SFA to Host McNeese State
4/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 16, 2007
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Final Home Stand: The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack softball team will begin its final home stand of the season Tuesday, when the Ladyjacks open a three-game set against McNeese State. The series will begin with a doubleheader Tuesday evening. The first game was originally set to start at 5 p.m., but has been moved up to 3 p.m. to try and avoid inclement weather predicted for later Tuesday night. The third game of the series is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start on Wednesday. The Ladyjacks enter the week fifth in the Southland Conference standings with a 17-25 overall record and a 10-8 SLC mark. One of the six berths in the conference's postseason tournament is still well within reach for SFA, and the Ladyjacks will have ample opportunity down the stretch to improve their seeding, as six of their last 12 conference games are against teams currently ahead of SFA in the league standings. McNeese State is not one of those squads, but the Cowgirls are still within striking distance of earning a tournament slot. McNeese State is 22-26 on the season and seventh in the conference standings with an 8-7 league mark.
Last Time Out: The Ladyjacks scored just one run in dropping a three-game series, 2-1, at Texas State over the weekend. The teams dueled to a scoreless tie through nine-and-a-half innings in the opener, but Texas State pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 10th. The defeat marked the Ladyjacks' first extra-inning loss of the season. SFA entered the series with a 5-0 record in extra-inning games. SFA answered with a 3-1 win in the nightcap. The first two games were marred by errors, as the two teams combined for 12 fielding miscues, matching the 12-hit total for the Saturday doubleheader. Texas State's offensive output improved significantly in the finale, as the Bobcats posted nine hits in a 4-0 shutout win, but SFA continued to struggle at the plate. The Ladyjacks recorded two hits and didn't advance a runner past second base. Ashley Wilburn and Benet Higgs led SFA at the plate, as they were the only Ladyjacks to record two hits in the series. Wilburn (8-11) was also the winning pitcher in the second game. She scattered five hits over seven innings and struck out one Bobcat. Kari Hugie (8-10) took the collar in the opener, despite pitching nine-and-a-third straight innings without allowing an earned run. Hugie allowed just two hits and worked around eight walks with three strikeouts.
The Cowgirls: McNeese State brings a 22-26 overall mark and an 8-7 Southland Conference record to the midweek series. The Cowgirls are coming off a 2-1 series win over Central Arkansas this weekend and have won eight of their last 10 games, a stretch that began with an impressive 6-5 victory over then-No. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette. As a team, McNeese State bats .241, led by Brooke Brodhead's .356 average. Brodhead also leads the team in doubles with 11 and is tops on the squad in home runs with eight. Six other Cowgirls bat better than .250. Jana Jones and Rachel Hodlik lead the McNeese State bullpen. Jones is 8-6 with a 2.91 ERA, while Hodlik is 8-7 and has posted a 3.78 ERA.
The Coaches: SFA is coached by Jenifer Wells. Wells is in her second season at SFA, where she holds a 34-53 (.391) record. In her five-year collegiate coaching career, Wells is 170-161 (.514). The Cowgirls are coached by Chris Malveaux. He is 77-91 (.458) in his career at McNeese State.
• For complete notes, click the "Series Notes" link in the side bar of the Softball home page.
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