NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont Softball plays an adjusted OVC road schedule this weekend to avoid inclement weather headed for the region. The Bruins (20-8, 1-3 OVC) travel to take on Jacksonville State (17-17, 5-1 OVC) on Friday before returning to the Volunteer State to face off against Tennessee Tech (9-23, 0-6 OVC) on Sunday.
The Gamecocks have won three of their last four outings to stand at 17-17 overall and 5-1 in conference play. JSU is led at the plate by Taylor Beshears, who is batting .380 with 46 hits, nine doubles, two triples, five homeruns and 24 RBI.
Inside the circle, Faith Sims has thrown the lion's share of time, logging 122.0 innings to the tune of a 2.24 ERA with 83 strikeouts and an 11-7 record.
Jacksonville State leads the all-time series, 27-7, including sweeping the doubleheader in Nashville one year ago.
Tennessee Tech will be looking to snap a seven-game skid when it hosts the Bruins. The recent flurry of losses have the Golden Eagles standing at 9-23 overall and 0-6 in the OVC. Hallie Davis leads the team at the plate, batting .313 with 20 hits, four doubles, one triple, five homeruns and 13 RBI. Raegan Sparks is right behind her, batting .309 with 25 hits, five doubles, six homeruns and 19 RBI.
Taylor Waldrop leads the pitching corps, tossing 85.2 innings. She has recorded 57 strikeouts with a 4.33 ERA to the tune of a 5-7 record.
TTU leads the all-time series, 29-12. The teams split last season in Nashville.
Belmont has five batters hitting over .300, led by senior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.), batting .385 with eight homeruns, 30 hits, eight doubles, a triple and 24 RBI. Classmate Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) follows, sporting a .345 batting average with 30 hits, three doubles, one triple, six home runs and 19 RBI. Sophomore Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) is right behind them both, batting .312 with 29 hits, four doubles, one triple and nine RBI.
Inside the circle, sophomore Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.) remains the Bruins' ace, tossing 110.1 innings, recording a whopping 134 strikeouts to the tune of a 1.40 ERA and an 11-3 record. Rouse sports a 6-1 record and a 2.05 ERA after tossing 41.0 innings with 16 strikeouts. Freshman Alicia Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) rounds out the pitching corps, throwing 40.2 innings to the tune of a 3.44 ERA, a 3-4 record and 27 strikeouts.
Several players have distinguished themselves in national statistical categories, including Lee, who is No. 3 in shutouts and 27th in strikeouts and juniors Hayley Baker (Rockwall, Texas) and Chelsea Thomas (Hot Springs, Ark.), who are both ranked 10th in sacrifice flies.
Friday's first pitch at Choccolocco Park is slated for 3 p.m. versus JSU while Sunday's doubleheader with TTU in Cookeville is set for a Noon start. Live stats will be available for both. Friday's games can be seen live online via the OVC Digital Network.
