FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team will begin a four-game series against Sacred Heart on Saturday and conclude on Sunday. The teams will play doubleheaders, with the first set of games being played on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and on Sunday at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Series Info
FDU (2-14, 2-12 NEC) at Sacred Heart (8-14, 6-8 NEC)
Game 1: Saturday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. – Pioneer Park
Game 2: Saturday, April 17 at 3:00 p.m. – Pioneer Park
Game 3: Sunday, April 18 at 12:00 p.m. – Pioneer Park
Game 4: Sunday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m. – Pioneer Park
FDU student-athletes will be allowed two guests to attend each home contest
Coverage: Watch |
Live Stats
In-Game Updates: @FDUKnightsSB
All-Time Series
SHU leads 23-15
Streak…W1
First Meeting…2001 (SHU 6, FDU 0)
Last Meeting…3/30/19 (FDU 3, SHU 2 F/11)
NEC Season Format and Preseason Poll
There will be a 32-game conference schedule that will be played in a round-robin (four-game series) format over eight weeks from March 20-May 9. The NEC will only have four teams qualify for a double-elimination NEC Championship that will take place from May 13-15. FDU was predicted to finish seventh in the NEC Preseason Poll.
Scouting the Pioneers
Sacred Heart began NEC play with series splits against both LIU and Merrimack, before beating Wagner twice and dropping four to CCSU. The Pioneers offense is led by junior Alyssa Gonzalez who leads the team in homers with seven, RBI's with 20, and average with a .305 average. Senior Caroline Kruger leads the Pioneers in runs scored with 14, hits with 21, at-bats with 69, and stolen bases with four, while also batting .304. Senior Colleen Walsh leads the SHU pitching staff with a 3.18 ERA in 66.0 IP with 56 strikeouts and has started 10 games.
More on the Pioneers
Scouting the Knights
FDU split the last series they played against Mount St. Mary's as they won game one and lost in game two. In game one, junior
Alayna Savaglio pitched a complete game shutout, allowed only four hits, and struck out a career-high 15 batters. Savaglio also drove in two RBI's in the win over the Mount. Earlier in the week, Savaglio pitched a complete game and only allowed one run in a victory against SFU. Graduate student
Madison Emerson leads the FDU offense with a .333 batting average, two homers, 10 RBI's, and 26 total bases. Fellow graduate student
Summer Mendoza has 13 hits on the year, scored eight runs, and has 17 total bases. Junior
Courtney Mahoney ranks second on the team with a .286 batting average, has four doubles, and four RBI's. On the hill, Savaglio leads the team with a 2.88 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, 58 strikeouts, and three complete games.
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Coach Foye's Thoughts
"Alayna not only pitched another great game but finally got her bat going helping her self out by getting two RBIs early in the first game starting the momentum leading to our first win at home. Courtney is the definition of a great team player and leader. She played three different positions today contributing at all of them. She pitched a shut inning and made great plays in both center and left field. On the offensive side she continued to stay hot with the bat with a few extra base hits."
"
Riley Phillips played big for us in the first game getting on base three times with two big hits that gave us a spark on the offensive end. She is a competitor who always gives her all and it showed today. Cassidy's home run was a huge hit in the second game that put us back in it to make it 6-4 after being down 6-0. She has a knack of coming up with big hits when we need it. Maddie had a few hits today but her biggest hit was a 2 out hit in the 7th inning of game two that gave us hope for a game winning rally but we just fell short."
"We fought hard once again after falling behind we just need to find a way to score more early and often so we aren't in the position to have to try and come from behind like we have been doing in most games."
What's Next
FDU will travel to Drexel for a mid-week series on Thursday, April 22 for a double-header beginning at 2:00 p.m.
