Softball Heads To The Nation's Capital For District Invite
3/2/2016 10:22:00 AM | Softball
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NEW YORK - After taking home a pair of victories over Big 10 Maryland last weekend, the Columbia softball team (2-3) will return to action this weekend as its heads to the nation's capital for the District Invite on March 4-6.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, March 4
3 p.m. - Columbia vs. George Washington (GW Softball Field)
Saturday, March 5
11 a.m. - Columbia vs. Robert Morris (Nats' Youth Academy)
Sunday, March 6
11 a.m. - Columbia vs. Maryland (Nats' Youth Academy)
1:30 p.m. - Columbia vs. Georgetown (Nats' Youth Academy)
COLUMBIA STORYLINES
The Lions head into their second weekend of action with a 2-3 record after taking away a pair of wins from Maryland last weekend at the FAU Invite. During the five-game stretch, the Lions combined for 13 runs on 33 hits while batting .256.
GET IT, GOTT IT, GOOD
Sophomore Maddie Gott led the way at the plate for the Lions in the season-opening weekend, hitting .353 (6-for-17) with a home run and a pair of RBI for a .529 slugging percentage. The home run came in the first inning against Maryland on Feb. 25 to help lead the Lions to their first win of the 2016 season, defeating the Terps, 4-1.
TALKING ABOUT TROUTT
Sophomore Taylor Troutt had a strong opening weekend at the plate for the Lions as well, leading the team with a .667 slugging percentage after picking up a double and a home run while adding four walks for a .500 on-base percentage. The second baseman also picked up 10 assists and 15 put outs while going error-free in her five games. Because of her performance in Boca Raton, Troutt earned a spot on the Ivy League weekly honor roll.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
GEORGE WASHINGTON (All-Time Series Record: 2-0-0, Last Win: March 11, 2007, 6-1)
George Washington heads into the weekend with a 2-5 record after a pair of wins on the road against Norfolk State last Saturday. After the opening weekend in North Carolina was cancelled, the Colonials dropped all five games at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, California. Monica Macchiarulo led the way with a .500 batting average after going 11-for-22 with a double and three RBI for a .545 slugging percentage while Paige Kovalsky posted up a .389 average with a team-leading four doubles and five RBI. Sarah Costlow led the way in the circle for GW, picking up a 2-1 record with a 1.33 ERA after 26.1 innings of work, picking up nine strikeouts while holding opponents to a .267 batting average.
ROBERT MORRIS (All-Time Series Record: 0-1-0, Last Win: N/A)
Robert Morris enters the District Invite with a 2-11 record after dropping its last 11 games and are coming off a tough matchup against then-No. 10/12 JMU at the Macado's Invitational in Harrisonburg, Virginia, last weekend. Jordan Gurganus leads the way with a .442 batting average after going 19-for-43 in 12 games while adding two RBI and a pair of stolen bases. Kaitlin Ellzy has been the go-to in the circle for the Colonials, picking up the only two wins for Robert Morris while posting a 3.26 ERA and a .293 opponent batting average in 38.2 innings of work.
MARYLAND (All-Time Series Record: 3-4-0, Last Win: Feb. 28, 2016, 4-2)
Maryland heads into the weekend with a 5-10 record after dropping a pair of games to the Lions last weekend at the FAU Invitational. The Terps did battle back and take down host-FAU in an 11-inning battle, 8-7, in the nightcap on Saturday, Feb. 27. This season, the Terps have played against a pair of top-10 teams in then-No. 6 Oregon (L, 7-2) and No. 5 Alabama (L, 1-0 & L, 10-5) and FAU was receiving votes during the time of their meeting. Leading the way is Kristina Dillard who holds a .388 average with a team-high 11 RBI after hitting three doubles and a home run this season for a .510 slugging percentage. Martin Madison has been dominant in the circle this year for the Terps, posting up a 1-0 record and 1.73 ERA after 32.1 innings with the majority coming out of the bullpen and has held opponents to a team-leading .267 batting average this year.
GEORGETOWN (All-Time Series Record: 0-2-0, Last win: N/A)
Georgetown heads into the weekend with a 2-10 record after picking up an 8-2 win over Fairfield at the Carolina Classic last weekend in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Leading the Hoyas this season has been the offensive duo of freshman Sarah Bennet (.333 avg., 4 2B, 3 HR, 15 RBI) and Samantha Giovanniello (.324 avg., 3 2B, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 6 BB). The Hoyas pitching staff has struggled in the early goings of 2016, posting up a 7.83 ERA while allowing opponents to hit .363 this year.
