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 The Catamounts will look to pounce back into the Southern Conference race with key victories at Elon this weekend. A sweep over the Phoenix could put Western Carolina right back into the Southern Conference title hunt. |
March 30, 2007
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina's softball team will play its first Southern Conference road games of the season when the Catamounts play at Elon on Saturday and Sunday.
After dropping the doubleheader last Saturday against Appalachian State, the Catamounts have won three straight games; its longest winning streak of the season.
Western Carolina is currently 14-20 and 1-2 in the Southern Conference. The Catamounts rebounded from the doubleheader sweep by Appalachian State to take the single-game 7-3. The club also got a boost with a midweek sweep of South Carolina State, beating the Lady Bulldogs 10-1, 10-2.
The Catamounts were 6-14 in the first 20 games of the season, with just one home game mixed in. Since the club returned from its spring break trip, the team is 8-6 in the last 14 games. In that span, Western Carolina has seven players hitting above .300 with sophomore Stephanie Beatty leading the way with a .444 batting average. Overall, Beatty leads the team and ranks third in the Southern Conference with a .369 batting average.
Sophomore hurler and first baseman Lauren Ross could have a little to do with the Catamounts success as of late. The Hope Mills, N.C. native is 4-2 in her last six starts on the mound with a 3.00 ERA, 36 strikeouts and one save. She has only allowed four extra base hits on - two doubles and two homeruns. She has also assisted the club with her bat. She has 14 hits, four doubles, five homeruns, 10 runs scored and 22 RBI in the last 14 games.
The team has had its struggles. The injury bug has bitten the Catamounts hard with the club playing with at most 11 players. The team will get a boost in the coming weeks as sophomore big gun Heather Pritchard is slowly being initiated back into the lineup. She was injured on February 21 and saw her first action on the field since the injury on March 28 against South Carolina State.
Western Carolina will face an Elon team that swept the College of Charleston to open Southern Conference play last weekend. Phoenix pitcher Melanie Helterbran is the reigning Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week.
The Catamounts will look to pounce back into the Southern Conference race with key victories at Elon this weekend. A sweep over the Phoenix could put Western Carolina right back into the Southern Conference title hunt.
