron University freshman pitcher Bethany Hines takes her 14-win record into the weekend series against Tarleton State this weekend in Lawton, Oklahoma. Her 14 victories are tops in all of college softball.
How Good can she get?
Megan Good is in the middle of a 57.2 scoreless inning streak. Due to rain, the JMU Invitational has been moved to East Carolina but pitching on the road doesn’t seem to affect the pitcher. Her test this weekend will come in two games against Pitt, a team that was on a roll early in the season beating Kentucky twice and sweeping their ACC/Big Ten Challenge against Nebraska and Northwestern.
USC Upstate Staff
The USC Upstate pitching staff is third in DI for team ERA, 0.77. Lexi Shubert leads the Spartans with a 10-1 record and a 0.68 ERA. In 72 innings, she has surrendered 30 hits, seven earned runs and 17 walks. Holly McKinnon is right behind her with 0.94 ERA and an 8-2 record. She has thrown 67.1 innings and struck out 94, one more than Shubert. The Spartans will face Army, Central Michigan, Purdue, Saint Joseph’s and Monmouth this weekend.
