EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State looks to keep its offensive spark alive this weekend when it heads east to play in the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C. The Spartans will play five games over the weekend which includes games against Elon, Boston University (RV), Villanova and No. 6-ranked Duke. Play gets underway for the Spartans at Duke Softball Stadium at 12 p.m. on Friday, February 23 when MSU meets Elon. Michigan State's weekend concludes on Sunday, February 25 with a 10:30 a.m. game against Elon. All games will have live stats and stream on ACC Network Extra via ESPN+.
Elon is 4-5 this season, going 1-4 at the Marucci Classic in Raleigh, N.C. last weekend with a win over North Dakota State (7-5, 8 inn.). The Phoenix fell to NDSU, UConn, and NC State (x2).
Elon is led on offense by Mauri Murray who is hitting .440 with four home runs and 12 RBI. Her four long balls ranks No. 11 in DI. Allee Seering is hitting .300 with two home runs and 11 RBI.
As a team the Phoenix are hitting .239 with a 5.89 ERA.
Taylor Cherry leads the team in ERA at 3.91 over 14.1 innings pitched. Opponents have hit .286 off of her in the circle. McKenna McCard leads in innings pitched (16.1) with a 4.29 ERA.
Boston is 10-0 and is receiving votes in the NFCA and USA Softball polls. They are ranked No. 25 in the D1Softball poll. Last weekend Boston defeated Queens (x2), Charlotte (x2) and Canisius.
BU's offense is hitting .340 on the season led by Lizzy Avery's .545 average and the .543 average of Lauren Keleher. Keleher has three home runs and 12 RBI, and her 19 hits rank No. 3 in DI.
Kasey Ricard was last week's NFCA DI Pitcher of the Week and enters the weekend with a 0.62 ERA over 33.2 innings pitched. Ricard's 47 strikeouts rank No. 2 nationally and she has thrown four shutouts.
Allison Boaz has posted a 1.14 ERA in the circle over 24.2 innings.
Villanova is 3-5 and went 1-2 last weekend with a win over George Mason (10-7) and losses to James Madison and George Mason.
The Wildcats are hitting .233 as a team, but have shown power with 10 home runs in eight games.
Lilly St. Jean leads the team hitting .350 followed by Tess Cites at .346. Brooklyn Ostrowski has hit two home runs to lead the team.
Caroline Pellicano leads Villanova with 20.0 innings pitched along with a 2.45 ERA in five appearances and two complete games. Kat Gallant has pitched 16.2 innings with a 5.46 ERA. Alyssa Seidler owns a 0.70 ERA in a limited 10.0 innings of work.
Duke is ranked #6 in the USA Softball poll and #8 in the NFCA Coaches Poll this week after going 4-0 at the FIU Invitational with wins over Rutgers, FIU and Army (x2). The Blue Devils outscored opponents 26-1.
Duke is hitting .358 on the season with 12 home runs, led by Kelly Torres hitting .500, Claire Davidson hitting .481 and Aminah Vega hitting .433. Ana Gold is hitting .360 and leads Duke with three home runs and 14 RBI.
In the circle, former Spartan Jala Wright owns a 0.79 ERA over 17.2 innings allowing opponents to hit just .105 against her. As a team, Duke has posted a 1.02 ERA for the season.
Only #1 Oklahoma and Iowa State have scored multiple runs against the Blue Devils.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
ABOUT ELON
Elon is 4-5 this season, going 1-4 at the Marucci Classic in Raleigh, N.C. last weekend with a win over North Dakota State (7-5, 8 inn.). The Phoenix fell to NDSU, UConn, and NC State (x2).
Elon is led on offense by Mauri Murray who is hitting .440 with four home runs and 12 RBI. Her four long balls ranks No. 11 in DI. Allee Seering is hitting .300 with two home runs and 11 RBI.
As a team the Phoenix are hitting .239 with a 5.89 ERA.
Taylor Cherry leads the team in ERA at 3.91 over 14.1 innings pitched. Opponents have hit .286 off of her in the circle. McKenna McCard leads in innings pitched (16.1) with a 4.29 ERA.
ABOUT BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Boston is 10-0 and is receiving votes in the NFCA and USA Softball polls. They are ranked No. 25 in the D1Softball poll. Last weekend Boston defeated Queens (x2), Charlotte (x2) and Canisius.
BU's offense is hitting .340 on the season led by Lizzy Avery's .545 average and the .543 average of Lauren Keleher. Keleher has three home runs and 12 RBI, and her 19 hits rank No. 3 in DI.
Kasey Ricard was last week's NFCA DI Pitcher of the Week and enters the weekend with a 0.62 ERA over 33.2 innings pitched. Ricard's 47 strikeouts rank No. 2 nationally and she has thrown four shutouts.
Allison Boaz has posted a 1.14 ERA in the circle over 24.2 innings.
ABOUT VILLANOVA
Villanova is 3-5 and went 1-2 last weekend with a win over George Mason (10-7) and losses to James Madison and George Mason.
The Wildcats are hitting .233 as a team, but have shown power with 10 home runs in eight games.
Lilly St. Jean leads the team hitting .350 followed by Tess Cites at .346. Brooklyn Ostrowski has hit two home runs to lead the team.
Caroline Pellicano leads Villanova with 20.0 innings pitched along with a 2.45 ERA in five appearances and two complete games. Kat Gallant has pitched 16.2 innings with a 5.46 ERA. Alyssa Seidler owns a 0.70 ERA in a limited 10.0 innings of work.
ABOUT #6/8 DUKE
Duke is ranked #6 in the USA Softball poll and #8 in the NFCA Coaches Poll this week after going 4-0 at the FIU Invitational with wins over Rutgers, FIU and Army (x2). The Blue Devils outscored opponents 26-1.
Duke is hitting .358 on the season with 12 home runs, led by Kelly Torres hitting .500, Claire Davidson hitting .481 and Aminah Vega hitting .433. Ana Gold is hitting .360 and leads Duke with three home runs and 14 RBI.
In the circle, former Spartan Jala Wright owns a 0.79 ERA over 17.2 innings allowing opponents to hit just .105 against her. As a team, Duke has posted a 1.02 ERA for the season.
Only #1 Oklahoma and Iowa State have scored multiple runs against the Blue Devils.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
