ABILENE – The ACU softball team (7-15, 1-5 SLC) looks to end its four-game losing streak this weekend at Poly Wells Field as it returns home for the first time in two weeks. The Wildcats will open their home portion of the Southland schedule with a three-game set with the Nicholls Colonels (12-13, 2-1 SLC). The teams will meet for a doubleheader on Friday, March 22 beginning at 5 p.m., and the series concludes with a 12 p.m. start on Sunday, March 23.
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WEEKEND COVERAGE… All three games this weekend will have live stat options only.
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THE SERIES… The teams have met eight times over the years, with ACU trailing the series 5-3. The two squads met in Thibodaux, La. last season, with ACU winning the opener, 3-0. The Colonels then won the final two games 13-0 and 5-3. The two will play just their second series in Abilene, and Nicholls holding a 2-1 advantage during the 2017 season (3-2 NICH, 5-4 ACU, 4-2 NICH).
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ACU LEADERS… Sophomore
Briana Tijerina leads the team with a .324 batting average, and has made 17 starts for head coach
Bobby Reeves. Catcher
Kayla Keeling's .606 slugging percentage leads the team by far, with eight of her 21 base hits going for extra bases. Keeling's four home runs, three triples, 12 runs batted in, and 40 total bases all lead the offense as well.
Samantha Bradley's 21 hits match Keeling for a team high, while Bradley and
Blair Clayton are second in line in RBI with 11. Freshman
Kaitlyn Huseman's seven doubles lead the squad as well. In the circle,
Calie Burris leads the staff with a 4.32 earned run average, while Bradley has logged the most innings at 76.0. Burris has made eight starts, while Bradley and Jilian Hefner each have seven starts under their belt.
NICHOLLS LEADERS… Emma Holland has tallied a .329 batting average, a team-high, and has started all 25 games for the Colonels. Her 15 runs scored, 25 hits, and two triples all lead the way. Amanda Gianelloni's six doubles and four home runs rank highest on the team, while her .521 slugging percentage is tops as well. Kasey Frederick leads the way with 12 runs driven in. The Nicholls pitching staff has been excellent, with Emily Danehower leading the way with a 1.08 earned run average out of the bullpen. Megan Landry's 15 starts lead the staff, and is 10-5 with a 1.73 ERA. As a unit, the four (Danehower, Landry, Alexis LaBure, and Jordan Moon) have combined for a 2.44 ERA, with an opponent batting average of .242.
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