HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team opens Northeast Conference play this weekend at home against Sacred Heart on Sunday at 12 and 2 p.m. and Saint Francis U on Monday at 12 and 2 p.m. as well. The games will be the first for the Knights since March 12 in Elon, North Carolina.  

LAST TIME OUT
The Knights feel to Elon on Sunday, March 12 by a score of 8-0. Since then the Knights have had seven games canceled or postponed due to weather and or field conditions. The Knights lost five games at St. John's two weekends ago due to snow and rain postponed a doubleheader versus Monmouth that was supposed to be played on Tuesday, March 28 to Friday, May 5.

SCOUTING SACRED HEART
The Pioneers were 7-10 but a five-game losing streak has the Pioneers now at 7-15 overall. Sacred Heart got swept by Manhattan 9-0 and 2-0 on Wednesday and lost 2-1 to Fairfield on Thursday. Lauren Delgadillo and Andrea Sidor sir at a .288 average to pace the offense for the Pioneers. Fallon Bevino and Victoria D'Addario have eight RBI. Hailey Desrosiers and Delgadillo lead the team with seven runs scored. Two Pioneers have logged 50 or more innings this season – Jamie Carlson (72.1) and Kristen McCann (51.2). Carlson sports a 5-7 record and a 2.52 ERA to lead th staff in both categories.

SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS U
The Red Flash come in at 25-8 on the season and have won 13 straight games. Saint Francis U also received a vote in the National Coaches Poll last week. The Red Flash are coming off a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Texas Tech Invitational with two wins over the hosts and East Carolina. Jordan Seneca, who was named NEC Player of the Week and Fast Pitch News National Player of the Week last week, leads the country in homers (15) and RBI (45) this season. The junior is also hitting .344 and is getting on base over 50-percent of the time. Cheyenne McKee leads the team in hitting at .429. Eight different players have knocked in at least 10 runs. The Red Flash use three pitchers – all have pitched amid 60 and 80 innings – and all three have ERAs under three currently. Ethel Santai leads the staff with a 1.93 ERA.

SERIES SCORES
Fairleigh Dickinson and Sacred Heart will meet for the 33rd and 34th times on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers own an 18-14 edge in the series, but the Knights are 4-1 in the last five meetings. Fairleigh Dickinson is 8-6 at home against Sacred Heart. Saint Francis is 17-15 all-time against Fairleigh Dickinson. The teams have split the last six meetings, with SFU sweeping the Knights last season out in Loretto.

FDU IN NEC OPENERS
The Knights are 3-1 in the last four conference openers. Fairleigh Dickinson beat Mount St. Mary's 6-5 last season after losing to Central Connecticut in 2015. The Knights won in 2014 versus Bryant and in 2013 against Monmouth.

KNIGHTS KNOTES
Reanna Cervantes leads Fairleigh Dickinson with a .386 average,.432 slugging percentage and six runs scored. Kellie Natham leads the squad in RBIs with 11. Three pitchers have logged over 20 innings, Madison Emerson has the lowest ERA at 5.39.