TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University softball team returns to North Carolina this weekend when it participates in the Charlotte 49er Classic. The Tigers will play two games each on Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24.
 
Off to a 6-3 start, the Tigers will meet Oakland at 11 a.m. each day. Towson will battle Charlotte at 1:30 on Friday and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Through two weeks, Towson's fast start has it ranked among the national leaders in several team categories and at the top of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). In addition, Madison Wilson, Brook Miko, Shelby Stracher and Daria Edwards are ranked among the top in a lot of individual categories.
 
The Tigers are 13th in runs scored (7.5), 19th in batting average (.346), 21st in slugging percentage (.520), 25th in on-base percentage (.416), 37th in triple per game (.033), 45th in doubles per game (1.56) and 49th in home runs per game (0.89). Towson, which has scored six or more runs five times this season, leads the CAA in all of those categories.
 
Wilson has enjoyed a strong start to the season. She's eighth nationally in hits (18) and doubles (five). In addition, Wilson is 26th in doubles per game (.056) and 29th in batting average (.545). Wilson has an 11-game hitting streak dating back to last season. She also has a trio of three-hit games this season.
 
Miko's three home runs lead the CAA. She's 33rd nationally in that category and 58th in home runs per game (.033). Miko is 23rd in runs per game (1.33). Miko and Stracher are each 47th in the nation in runs batted in per game (1.33). Wilson (.583) and Edwards (.559) are first and second, respectively in the CAA and among the top 100 nationally in on-base percentage.
 
This is the second of three tournaments in which Towson will play in North Carolina. The Tigers will participate in the UNC-Greensboro Tournament on March 16 & 17.
 
Here's a brief look at Towson's competition this weekend.
 
Charlotte
Members of the Atlantic-10 Conference, the 49ers enter the tournament with a 5-4 overall record after losing both games to USC-Upstate by 4-1 and 3-2 scores on Tuesday. Three of Charlotte's wins this season have been against fellow CAA conference opponents, Elon (5-2 & 6-3) and UNCW (7-3). Haley Pace (.414), Becca Shipper (.391), and Kiersten Berrier (.345), lead the 49ers offense. They have combined for 31 hits and 15 runs. Charlotte's top pitchers are Haley Weisman (2.47 ERA, 39 strikeouts) and Carson Pace (1.24). Towson will most likely see one or both of the pitchers.
 
Oakland
Members of the Horizon League, the Golden Grizzlies enter the tournament with a 2-6 overall record. They have lost four straight games after being swept in a doubleheader by No. 1 ranked Florida, 6-2 and 10-0 on Wednesday night. Madison Jones went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and scored a run in the opening game. In the second game, Oakland had two hits, one by Jones and the other from Mikayela Marciniak. Oakland's leading hitter is Natalie Herrington (.417 average). Jones leads Oakland with seven hits and she has a .389 batting average. Oakland's wins this season were against Florida Atlantic and UMass-Lowell.
 
Odd Nugget
The softball squad will be the third Towson team to play Oakland this season. Volleyball edged Oakland, 3-2 in September while men's basketball dropped a 97-86 decision in December. Both of those games were in Michigan.
 
Up Next
Towson opens its home schedule by hosting the Towson Invitational beginning Friday, March 3. The Tigers will host St. John's, Quinnipiac and Bucknell.  There will be three games each day starting at 10 a.m. A complete tournament schedule is listed on www.towsontigers.com.