HACKENSACK, N.J. - The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team closes out its regular season schedule this weekend as the Knights head out on their Western Pa. road trip for a pair of matchups against Robert Morris and Saint Francis U. FDU takes on the Colonials in a doubleheader beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. before heading out to Loretto for a Sunday afternoon twin-bill against the Red Flash.
The Knights hold a 15-24 overall record this season, including a 6-6 mark in NEC play. FDU currently sits at fifth overall in the NEC team standings.
THE OPPONENTS
Western Pa. provides an interesting slate of competition for the Knights in their final weekend push for a playoff spot, as FDU goes from facing 12th-ranked Robert Morris on Saturday to facing a powerhouse in conference-leaders SFU Sunday afternoon. The Colonials have won just a single NEC game all season, and currently own a 10-34 overall record.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Red Flash are a perfect 14-0 in conference, having yet to lose to an NEC opponent this season. Dating back to last season, Saint Francis has also won 33 straight games against NEC opponents. The Red Flash are currently tied with Princeton (1993-96) for the eighth-longest streak in NCAA Division I history. SFU is also just one NEC win away from tying Texas State (2000-02) for the seventh-longest conference win streak in NCAA history.
The Red Flash have won 14 straight games, dating back to its sweep over Wagner on April 14.
LAST TIME OUT
The Knights were last in action on Tuesday afternoon when they split a pair of decisions against Villanova, winning game one 8-2 and losing game two 9-1. Baylee Ports struck out five in the circle to earn her eighth win of the season. Serena Meehan led the Knights offensively at the plate, going 2-4 with four RBIs in the game one victory against the Wildcats.
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS
The results of this weekend's Western Pa. road trip will go a long way to determining whether or not the Knights qualify for the 2018 NEC tournament. At 6-6 in-conference with four games left to play, the Knights need to jump over No. 4 seeded LIU Brooklyn (8-7 NEC) in the win column this weekend in order to make the cut. The Blackbirds swept the Knights in a doubleheader last weekend in Brooklyn to own the advantage in the event that a tiebreaker is needed.
