The USCB softball team begins its 2016 campaign with a pair of home doubleheaders this weekend, hosting Montreat on Saturday and Middle Georgia on Sunday. The Sand Sharks are facing Montreat in February for the third straight year and have won all four previous meetings, including 8-0 and 9-1 victories during the opening weekend of the 2015 season. The Cavaliers were scheduled to begin their season Friday with a doubleheader at Brewton-Parker, but those games were rained out. The Sand Sharks finished 42-14 last season and reached the championship game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the second time in three years. USCB also claimed its second Sun Conference Tournament title in three years.
FIN FACTS
• The Sand Sharks are 92-14 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex, including a 20-3 mark last season. USCB won its first 15 home games in 2015.
• Senior OF Missy Hughes ranks fourth in USCB history with a .387 career batting average and is sixth on the program's all-time list for hits (146) and seventh for runs (85). Hughes led the team with a .426 average last season.
• Junior 2B Marissa Becker (23) and senior OF Missy Hughes (20) rank fifth and sixth on USCB's career list for stolen bases. Becker swiped 19 bags last season, one short of matching the single-season school record set by Barbara Phillips in 2012.
• Senior SS Haley Brown enjoyed an outstanding campaign in her first season at USCB in 2015, batting .347 with 14 home runs, and 43 RBIs. Brown already ranks seventh on USCB's all-time home run list and is third in slugging percentage (.682).
• With seven capable pitchers, USCB has the deepest pitching staff in its history. Senior Ashlie Layman heads the staff and enters the season with a 41-10 career record and a 2.63 ERA, and junior Kendall Jumper and sophomore Allie Rogers also return from last year's staff. Senior Cara Jamerson and sophomore Naomi Catt are healthy and ready to contribute after sitting out last year, and newcomers Taylor Boyett and Abby Pac should make immediate contributions.
SCOUTING MONTREAT
The Cavaliers batted .257 as a team last year and have to replace leading hitter Melina Wilkinson (.455 BA, 9 HR, 28 RBIs). Dezaree Avallone (.348 BA, 6 HR, 36 RBIs) is the only returning player who batted over .300 a year ago, so the Cavaliers will look for improved production from Caitlin Parker (.254 BA, 14 RBIs, 7 SBs) and Ashley Hurd (.252 BA, 3 HR, 28 RBIs). Melanie Recher (1-13, 6.70 ERA), Amber Smith (2-13, 6.77 ERA) and Lauren Rowell (3-15, 6.98 ERA) split the pitching load last season and all are back in the fold.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB Season Statistics
Sand Shark Softball Record Book
Sun Conference Softball Standings
