PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College softball team is set to play Bryant University on Tuesday, March 26 at 3:00 p.m. and the University of Rhode Island on Wednesday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m. in mid-week nonconference matchups.
LIVE STATS LINK:
https://friars.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
SCOUTING PROVIDENCE:
Providence played its first BIG EAST series of the season on Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25 in Queens, N.Y. The Friars went 1-2 over the weekend against St. John's, losing the opener, 5-1, before splitting the doubleheader on Sunday. Providence is now 15-12 on the season and 1-2 in the conference.
Emma Lee (Orange, Calif.) remains the focal point in Providence's lineup. She has a team-high .403 batting average while tallying 31 hits in 77 at-bats. Lee is tied for second on the team in RBI (12) with
Vanessa Portillo (Chatsworth, Calif.). The Friars have a balanced lineup when it comes to power, with nine separate players tallying a home run.
Hadley Tate (Yarmouthport, Mass.) leads the team in that category (three). Providence has five players hitting above the .300 mark, with its team average sitting at .260.
Daniela Alvarez (Santa Ana, Calif.) and
Megan McCune (Orange, Calif.) have started 19 of the teams 27 games. Alvarez sits at 8-4 overall with a 2.14 ERA while McCune is 6-4 with a 2.35 ERA. McCune went 1-1 over the weekend in Providence's split in the doubleheader against St. John's on Sunday, March 24.
SCOUTING BRYANT:
The Bulldogs sit at 4-22 on the season. Out of their four wins, three have come in their last five games. The team defeated Saint Peter's and Fairfield (twice) before losing to Stony Brook, 6-0, heading into Tuesday's contest.
Bryant is led by Sophomore Morgan Powell at the plate. Powell is hitting .281 on the season with three RBI. Senior infielder Kaleigh Goulart has been productive with runners on base, bringing in 10 of the team's 43 RBI. The Bulldogs will look to beat teams with situational hitting rather than power, as they only have three home runs in their 26 games.
Three players have made at least five starts in the circle, Gabrielle Ermish, Sarah McKeveny and Colby Norris. Ermish holds the teams lowest ERA (3.10) with a 1-7 record. McKeveny has earned two of the teams four wins, pitching 50.2 innings and recording a 4.97 ERA.
SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND:
Rhode Island is currently 11-13 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The Rams travelled to Saint Joseph's to open A-10 play over the weekend and got swept by the Hawks, being outscored 27-2 in the three games.
Ari Castillo leads the team in batting average (.394) and hits (28). She is also tied for second on the team in home runs (three). The Rams have hit 16 home runs on the season, all coming from five players. Sami Villarreal and Erica Robles are the other players hitting above .300. The duo has combined for 26 RBI and five home runs.
Becca Rogers and Sarah Gunderson have started 10 out of team's 11 wins. Rogers has a 2.38 ERA and 6-4 record compared to Gunderson's 2.71 ERA and 4-4 record. Julia Waraksy has been their workhorse out of the bullpen. Waraksy holds the teams lowest ERA (1.96) in 12 appearances, pitching 25 innings.
ON DECK:
Providence will continue conference play with a doubleheader against Creighton on Saturday, March 30 and the series finale on Sunday, March 31.