Spartans Softball Returns Home for Series Against Lions
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa softball team returns to Naimoli Family Softball Field for the first time since February 2, as the Spartans have hit the road in consecutive weeks.
The Matchup: University of Tampa Spartans (7-4, 2-1 SSC) vs. No 16 Saint Leo University Lions (10-3, 0-0 SSC)
Date/Time: Friday, February 21 - 6:00 p.m. || Saturday, February 22 - 1:00 p.m. (DH)
Location: Naimoli Family Softball Field || Tampa, Fla.
Series History: Saint Leo leads the series, 66-61, but the Spartans have found recent success against the conference rival. Tampa secured two wins in last year's three game series which completed the regular season for UT. Ultimately, the series victory propelled the Spartans to their first postseason appearance since 2015. Additionally, Tampa is 7-3 over the last ten games with the Lions.
Last Time Out: Tampa visited West Palm Beach to face off against Palm Beach Atlantic in an extraordinarily long weekend. In game one of the opening conference series, the two programs battled for 17 innings and UT was victorious in a 2-0 ballgame in which Corynn Miner pitched a complete game shutout. In game two, the weather played a factor in a four-hour delay. The Spartans defeated the Sailfish, 5-3, as Miner and Maddie Farrell logged three hits a piece, and Mariah Galhouse registered her third collegiate victory in her fifth start. In the final game of the series, Tampa battled back from a five-run deficit to tie the game with three runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh. However, PBA earned their first win in conference in the tenth inning, capping off a 34-inning series. Emalee Jansen tied her career-high with three RBI in the game three. Last weekend, UT totaled at least 10 hits in all three games.
About the Spartans: Tampa's led by their dual-threat, red-shirt junior Corynn Miner, who leads the team in RBI (7), runs scored (10), and victories in the circle. The right-hander has made seven appearances as the Spartans workhorse, compiling a 4-2 record (0.46 ERA) and allowing just three earned runs over 46 innings pitched. Miner is tied for the team lead in HR (2) with Bailey Phillips, and ranks second on the team with 12 hits. Mariah Galhouse, a freshman from Spring Hill, Fla., leads the team with 14 hits. Galhouse owns a 3-1 record in the circle with a 1.30 ERA over 27 innings pitched. Phillips, a junior from Jupiter, Fla., ranks second on the team in RBI (6), while her four hits have all been for extra-bases, tied for the team lead with two doubles and two home runs. Additionally, Phillips leads the team with four hit-by-pitches, a category in which she led in 2019 as well. Tampa's averaging 3.27 runs per game on offense, while the pitching staff has logged four shutouts in 11 games.
About the Lions: Saint Leo hosted a tournament last weekend against Flagler College and Virginia-Wise. The 16th-ranked Lions run-ruled Virignia-Wise, 11-0, in five innings to begin the weekend and shutout Flagler in game two on Saturday. On Sunday, Virginia-Wise took down SLU in the seventh inning of a 3-2 ballgame. Saint Leo capped off the weekend with their third win in four games with a 5-4 result over Flagler. Erin Kinberger's in her sixth season at the helm for SLU, as the former Lion has guided her alma mater to four consecutive NCAA postseason appearances. Senior shortstop, Kacie Kelly, was recoginzed by the NFCA on their preseason DII National Player of the Year watch list. Kelly earned the recogintion for the third straight year as the Jacksonville native is a three-time First Team All-SSC standout. Over the first 13 games, Kelly's posted a .500 batting average with 18 hits in 36 at-bats, leading the team with three doubles and six stolen bases. Bethany Kursch has made six starts in eight games played, however, the senior leads the way with 10 RBI in 16 at-bats. Sarah Pauscher, a senior from Illinois, has recorded 12 hits while leading the team with nine walks. Additionally, Pauscher's tied for the team lead in HR (1), ranks second for Saint Leo in stolen bases (5) and ranks third in RBI (7). The Lions' pitching staff has seen five different starters in the circle, while Madi Mott leads the way with six starts in nine appearances. Mott's tossed three complete games and has struckout 41 batters in 39.2 innings pitched. Kayla Betts, a freshman pitcher from Leesburg, Fla., has compiled a 3-1 record in six appearances. More impressively, Betts has not allowed an earned run in 17.1 innings pitched while she's struck out 23 batters in 60 at-bats.
Watch Live: Fans may watch the game through TampaSpartans.tv. Live stats are available through TampaStats.com.
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