SLU Lions Visit Friday
3/31/2016 4:24:00 PM | Softball
Starting the week with three consecutive victories over non-conference opponents, the Sam Houston softball team faces a crucial Southland Conference series this weekend with Southeastern Louisiana.
The Bearkats and the Lions meet in a 3 p.m. doubleheader Friday and complete the series with a 3 p.m. single game Saturday. Sam Houston is 2-7 in league action but those games came against first place McNeese State, second place Nicholls on the road and fifth place Northwestern State.
The Lions enter the weekend two games ahead of the Kats in the standings. SLU is 4-5 in Southland play and 18-15 for the year.
Sam Houston defeated Texas Southern 7-0 Tuesday night and swept a doubleheader from Sun Belt member Louisiana-Monroe by scores of 3-2 and 6-2 Wednesday. In each of the games the Sam women had strong performances both in the pitching circle and at the plate.
“We are lining it up right now. We had good performances offensively, defensively and pitching wise this week,” Sam Houston head coach Bob Brock said. “We're young, but we've got some talent on this team and we have some players that are stepping forward.”
Third baseman Brianna Homer owns a team best nine-game hitting streak and has posted at least one hit in 14 of her last 15 games. The junior owns a .648 slugging average with six double, a triple and six home runs.
Second baseman Dani Allen has hit safely in the Kats' last five games and leads the team with a .396 average. Catcher Katie Doerre has a hot hand as well with a .394 hitting mean. Allen, Doerre and Homer have combined for 29 multiple hit games this season.
Designated player Ashley Goetz (.312), shortstop Tiffany Castillo (.284) and outfielder Bailey Watson (.217) have been delivering at the plate. Right fielder Samantha Belongia and Goetz hold the team's third longest hitting streaks with four games in a row.
Lindsey McLeod, Taylor Atkinson and Jordan Franks led the Bearkats in the circle. The Kats have played well defensively as well, post double plays in both wins over the ULM Warhawks.
