SFA Opens SLC Slate Against Nicholls
3/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin softball team opens up Southland Conference play against Nicholls State in Thibodaux, Louisiana on Saturday afternoon at the Colonel Softball Complex. Saturday will feature a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. with the third and final game of the opening SLC series set for Sunday afternoon at 12:00 p.m.
Following the LSU Purple and Gold Challenge last weekend, the Ladyjacks (6-10) have had to wait a few days longer than expected to return to the diamond after both home non-conference games were postponed this week due to wet playing conditions and inclement weather. Wednesday's matchup with North Texas was pushed back to a future date before Thursday's date with Prairie View A&M was moved to Wednesday, April 8 at 3:00 p.m.
SFA ran into some hot teams last weekend in the LSU Tournament, going 1-4 on the weekend. Two of the losses came against No. 7 LSU while a third came against a very talented Florida Atlantic side. The Owls, who are receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Division I polls, took the first game against the Ladyjacks before SFA bounced back to a 4-0 blanking of FAU for the squad's lone tournament win.
Going into the first weekend of SLC action, the Colonels own a three-game winning streak and a 12-6 record overall. Offensively Nicholls State is led by Alexis Huss and Haley Stevenson who are batting .453 and .442, respectively, through 18 games. Huss has accounted for three of the Colonels' five home runs this season and 16 RBI.
Pitching has been a strength for Nicholls, has the team owns a sub-three ERA (2.95). The three starters, Hannah Haydel (5-2, 2.31 ERA), Jackie Johnson (4-4, 2.38 ERA) and Taylor Hastings (3-0, 3.33 ERA) are each expected to step into the circle during the upcoming series.
While the Colonels are off to a good start to the 2015 season, according to the preseason coaches' and sports information directors' polls, NICH is projected to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the Southland this year, ahead only of Incarnate Word.
The Ladyjacks were tabbed as the fourth/fifth best team in the preseason standings prior to the season.
On the SFA side of things, Brittany Lewis has paced the offense over the first 16 games of the season. The sophomore currently holds a .370 batting average while leading the team with 14 RBI and three home runs. Freshman Taylor Fraccastoro is also a feared name for opposing pitchers as she has gone deep three times and driven in eight runs on the year.
The Ladyjacks' three starting pitchers have been solid over extended periods of time this season, with junior Hannah Welch (2-1, 6.75 ERA) serving as the veteran of the group. Freshmen Callee Guffey (2-4, 5.62 ERA) and Makayla Sikes (1-4, 6.94 ERA) are also each projected to make a start in the weekend series.
The Ladyjacks will look to match last year's result against the Colonels as both teams also opened up conference play against each other in 2014. SFA swept Nicholls in three games at SFA Softball Field from March 8-9. Fans can follow live stats of all the weekend's action by clicking here.
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