BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The LIU Brooklyn softball team is headed to Western Pennsylvania trip to face Robert Morris and Saint Francis U. in doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday for the team's last NEC regular season road trip. The Blackbirds (26-14) are off to a 7-1 start in the Northeast Conference, to hold first place in the standings at the midway point of league play. Following the pair of double dips this weekend, LIU will come home for their final two matchups in the NEC against CCSU and Bryant next weekend.
NEWEST NEC ACCOLADES
A pair of Blackbirds were honored this week for the first time by the Northeast Conference, as Alina Castillo and Samantha Garcia were named Player and Rookie of the Week on Tuesday.
Castillo, a sophomore infielder Castillo went 6-for-10 at the plate with two doubles, five runs batted in and five runs scored in three games, while Garcia, a freshman infielder had a 6-for-8 week at the plate with five runs batted in, as the Blackbirds went 2-1 overall 2-0 in league play with a sweep of Wagner.
BLACKBIRD BITS
- In non-conference action on Thursday, LIU shut out Saint Peter's 7-0 as Blackbirds sophomore Emily Collins (2-for-4, run scored, stolen base) was able to play her older sister, Schieler (0-for-2), a senior outfielder for the Peacocks, in a collegiate softball game against each other for the first time.
- The pitching in that game was on point with starter Elena Valenzuela and reliever Victoria Lowe giving up only one hit each.
- Speaking of pitching, through the first eight NEC games, the Blackbirds are pitching to a 1.10 earned run average in 51.0 innings to date, with junior Tallie Woodson (1-0) owning a zero ERA in 3.2 innings, while Valenzuela is 4.-0 with a 0.78 ERA in 27 innings and Lowe is 2-1, with a 1.72 ERA in 20.1 frames.
- LIU
- Now with only two weeks left in the regular season, LIU leads the Northeast Conference in wins (26) and earned run average (2.89).
- The Blackbirds also continue to lead the NEC in fielding percentage this year at .972, which is also 25th overall in the NCAA.
ROBERT MORRIS •
North Athletic Complex • Moon Township, Pa.
LIU vs. the Colonials: The Blackbirds lead the all-time series 40-26 and are on a three-game win streak dating back to game one of the 2017 regular season doubleheader in Moon Township. A highlight from last year: then freshman outfielder
Ryleigh Bermea slugged a three-run homer in to closeout a 12-3 win game one win in Brooklyn.
Scouting report: The Colonials are led offensively by Abriel McCartney with team highs in batting (.314) and runs scored (23). Right behind her is Natalie Higgins with a .301 average and a team high 20 runs batted in. Dana Vatakis (19 starts, 8 wins) and Laura Coulter (14 starts, 2 wins) are the likely starters in the circle for RMU.
SAINT FRANCIS U. • Red Flash Softball Field • Loretto, Pa.
LIU vs. the Red Flash: Over the past three seasons, the NEC title has been captured in either Brooklyn or Loretto, with the Blackbirds last winning in 2016 and the Red Flash going back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. Last season, SFU knocked out LIU in the championship game to earn the title.
Still, LIU holds an all-time 39-18 mark over SFU, but have dropped the last six meetings, since a tournament matchup in 2016.
Scouting report: The Red Flash have a high-powered offense with a.286 team batting average, while leading the league in runs by a huge margin. Senior Hayley Norton leads the team in batting (.373) and RBIs (51), while soph Mackenzie Saban leads with 52 runs scored and holds a .362 average. Two freshmen, Meadow Uncapher (95-6, 4.90 ERA) and Chrsitina Clark (10-8, 5.08 ERA) lead the team on the mound.
LAST MIDWEEK MATCHUP NEXT
As the calendar turns to May, the Blackbirds will go to nearby Piscataway N.J. to take on the Big Ten's Rutgers on Wednesday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m.