Rio Grande (6-2) at USCB (8-4)
Pikeville (0-0) at USCB (8-4) |
| Date & Time |
Friday, 3 p.m. ET (DH)
Saturday, 3 p.m. ET (DH) |
| Location |
Richard Gray Sports Complex – Hardeeville, S.C. |
| TV/Web |
Sand Shark Gameday Network (Stretch Internet) |
| Live Stats |
Sand Shark Gameday Network (Stretch Internet) |
| Facebook |
/USCBSandSharks |
| Twitter |
@USCBAthletics |
| Head-To-Head |
All-Time: USCB leads 1-0 vs. URG; First meeting with Pikeville
Current Streak: USCB won last 1 vs. URG; First meeting with Pikeville
All-Time At USCB: USCB leads 1-0 vs. URG; First meeting with Pikeville
Current Streak At USCB: USCB won last 1 vs. URG; First meeting with Pikeville |
FIN FACTS
»» The USCB softball team returns to action Friday and Saturday in the Rawlings Games, hosting Rio Grande (Ohio) and Pikeville (Ky.) in a round-robin event that also features Coastal Georgia. The Sand Sharks defeated the Red Storm in the 2015 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round but have never faced Pikeville.
»» The Sand Sharks entered the season receiving votes in the NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. USCB was picked to finish third in the Sun Conference coaches' preseason poll.
»» USCB has faced a difficult early-season schedule. The Sand Sharks are 2-3 against Top-25 opponents with wins over No. 10 William Carey and No. 12 Campbellsville and losses to No. 8 Lindsey Wilson, No. 16 Reinhardt and No. 13 Georgia Gwinnett (twice).
»» USCB plays 13 of its first 15 games at home. The Sand Sharks are 114-20 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex, including a 8-2 mark this season.
»» Senior INF
Marissa Becker enters play today ranked second in USCB history with 38 stolen bases and is closing in on breaking Sammi Shaffren's school record of 43.
»» Sophomore P
Abby Pac surpassed 100 career strikeouts on Opening Day versus Montreat and ranks third on USCB's career list with 130 strikeouts. Pac was named the Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday, earning the award for the second time in three weeks.
»» USCB has a young squad again in 2017 with nine sophomores and eight freshmen on the roster. Only three of the Sand Sharks' 20 players are upperclassmen.
»» Freshman OF
Brittany Olean has reached base in eight consecutive games and has a six-game hitting streak – both the longest active streaks on the team. Her eight-game on-base streak is tied with
Alexa Moore and
Marissa Becker for the Sand Sharks' longest this season, while her six-game hitting streak is one shy of
Kaitlyn O'Hearn's team-high earlier this month.
»» Sophomore 1B
Alexa Moore had eight RBIs in 39 games as a freshman last season but has 11 through 12 games this year.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The Red Storm are off to a 6-2 start, including a split with No. 13 Georgia Gwinnett. Rio Grande boasts a strong pitching staff, as five different pitchers have started games and combined for a 2.31 team ERA. Sophomore RHP Kelsey Conkey has been dominant in four games (two starts), allowing just one earned run over 18 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .132 batting average. Rio's hitters are patient, having drawn 29 walks against 22 strikeouts. Sophomore OF Carly Skeese is batting .500 on the young season with all three of Rio Grande's home runs and a team-high 12 RBIs.
Pikeville will open its season with a doubleheader against Coastal Georgia on Friday before facing the Sand Sharks on Saturday. The Bears were picked to finish fifth in the Mid-South Conference preseason poll and are coming off a 23-29 campaign in 2016. Slugger Jillian Bohnert is back after batting .373 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs last season, and the Bears return their top two pitchers from a year ago in Alexandra Quill (13-10, 4.31 ERA) and Lindsay Floyd (10-18, 5.15).
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB Season Statistics
Sand Shark Softball Record Book
Sun Conference Softball Standings
