Softball Travels to 2013 Citrus Classic in Orlando
2/21/2013 9:59:58 PM | Softball
VIDEO: Interview with Head Coach Annie Smith
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern Softball enters the third weekend of the season with five games in the 2013 Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. The Eagles enter the weekend at 6-3 including a pair of extra innings defeats. The weekend begins on Friday afternoon against Boston University at 12:15 p.m. GSU faces Wisconsin on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Last weekend Georgia Southern had an excellent weekend which included the program’s first perfect game, a trip to extra innings with top-ranked Alabama and a come-from-behind win over the 2012 Atlantic Sun Conference Champions.
Sarah Purvis anchors the Eagle pitching staff with back-to-back SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors. Purvis has fanned 46 batters in 35.1 innings so far this season. Sophomore Brooke Red took a hard-luck loss last weekend in her first decision of the season and has a 2.10 ERA. Junior hurler Allie Miles picked up her first win of the season last weekend over Akron and has a 2.41 ERA.
Kourtny Thomas has provided the power this season with three home runs and nine RBIs. The junior is slugging .656 in her second season in Statesboro. Shelby Morrill leads the team with a .375 average. She has been walked eight times this season and holds a .545 on base percentage.
Last season the Eagles fell 3-2 to Wisconsin in the opening weekend of the year in extra innings. The Badgers are 4-1 on the year, travelling to Charlotte two weeks ago. The lone blemish on the season for Wisconsin is a 5-3 loss to Presbyterian College on the opening day of the season. The Badgers atoned for that loss a day later with a five-inning, 8-0 win over the Blue Hose.
Boston University opens the 2013 season this weekend. The defending America East Champions were picked to repeat in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll along with Albany. Strong pitching paced the Terriers last season, as they posted a league-best 1.93 team earned-run average. All-America East First Team standouts Brittany Clendenny (shortstop), Jayme Mask (outfield) and Emily Roesch (second base) will carry an offense that was third in the league scoring 238 runs.
Next weekend, Georgia Southern is back at home for the 2013 Eagle Classic at Eagle Field. Alabama State, Florida International, Kennesaw State and South Carolina will be in town for the three-day tournament from the friendly confines.
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