The Eastern Kentucky University softball team is set for a pivotal weekend of conference action with home doubleheaders against Tennessee Tech on Saturday and Jacksonville State on Sunday.
First pitch on both days is set for 1:00 p.m. at the all-new Gertrude Hood Field.
EKU (20-26, 7-7 OVC) is coming off of a 5-0 loss at home to No. 20 Kentucky on Tuesday. The Colonels currently sit in seventh place in the OVC standings.
AT THE PLATE
– Sophomore Rachel Minogue is 34th in the country and leads both the conference and the Colonels in batting average at .421. The Corona, California native has collected 30 runs and 41 RBI (second in the conference) on 59 hits, including 15 doubles and four long balls.
– Junior Johnkyria Alston leads the nation, the conference, the team and has broken the EKU single-season record with 19 doubles. The junior also holds the first place spot in the OVC for RBI with 42.
– Sophomore Hannah Clark has been hot in the home run category with nine on the season, placing her fifth in the conference.
IN THE CIRCLE
– Freshman Mollie Paulick has posted a 10-9 record to go along with a 2.61 ERA this spring. Over 31 appearances, she has struck out 107 batters.
– Paulick and senior Alex Sallberg held the nationally-ranked Wildcats to only two runs on four hits through the first six innings of play on Tuesday.
THE OPPONENTS
– Tennessee Tech (15-25, 7-5 OVC) has lost three of its last five contests. The Golden Eagles are currently in sixth place in the OVC.
– The Golden Eagles are led in the box by Aalia Bivens with a .310 batting average. In the circle, they are led by Danielle Liberatore, who is tossing a 3.24 ERA.
– First-place Jacksonville State (34-10, 13-1 OVC) was on a 15-game win streak before Ole Miss snapped it on Wednesday, winning by a 2-1 score.
– The Gamecocks are led in the batter’s box by Jamie McGuire (.360) and on the rubber by Whitney Gillespie (1.15 ERA)
UP NEXT
– The Colonels will host Western Kentucky in a doubleheader on Wednesday at Gertrude Hood Field, starting at 3:00 p.m.
Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications