Georgia Here We Come: Softball Heads To NFCA Leadoff This Weekend

Game Notes (PDF)

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Orange softball travels to Columbus, Ga. for its third tournament of the young season. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff features 21 teams, four of which the Orange will battle. Competition begins on Friday, Feb. 29 at 4 p.m. when SU faces North Carolina State. A 6:30 p.m. contest against University of California Santa Barbara follows. On Saturday, Mar. 1 the Orange plays No. 18/18 Mississippi State at 1:30 p.m. and Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, Mar. 2 the lone game is against Auburn at 12:30 p.m.

Of the 21 participants in the weekend, 11 are ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA or the ESPN.com/USA Softball Polls. Mississippi State is the second ranked opponent the Orange will face this season.

N.C. State is the second team that is receiving votes that the Orange will play.

Senior outfielder Rachel Tilford will try and continue her hot bat, which produced four hits and four RBI at the Pirate Classic from Saturday, Feb. 23 through Sunday, Feb. 24. Because of her performance, Tilford was recognized by the conference and was selected to the BIG EAST Honor Roll.

Twice last week Tilford scored classmate and fellow outfielder Chanel Roehner, who led the team by batting .333 (4-for-12). Roehner also posted a .417 slugging percentage and registered her first double of the season.

Freshman hurler Angie Sagnelli pitched her first complete game of her career when she went 7.2 innings at East Carolina. She allowed two earned runs and struck out one batter. This season she has pitched a total of 19.0 innings and has whiffed five batters.

The NR/RV Wolfpack (7-8) has won three of its last four outings and is coming off a 3-1 victory against UNC-Greensboro on Wednesday. The game marked the grand opening of N.C. State’s new facility, the Dail Softball Stadium. Freshman catcher Alyssa Allbritten leads the team with a .400 batting average (14-for-35) and 10 RBI.

University of California at Santa Barbara (7-7) split a pair of games against BIG EAST opponent St. John’s (11-2 and 4-6) on Monday and they have won four of their last five. Senior third baseman Tisha Duran is the reigning Big West Player of the Week after batting .667 at the UCSB Softball by the Beach Tournament. She leads the team with a .488 batting average (21-for-43) and 20 RBI.

The Bulldogs (13-2) are the second nationally ranked team the Orange will face this season. MSU has won two of its last four outings and is coming off a 5-3 victory against Mercer at the Mercer Wingate Inn Classic on Sunday.

Sophomore infielder Chelsea Bramlett is batting a team-best .510 (26-for-51). The three-headed pitching attack of junior Kelsey Nurnberg, junior Misty Felsher and freshman Elizabeth Woolven has posted a combined 1.40 ERA.

The Cornhuskers (1-6) are on a five-game skid, including two losses at the Cardinal Classic hosted by Louisville last weekend. Nebraska lost to Louisville (5-3) and Mississippi (2-0). Junior outfielder Darcy Rutherford is batting a team-high .429 (9-for-21).

The Tigers (12-1) are on a three-game shutout winning streak and are coming off a 4-0 and 6-0 sweep of Alabama A&M on Tuesday. The Tigers have posted seven shutouts. Senior outfielder Brittany Scott leads the team with a .387 batting average (12-for-31).

Syracuse University Athletics

Georgia Here We Come: Softball Heads To NFCA Leadoff This Weekend

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