George Washington University
ETSU
Softball Heads to Carolina Classic
2/16/2023 8:52:00 AM | Softball
Buff and Blue to play four games in Columbia, S.C.
WASHINGTON - A week after opening the season in Spartanburg, S.C., GW softball is heading back to South Carolina, this time to Columbia for four games at the Carolina Classic. Hosted at the University of South Carolina, GW will go up against ETSU (5:30 p.m.) on Friday, South Carolina (3 p.m.) and Western Kentucky (5:30 p.m.) on Saturday and Delaware (10 a.m.) on Sunday. Saturday's game against South Carolina will be streamed on SEC Network plus, while the rest can be tracked live using the live stats links on the online schedule.
Upstate Classic Recap:
GW opened the season last weekend with three games at the Upstate Classic. The Buff and Blue started the season at 2-1 after beating Bucknell in a thrilling seventh-inning comeback and splitting games against Maine. The final games of the weekend, against USC Upstate and Bucknell, were canceled due to inclement weather in the area.
Newcomers Making an Impact:
Seven newcomers highlight GW's roster this season (six first-years and one transfer) - all seven of whom played impactful innings on opening weekend.Â
First-years Rose Cano, Emma Fales and Lily Hanafin rounded out GW's opening-weekend pitching staff. Cano earned a 2-0 record after pitching 11 total innings in two starts against Bucknell and Maine, while adding four hits and one run of offensive output. Fales had a 2.00 ERA after pitching seven innings in relief over two games, and Hanafin, who started GW's second game, allowed just one hit in three innings of work.
Along with fresh faces on GW's pitching staff, the Colonials' starting lineups were flush with newcomers. First-years Reese Torres, Ashley Corpuz, Daniella Lew and Cano, along with graduate-transfer Arizona Ritchie each earned one or more starts on opening weekend.
Familiar Faces:
Retuners Mia Parker, Maggie Greco, Darbie Stancil and Sidney Torres started all-three games over the weekend for the Buff and Blue. S. Torres and Parker were among GW's top offensive performers. S. Torres batted 4-8 with one home run, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Parker was 5-12 with two RBIs and five runs scored.
In five at-bats for Greco, she walked twice and later stole a base. Stancil played mostly in the field for GW over the weekend and kept a 1.000 fielding percentage, while also going 1-1 at the plate.
Abby Schaub hit her first collegiate home run over the weekend, a three run blast in GW's 9-4 win over Maine.
Sophomore Taylor Puig and senior Daniella Wilson also saw action over the weekend. Puig was hit by a pitch in her only at bat, while Wilson scored a run as a pinch runner.Â
Alena Ramirez started two games but played in all three, earning one walk in six tries.Â
Scouting the Competition:Â
ETSU:Â
East Tennessee State University went 0-3 on opening weekend at the Charlotte Invitational. ETSU dropped its games to Campbell (8-4), Miami (OH) (3-2) and Charlotte (8-1), before having their final games against South Carolina canceled.
ETSU is coming off a 2022 season in which they went 8-48, including 4-14 as members of the Southern Conference.Â
Cheryl Milligan is in her first season as the interim Head Coach of the Bucs.
South Carolina:
South Carolina also spent opening weekend at the Charlotte Invitational. The Gamecocks went 2-1 in their three games. They opened with a loss to Charlotte (9-1, 5 innings), before taking down Miami (OH) (5-4) and Campbell (10-9).
In 2022, the Gamecocks were 26-30 overall, including 3-21 in the Southeastern Conference.
South Carolina is led by Beverly Smith in her 13th season as head coach.
Western Kentucky:
WKU played in the Florida Spring Games on opening weekend and left with a 1-4 record. The Hilltoppers beat Butler (10-0, 6 innings), but dropped two games apiece to Michigan (2-5 & 2-5, 9 innings) and Minnesota (4-7 & 2-10, 6 innings).
WKU was 38-13 a season ago, which included a 17-7 record in Conference USA and a trip to the Conference USA Tournament Championship, where it lost 9-0 (5 innings).
Amy Tudor is in her tenth season leading the Hilltoppers.
Delaware:Â
The Blue Hens opened their season at the Bearkat Classic, where they went 4-0 with wins over UTSA (6-1, 4-2), Sam Houston State (11-1, 6 innings) and Northwestern State (7-4). Delaware then went to the Houston Invitational, where it dropped its lone game to Houston (1-0).
In 2022, Delaware finished the season with a 29-16 overall record and 11-4 record in the Colonial Athletic Association.Â
The Blue Hens are led by Jen Steele in her fifth season as head coach.Â
