TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University softball team begins its first of three consecutive Tuesday games against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opponents when it hosts Norfolk State in a doubleheader at the Tiger Softball Stadium. First-pitch is 2 p.m.
These two games conclude a six-game homestand for the Tigers (13-20), who enter the game after losing three games to 13th-ranked James Madison over the weekend. In four games last week, the Tigers hit .260 and had 13 extra base hits.
The hottest and most consistent Tiger has been junior centerfielder
Kendyl Scott. She's been a powder keg at the top of the Towson lineup fueling Towson's offense. Last week, Scott hit .500 (7-for-14) and had a 1.071 slugging percentage. Scott had her first career four-hit game in her last outing against James Madison on Sunday in an extra inning loss. She also scored three runs.
Scott's .342 season average is 17th in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). In being relentless as rain, Scott leads the conference in triples (four), is ninth in slugging percentage (.553), 10th in hits (39) and 10th in RBIs (24). Scott also has eight outfield assists. With nine career triples, Scott is tied for ninth all-time in program history.
Sophomore rightfielder
Nicole Stockinger has also swung a hot bat lately. She hit .417 last week and extended her hitting streak to a season best six with a three-run double Sunday against JMU. For the season, Stockinger is hitting .309. She leads the CAA with 11 doubles. She's one of three Towson players with at least 30 hits on the season.
Also hitting over .300 for the season are
Daria Edwards (.321) and
Shelby Stracher (.303). Stracher's five home runs lead the Tigers and are tied for ninth in the CAA.
CAHILL MILESTONE: With her run in the second inning against James Madison on Saturday,
Holiday Cahill became the 13th player in program history to score 100 career runs. She is 13th all-time in program history in that category. In addition with 36 career doubles, Cahill is tied for eighth all-time in program history. She needs six doubles to become the seventh Tiger to record 40 career doubles.
MEAC DOMINANCE: Towson is 56-8 combined against MEAC opponents in program history. The Tigers have won 11 consecutive games against MEAC teams since dropping a 10-7 decision to North Carolina A&T in 2014. Towson will host Morgan State on April 18 and Delaware State on April 25. The Tigers also added a home doubleheader against Howard on Wednesday, April 19.
A LOOK AT NORFOLK STATE: Norfolk State is 9-16 overall after being shutout in three games at Morgan State over the weekend. The Spartans were outscored 19-0 and haven't scored a run in 27 innings. Norfolk State hasn't scored a run in four straight games. The top hitter for the Spartans is Devon Bitler, who is hitting .378. She has 28 hits. Hunter Halford and Kylee Lopez lead Norfolk State with four home runs each. Halford's 18 RBIs and 3.30 earned run average are team bests.
UP NEXT: Towson hits the road for a critical three-game series at Elon (26-13 overall, 5-4 CAA). The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and conclude the series with a single-game on Sunday at 1 p,m. The Tigers took two out of three from the Phoenix last season. Norfolk State hosts Howard Saturday.
