HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team starts the 2019 season this weekend by playing four games in the Louisiana Tech Invitational, part of the team's nine-day trip to Louisiana to begin the year.
Saturday, February 16
Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Southeast Missouri State, 11 a.m. CT |
Live Stats
Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Abilene Christian, 3 p.m. CT |
Live Stats
Sunday, February 17
Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Wichita State, 9 a.m. CT |
Live Stats
Fairleigh Dickinson at Louisiana Tech, 3 p.m. CT |
Watch (Payment Required) |
Live Stats
2019 OUTLOOK
The Knights are starting their
55-game season this weekend and are looking to build off a successful start to head coach
Chris Foye's tenure with the team. FDU returns all but one starter from last season's squad that finished 17-26 overall and 8-8 in Northeast Conference games. The 17 wins represented a 12-win improvement from the previous year, and the Knights earned their highest finish in the NEC standings (tied for fourth) since last reaching the NEC Tournament in 2015. FDU returns four seniors, four juniors and four sophomores while adding seven freshmen for the 2019 season. The Knights were picked
sixth in the NEC Preseason Poll.
SENIOR LEADERS
The senior class for the 2019 season consists of
Reanna Cervantes,
Serena Meehan,
Holly Mercier and
Baylee Ports. Cervantes is the Knights' returning All-NEC second teamer, leading the team with a .336 batting average, 13 doubles, four home runs, 24 RBI, 65 total bases and a .607 slugging percentage. Mercier started all 43 games in the outfield last year and led the team with 23 runs scored. Meehan started in 42 games last year and hit .285 with 18 runs, three doubles and 13 RBI, and she totaled nine multi-hit games as well. Ports is the leading returning pitcher for the Knights, going 9-9 in 17 starts with a team-best 3.27 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 107 innings pitched.
JUNIOR POWER
The junior class for the Knights consists of
Madison Emerson,
Irene Herrera,
Erica Johnson and
Summer Mendoza. Emerson started all 43 games primarily at first base for the Knights last season, leading the team with 39 total hits and batting .295 with nine doubles and 17 RBI. Herrera appeared in 10 games as a reliever and struck out eight batters in 19.1 innings. Johnson tied for the NEC lead last season with three saves and was second on the team with six complete games, 76.1 innings pitched, 22 appearances and 13 starts. Mendoza started all 43 games and scored 18 runs as a sophomore and enters this season carrying a nine-game hitting streak.
RISING SOPHOMORES
Returning for their second year with the Knights are
Brianna DeLeon,
Abby England,
Logan Kolehmainen and
Rylie Schmeh. In limited action last season, DeLeon started two games at third base. England is another top option for the Knights pitching staff, recording 41 strikeouts in 65 innings while going 4-6 with a 4.52 ERA. England also found success hitting as a freshman, totaling three home runs and three doubles and recording 21 RBI, second most on the team. Kolehmainen started all 43 games as a freshman last year and was third on the team with 19 runs scored. Schmeh also started all 43 games as a freshman in the outfield, scoring nine runs and smacking three doubles.
FRESH FACES
Joining the Knights for the 2019 season is the freshman class of
Trisha Cook,
Samantha Cortez,
Riley De Laval,
Courtney Mahoney,
Amarys Miller-Godsey,
Jillian Ward and
Cali Wyand. All seven will look to make their debuts this weekend and contribute to the Knights throughout the 2019 season. For more on the Knights' freshman class, click the
link here.
LA TECH INVITATIONAL INFO
The Knights are one of six teams competing in the three-day tournament that begins Friday and runs through Sunday. Included in the tournament field along with the Knights are host Louisiana Tech, Abilene Christian, Mississippi Valley State, Southeast Missouri State and Wichita State. FDU will play two games Saturday and two on Sunday, facing all but Mississippi Valley State one time. FDU starts the season with a 11 a.m. CT, game against SE Missouri State followed by a 3 p.m. CT, game against Abilene Christian. Wichita State is the Knights' first opponent Sunday at 9 a.m. CT, and the Knights wrap up the tournament facing host Lousiana Tech at 3 p.m., CT.
Live stats are available for each of the Knights' four games, but
live streaming will only be available for Sunday's matchup with Louisiana Tech. Ticket purchase will be required for all games and can be purchased in advance online at the
link here or by contacting the LA Tech Ticket Office at (480) 965-5812.
SCOUTING SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
The Redhawks began the 2019 season last weekend at the Northern Iowa Dome Classic by going 4-1, scoring at least five runs in all four wins. The Redhawks began the weekend by defeating South Dakota State, Northern Iowa twice and Toledo but suffered a defeat to Drake in the final game of the tournament. Southeast Missouri State was picked to finish fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference this season after going 33-20 (15-7 OVC) last season and finishing fourth in the OVC standings in 2018. The Redhawks leading returner from last season is junior Rachel Anderson, a Second-Team NFCA All-Region selection last season.
SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
The Wildcats opened the 2019 season by going 1-3 in the Bobcat Classic hosted by Texas State last weekend. They dropped two games to Colorado State, defeated UT-San Antonio in eight innings and ended the weekend with a 6-5 loss to North Dakota State. Abilene Christian was picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference after going 23-26 overall and 15-12 in the Southland last season, making the Southland Conference tournament for the first time in four years. Junior Donelle Johnson, a preseason all-conference selection, is the leading returner for the Wildcats.
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
The Shockers began the 2019 year by going 2-3 in the Cougar Classic hosted by College of Charleston. The Shockers opened the season with a win over Central Michigan and ended the tournament with a 7-2 win over ACC-foe Pittsburgh, suffering losses to Virginia Tech, Pitt and host College of Charleston in between. Wichita State was picked second in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll after going 32-23 with a 12-9 mark in the AAC last season. The Shockers earned an at-large to the NCAA Tournament last season for the fourth time in program history, and senior Bailey Lange is the top returner for the team, making the Softball America Top 100 Players List in the preseason.
SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH
The Lady Techsters are 6-0 to start the 2019 season after going unbeaten in the Sand Dollar Classic, including a 2-1 win over 17th-ranked Auburn. Louisiana Tech most recently defeated Southeastern Louisiana by a 7-4 margin on Wednesday. Louisiana Tech is the preseason favorite in Conference USA for the 2019 season, finishing 34-23 with a 15-9 CUSA record last season. The Lady Techters return the CUSA Player of the Year in senior Morgan Turkoly, who was also named to the 2019 USA Softball Top 50 Watch List for Collegiate Player of the Year.
