Softball 4/8/2022 8:19:00 PM

Trojans Return Home to Host the Lions of Lincoln University (Pa.) in a Doubleheader

ETTRICK, VA – The Trojans are still atop the Northern Division standings as they stand tall at 8-2 in the conference and 3-1 in divisional play after hammering Shaw in a doubleheader on the road. The Lady Bears were able to stick around in the first game as the Trojans took to victory 5-1 prior to getting blasted in game two 18-2 in just five innings.

Head Coach Jameshia Smith and Assistant Coach Rasheeda Crew currently lead a squad that is scattered throughout the national rankings and conference rankings. The Women's Softball team is currently ranked ninth in the nation (Leads Conference) in batting average (.356), 27^th in doubles per game (1.77), 37^nd in on-base percentage (.395), 24^th in slugging percentage (Leads Conference) (.524) and fifth in triples per game (Leads Conference) (.59). Of 12 players on the team, eight players average a .300 batting average or better.

The Trojans are led by veteran Samantha Cunningham who leads the team in batting average (.509), OPS (1.323), doubles (9), RBI (18), on-base percentage (.569) and slugging percentage (.754). Cunningham is still ranked fourth in the nation, first in the conference in batting average and sixth in the nation and first in the conference in on-base percentage. She also ranks 13^th in the nation in doubles per game with .45 and first in the conference with an OPS of 1.359.

One of the freshman sensations on this team, Hailey Darrington, currently hits .476 (second on the team) while leading the team in stolen bases going 9-of-9 on the base paths with a big fly on the season. She is also second on the team in slugging percentage (.738), second in on-base percentage (.511) and second in OPS (1.249).

Two-time CIAA Rookie of the Week, Alaijah Pratt, leads the team with 72 at-bats, 31 hits, 25 runs, 43 total bases, and four triples (Leads the conference). Pratt is also third in conference in batting average with a .449. Pratt ranks eighth in conference in slugging percentage (.623), eighth in OPS (1.081), third in runs scored (23) and ties for first in hits (31).

Macy Beville wields a big bat as well as she also has a two homeruns on the season batting a .377 (fourth on the team). Beville also has 13 RBI so far and adds another 12 herself.

Julia Jones has been hot as of late as she looks to improve upon her four-game hitting streak. Jones earned Geico Trojan of the Week honors after maintaining a .421 batting average with six runs against NSU, ECSU and SU last week.

The pitching rotation averages just 3.55 earned runs per contest, which ranks them second in the conference.

Alaijah Pratt has been lights out in the circle this season with a 3.23 ERA, which ranks her first on the team and second in the conference while she also leads the team and is second in the conference in wins with four. Pratt is 25^th in the nation in the fewest walks allowed per game with .81. The freshman is seventh in the conference in opposing batting average (.314), third in losses (3), fifth in runs allowed (30), fourth in earned runs allowed (24) and first in fewest walks (6).

Desmyn Owens is the ace of the squad as she leads the team in innings pitched with 59, batting average for opposing hitters with .262 (fifth in the conference) and strikeouts with 50 (fourth in the conference). Owens ranks fifth in the conference in innings pitched (59), third in batters that struck out looking (16), second in wins (5), eighth in earned runs allowed (30) and ties for first in home runs allowed (1).

Julia Jones leads the outfield with 35 putouts while Samantha Cunningham leads with 44 assisted outs on the season (tied for first in the conference). Alaijah Pratt ranks ninth in the conference in assisted outs with 35. Catcher, Machenze Flood, ranks seventh in the conference with 88 putouts. The Trojans will look to clean up their play defensively as they have 35 errors so far this season, which ranks them seventh in the conference.

Weekend Schedule
Saturday, April 9
Virginia State vs. Lincoln (Pa.)
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. *Ettrick, VA *VSU Softball Field

About Lincoln (Pa.)
The Lincoln (Pa.) Lions are 4-22 overall and 3-5 in the CIAA. Since the CIAA Softball Round-Up, the Lions are 0-4 with losses against Goldey-Beacom and Bowie State. The squad will look to get back to their winning ways as they went on a three- game win-streak in the CIAA Softball Round-Up. The Bears maintain a .259 from the plate with a .320 on-base percentage. Amaya Townsend has been a hard out all season as she currently leads her team in doubles (8) (third in conference), on-base percentage (.484) (fifth in conference), OPS (1.127) (third in conference), RBI (17) (fifth in the conference), slugging percentage (.644) (fifth in conference) and batting average (.407) (ninth in conference). Townsend enters the matchup red hot after going 6-6 against Bowie State her last time out. Irlyn Richardson has been a terror on the base paths this season swiping 16-of-17 bags (Second in the Conference) while leading the squad in hits (25) (seventh in conference). Tia Brown is the ace of the rotation as she leads the team with a 7.35 ERA. Brown has pitched 74.1 innings this season with 49 strikeouts (fourth in conference) and 50 walks. She allows batters to hit .337 against her, has allowed 118 hits in the season and has allowed 78 earned runs. She has earned a season-high six strikeouts against Washington Adventist, St. Augustine's and Winston-Salem.

Series History
The Trojans are 14-0 against the Lions in matchups dating back to 2011. VSU scores an average of 12.57 runs against Lincoln (Pa.). The closest the Lions have gotten to taking a victory was in 2013 when they lost 5-4. The last matchup, VSU pummeled LU 11-1 in five innings after scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning and scored one in the bottom of the third.

Next Five Matchups