HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team looks to move their way up the Northeast Conference standings this weekend, traveling to play conference foes Bryant and Central Connecticut State for weekend doubleheaders.
 
There will not be live streams for any of the games this weekend, but live stats will be available to follow for each of the doubleheaders. The games against Bryant will start at 1 p.m., and the games at CCSU are scheduled to start at noon.
 
ENTERING THE WEEKEND
The Knights (10-27) came back to defeat Iona, 4-1, in the first game of their doubleheader Thursday afternoon. Trailing 1-0 through four innings, senior Reanna Cervantes belted a two-run home run over the right field fence that provided her team the lead it would need to win the game. Senior Baylee Ports struck out nine batters and gave up only five hits and one run to earn her fourth win of the season, and sophomore Abby England closed the game with two shutout innings of relief to earn her first save of the season. Sophomore Logan Kolehmainen, along with Cervantes, had two hits and two RBI in the game, driving in two insurance runs with a single in the sixth inning.
 
SEASON LEADERS
Cervantes is hitting just one point under .300 for the season in 32 games, leading the team with 29 hits, six doubles and a .423 slugging percentage. Her two home runs this season matches England for most on the team, and Cervantes is one of four Knights along with England, sophomore Rylie Schmeh and freshman Courtney Mahoney to have nine RBI this season. Schmeh has scored 11 runs this season and also leads the team and the NEC with four triples. In the circle, England sports a team-best 2.81 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched this season with a 3-4 record and 43 strikeouts in 17 games pitched. Ports leads the Knights with 59 strikeouts and seven complete games, recording a 3.44 ERA in 83.1 innings. Junior Erica Johnson also has an ERA under 4.00 (3.67), and has struck out 47 batters in 76.1 innings.
 
CERVANTES RECORD WATCH
With her two hits including the two-run home run on Thursday, senior Reanna Cervantes gained Fairleigh Dickinson's all-time record for career slugging percentage with a .529 percentage (minimum 200 at-bats). She also moved into sole possession of second on the all-time home run list with 17 career roundtrippers, and she elevated into a tie for second in program history in RBI (79). Cervantes is in the top 10 in many offensive categories for the Knights, including doubles (second, 36), triples (second, five), hits (third, 149), batting average (third, .320), total bases (third, 246), at-bats (fifth, 465), on-base percentage (.362) and runs scored (seventh, 65).
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Knights enter the weekend with a 6-14 all-time record against Bryant and a 12-22 all-time record when facing Central Connecticut State. The Knights split their two games last year with Bryant, winning 2-0 before falling in the second game, 12-6. Before then, Bryant had won each of the previous five meetings. Ports tossed a five-hit shutout to earn the victory, while Cervantes drove in both runs with RBI doubles in the win and then homered in the second game as well. FDU also split with CCSU last year, winning 2-1 in the first game before suffering a 10-0 loss in game two. Summer Mendoza hit a walk-off RBI single with the bases loaded to help the Knights earn the win against the Blue Devils. Historically, the Knights have fared better playing both teams at home compared to on the road. FDU is 2-8 vs. Bryant on the road compared to 4-6 in Hackensack, and they are 9-9 vs. CCSU at home compared to 3-11 when playing in Connecticut.
 
SCOUTING BRYANT
The Bulldogs (9-26, 5-1 NEC) are at the top of the NEC standings after sweeping Wagner last weekend, scoring 11 runs without allowing a run in either game. The Bulldogs also swept Robert Morris the previous weekend and split with defending NEC champion Saint Francis U, helping them win five of their last seven games overall after a 4-23 start to the season. Sophomore Morgan Powell leads the team with a .353 batting average and 10 stolen bases to go with 11 runs scored, three doubles and seven RBI. Senior Kaleigh Goulart has the team lead with two home runs and 14 RBI to go with 12 runs scored. In the circle, junior Gabrielle Ermish has four wins in 15 appearances and a 2.94 ERA in 71.1 innings to go with 34 strikeouts. Sophomore Sarah McKeveny leads the team with 41 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched and has three wins this season. Bryant was picked to finish fifth in the NEC in the preseason poll.
 
SCOUTING CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE
The Blue Devils (14-16, 1-5 NEC) split their mid-week games this past week after splitting their NEC doubleheader with Sacred Heart on Sunday. CCSU defeated UMass, 6-4, on the road Wednesday before falling at home to Providence the next day, 5-4. Freshman Alexa Milius leads the team with a .366 batting average and has 15 RBI, 13 runs scored and six doubles this season. Freshman Rian Eigenmann leads the team with 37 hits, 23 runs scored and eight doubles while hitting .339, and sophomore Sydney Bolan has nine home runs and 35 RBI to go with 14 runs scored and a .323 average. In the circle, freshman Carley Stoker and sophomore Ashley Antonazzo each have six wins and have combined for all 209 innings for the Blue Devils. Stoker has a 4.59 ERA in 90 innings pitched and leads with 57 strikeouts, while Antonazzo sports a 4.16 ERA and has struck out 37 batters in 72.1 innings while also recording two saves. CCSU was picked to finish fourth in the NEC in the preseason poll.
 
AROUND THE NEC
FDU is currently in seventh place in the NEC standings entering the weekend but is only three games behind first-place Bryant. The Knights are only two wins behind tying for fourth place with three other teams, including Sacred Heart (4-4), Mount St. Mary's (4-4) and Robert Morris (3-3). The Knights this season have splits with LIU Brooklyn (3-1) and Sacred Heart but were swept by Mount, with series remaining against Saint Francis U (5-3), Robert Morris and Wagner (1-3). Wagner and Sacred Heart travel to Pennsylvania this weekend to face Robert Morris and Saint Francis U, while LIU Brooklyn hosts Mount St. Mary's and Bryant as well in other NEC action.
 
UP NEXT
After this weekend, the Knights remain on the road for their next doubleheader, traveling to play in-state rival Rider on Wednesday, April 17, starting at 2:30 p.m.