The Game: Towson Tigers (11-16, 3-3 CAA) vs. UNCW Seahawks (15-11, 6-0 CAA)
When: Friday and Sunday, Mar. 22 & 24 – Friday double header starting at 1 p.m., Sunday single game at 1 p.m.
Where: Tiger Softball Stadium – Towson, Md.
How To Watch: Live stream on FloSoftball on Friday and Sunday, live stats at TowsonTigers.com
Series History: Towson leads 36-24

TOWSON, Md. – Towson softball will welcome first-place UNCW this weekend for a key CAA series. The weekend schedule will be altered due to impending weather in the area this weekend. The two will now play two games on Friday starting at 1 p.m. with the series finale on Sunday also starting at 1 p.m. Towson has lost their last two with a 9-0 loss at George Washington and a 12-4 loss against George Mason this week.  

The game against the Seahawks will air on FloSoftball, with live stats available for both games at TowsonTigers.com.

Towson leads the all-time series 36-24 against UNCW. However, the Seahawks swept the season series last year in Wilmington.

LEADER OF THE PACK:
Head coach Lisa Costello will coach her 29^th season at the helm of the Tigers in 2024 with a career record of 797-702-3 during her tenure in Towson. Costello led the Tigers to their sixth championship game appearance under her guidance and is 31^st among active Division I head coaches in wins entering the season.

WELCOME TO TOWSON:
Seven newcomers will don the black and gold for the 2024 season with six freshmen and one transfer joining the Tigers. Junior pitcher Alyssa Bostley comes to Towson after spending two seasons at Creighton. The Wisconsin native appeared in eight games for the Blue Jays, throwing 17.2 innings with eight strikeouts.

Six freshmen will start their careers with the Tigers this season. New Jersey natives Amanda Medina and Macie Jacquet, Pennsylvania natives Brooke Zuber and Sequoia Dunlap and Maryland natives Faith McCullough and Taylor Broadbent will make their collegiate debuts in 2024.

IN THE CIRCLE:
Towson brings back Maddie Gardner who led the team in every pitching category in 2023. The Wisconsin native threw 168.2 innings with a 16-8 record, 18 complete games, three shutouts and two saves. She struck out 137 batters with a 3.47 ERA. The Tigers also return Cheyenne Beayon, who played a key role in the Tigers run to the title game after throwing a complete game against top seeded Delaware. Beayon ended 2023 with a 5-7 record in 97.1 innings with 28 strikeouts and seven complete games.

Erin Brown and Morgan Wagner return for the Tigers. Brown comes back after an injury ended her season after 10 appearances and seven starts. Wagner returned from injury in 2023 and made 14 appearances, throwing 40.0 innings.

Transfer Alyssa Bostley will help bolster the pitching staff after transferring to Towson from Creighton. Bostley made eight appearances with the Blue Jays, throwing 17.2 innings with eight strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE INFIELD:
The Tigers will return their entire starting infield from a year ago with seniors Mackenzie Lake and Ally Hickman manning the left side of the infield at shortstop and third base respectively. Lake was the team's best offensive player a year ago batting .383 with 69 hits, nine doubles, five triples, six home runs and 38 RBIs. Lake earned All-CAA First Team honors last season. Hickman hit .239 with 28 hits, seven doubles and 17 runs batted in.

Classmate Cori Jones started every game at second base last season and will return for her senior campaign. Jones hit .305 with 53 hits and nine doubles. Kristin Toland took over every day first base duties last year midway through her first playing season after redshirting in 2022. Toland hit .232 with 22 hits, three doubles, two home runs and 14 RBIs. For her efforts, Toland was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team.

Sophomore Addie Ferguson returns after seeing time behind the plate. Ferguson recorded 22 hits with five doubles, three home runs and 17 RBIs in her first season with the Tigers. Ferguson earned All-CAA First Team honors while also being named to the All-Rookie Team.

OUTFIELD LEADERS:
Two of the three starting outfielders from a year ago are back for Towson with junior Elizabeth Yoskowitz and sophomore Cara Bohner returning on the corners. Yoskowitz started 45 of the 52 games she played, collecting 25 hits with a triple and six stolen bases, batting .243. She made a game saving grab in the seventh inning to push Towson into the championship game last year. Bohner batted .280 in 46 games with 33 hits, eight doubles, two home runs and 26 RBIs, earning CAA All-Rookie Team honors.

Towson also returns Isabella Canesi, who made 42 appearances and nine starts during her rookie campaign in 2023. Canesi had three hits including a big home run in the conference tournament against Elon to help propel the Tigers through the winner's bracket.

FACTS AND FIGURES:
Towson will return all but two players from last year's team with only one being a regular starter in All-CAA outfielder Briana Ramirez. 81 percent of the team's hits and 89 percent of the team's run production returns for the 2024 season.

Head coach Lisa Costello can also reach a milestone in 2024. Costello is just five wins away from 800 for her career. The Tiger head coach is 31^st amongst active head coaches in Division I in wins entering the 2024 season.

Ally Hickman and Sydni Byers are currently riding a five and four game hit streak respectively. Both Hickman and Byers have also reached base in those amount of games, with Grace Franczyk having reached safely in her last seven games.

2024 SCHEDULE:
Towson opens the 2024 campaign down in Spartanburg, S.C. at the Spartan Classic hosted by USC Upstate. The Tigers open on February 9^th against Loyola Chicago and Toledo while also played South Carolina State and host USC Upstate. After spending the first three weekends in the Carolinas, Towson will make its home debut against Coppin State on Wednesday, Feb. 28 before hosting the TU DeMarini Invite Feb. 29-Mar. 3.

The Tigers open CAA play the following weekend with a home series against Hofstra in a rematch of the 2023 CAA championship. The 2024 CAA Championship will take place May 8-11 down at UNCW in Wilmington, N.C. The top six teams will qualify for the tournament with the top two seeds getting first round byes.

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS:
UNCW comes to Towson at 15-11, 6-0 CAA sitting atop the conference standings. The Seahawks are coming off a pair of losses at Duke on Wednesday and are 5-5 on the road compared to 9-5 at home this season. Skylar Stockton leads the team at the plate slashing .391/1.090/.578 with 11 RBIs and 25 hits. Mary Sobataka leads the Seahawks with 17 runs batted in. Emily Winstead and Kara Hammock have been a lethal 1-2 punch for the Seahawks in the circle, both sporting ERAs under 2.00. Winstead has struck out 47 batters while Hammock is just behind her at 45.

ON DECK:
Towson will conclude their home stand with a midweek matchup against Morgan State on Tuesday, Mar. 26. First pitch with the Lady Bears is set for 2 p.m. on FloSoftball.