George Washington University Athletics
Softball Set for Home Debut
2/20/2019 11:12:00 AM | Softball
Colonials host Mount St. Mary's, Lafayette for doubleheaders
LAST TIME OUT: GW had last weekend off after a 3-2 showing at the Gardner-Webb Tournament to open the season. The Colonials split a pair of doubleheaders before dropping Georgetown, 11-2, in five innings to clinch a winning start.
Jessica Linquist paced the Buff and Blue at the plate, earning Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors after hitting .429 with four extra-base hits, including the first two home runs of her career. Making her return to game action after recovering from a knee injury, the junior from New Jersey knocked in eight runs and scored five times over the five games.
Sierra Lange was named A-10 Pitcher of the Week after earning two wins and a save in four appearances on opening weekend. The sophomore hurler compiled a 2.52 ERA in 16 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts against two walks. She also hit .357 (5-for-14) with five runs scored.
OFF AND RUNNING: After setting a GW record with 32 steals a year ago, Marta Fuentes is off to a fast start this spring. The senior shortstop went 6-for-6 on steals at the Gardner-Webb Tournament. With 1.20 steals per game, she ranks tied for fifth nationally so far.
Fuentes had plenty of opportunity to showcase her speed on the bases after totaling eight hits in 16 at-bats. She recorded at least one hit in all five contests with three multi-hit efforts.
BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER: GW returned most of its lineup after hitting .328 as a team last spring to rank fourth nationally. In their debut under first-year head coach Shane Winkler, the Colonials displayed familiar offensive fireworks, hitting .331 as a group and averaging 5.8 runs per game on opening weekend.
The Buff and Blue pounded out 42 hits at the tournament, 10 of them for extra bases. Eleven different Colonials have recorded hits so far with Sidney Bloomfield leading the way with a .636 batting average (7-for-11).
SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S: The Mountaineers started the season last weekend with a 1-4 mark at the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern. Morgan Alisauckas led them at the plate by hitting .438 (7-for-16) with four runs scored.
GW leads the all-time series, 11-8-1. The teams most recently split a doubleheader at the Vern on March 11, 2014.
SCOUTING LAFAYETTE: The Leopards come to the District for their season debut. Maddie Wensel (.322, 5 home runs) is the top returner for the Patriot League squad.
GW has beaten Lafayette seven times in eight tries, including a pair of victories last season at the Vern as part of its Buff and Blue Challenge. The Colonials rolled to a 9-0 win in five innings on the first day of the tournament before holding off the Leopards, 7-6, to advance to the title game.
ON DECK: Next week, GW makes its final non-conference road trip of the spring with five games at the Carolina Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C. from Feb. 28-March 3. After that, the Colonials are slated to play 17 in a row at home, starting with a doubleheader vs. Howard on March 5.
