HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team will host St. John's University for a midweek game on Wednesday, April 17. First pitch at FDU Softball Field is slated for 3 p.m.
The Knights are 17-15 on the season after sweeping Saint Peter's and splitting with Sacred Heart and Bryant last week. The team is hitting .266 collectively and has outscored opponents, 116-97 through 32 games.
Senior Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) leads the team with a .330 average at the plate, five home runs and 14 RBI on the season. Fernandez was recently named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week after knocking in eight RBI with 11 hits, including five home runs last week.
Freshmen Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) and Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley High School) are also hitting above .300 in their debut seasons with marks of .324 and .315, respectively. Slye also has five homers on the year and 16 RBI.
Freshman Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) leads the Knights' pitching staff with a 1.72 ERA in 61 innings pitched. The rookie has struck out 45 batters, while holding opponents to a .236 average against and currently holds a 5-3 win-loss record.
As a whole, the Knights pitchers maintain an ERA of 2.50 with 131 strikeouts and 64 walks through 32 games.
St. John's is 11-28-1 on the year and most recently defeated Iona, 9-1. The Red Storm has been outscored 214-132 in 40 games this year, while the team has maintained a .247 average at the plate.
Junior Jackie Reed leads the team with a .398 average in 29 games, while senior Chrissy Montez holds a.371 average in all 40 games. Montez leads the team with 11 home runs on the year and was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week after hitting .833 last week.
Freshman Tori Free leads the team in the circle with an ERA of 3.24 in 29 appearances. Free holds a win-loss record of 5-14 and has struck out 132 batters in 125.1 innings.
Last season, the Knights and Red Storm split a double header in Queens, with the Knights earning a 4-0 win in game one and dropping game two, 5-2.
Following the midweek matinee, the Knights will travel to Quinnipiac and Central Connecticut State University of weekend conference double headers.
