TOWSON, Md. – About the only thing safer these days for opposing hurlers than pitching to Towson's sizzling quartet of
Holiday Cahill,
Shelby Stracher,
Brook Miko and
Kendyl Scott is juggling porcupines.
Over Towson's last eight games, its human cheat codes (Cahill, Stracher, Miko and Scott) have been crushing balls with ferocious force during a recent offensive fusillade that's been a sight to behold. In helping Towson win seven of its last eight games, they have combined for an insane batting average of .470.
As Towson travels to the College of Charleston for a key Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) weekend series, it will try to stay hot and continue moving up the conference standings.
With a sweet swing that sings, Cahill has been the chief destroyer, hitting at a .522 clip (12-for-23). Meanwhile, Stracher (.478) and Miko (.464) have combined for six home runs and 28 RBIs during the Tigers last eight games. Scott has energized the lineup from the leadoff spot by connecting at a .429 clip.
Olivia Yarbrough (.345) and
Caroline Reid (.333) have also been smashing the ball all over the field for the Tigers, who are hitting .356 overall as a team during this awesome stretch.
While Towson's offense has been firing on all cylinders over the last eight games averaging 8.3 runs per game, the pitching duo of
Megan Dejter and
Ambar Hickman have been superb as well, compiling a combined 1.92 earned run average during that stretch.
TEAM RECORDS: Towson is 29-11 overall and 6-5 in the CAA. Charleston is 26-20 and 4-8.
AGAINST CHARLESTON: The Tigers are 4-9 all-time against the Cougars. Towson swept the Cougars last season in a three-game series by outscoring them, 27-5. In its last visit to Charleston in 2014, Towson didn't win a game. However, it earned a bit of revenge by defeating the Cougars, 8-6, in the CAA Tournament. Towson has won four straight against the Cougars.
AROUND THE CAA THIS WEEKEND: Drexel visits Hofstra, Delaware travels to James Madison and Elon is on the road at UNCW.
MIKO'S MOMENT: Miko was named CAA Player of the Week after hitting .500 (7-for-14), driving in six runs, scoring four runs and spending plenty of quality time on the bases. The energetic and tenacious Miko helped Towson enjoy a strong week in which it won three out of four games.
SCOTT'S GOING INTERNATIONAL: Scott was named to the British National Softball Team recently. Scott's first International competition will be July 14 when she participates with the British Team in the 2016 WBSC XV Women's World Softball Championship in Surrey, Canada.
SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS IN JEOPARDY: Stracher, who already set the single-season home run record last weekend against Elon, is closing in on more single-season marks. With 51 RBIs, Stracher needs three to surpass
Missy McCormick's record of 53 set in 2014. Stracher is seven runs shy of passing Mandy Bean's mark of 47 set in 2008. Yarbrough is six stolen bases shy of passing Rachel Miller's total of 23 in 2011.
YARBROUGH CLIMBING: Concluding an illustrious career, Yarbrough is ranked among the top 10 all-time in runs scored (137, third), stolen bases (42, fourth), hits (195, sixth), walks (65, sixth) and at-bats (642, 10th). She's four runs away from becoming the all-time program leader in that category. With five hits, Yarbrough will be the sixth player in program history with 200 hits.
LEAN-MEAN RBI MACHINE: Cahill is 11 RBIs from becoming the eighth player in program history to reach triple figures for her career. She is currently 12th all-time in program history in RBIs with 89.
ON DECK: Towson concludes its regular season with an eight-game homestand beginning with a non-conference doubleheader against Villanova on Tuesday, April 26. The first game starts at 2:30 p.m.
