UAlbany Softball to Host Stony Brook in Conference Series Showdown
Photo: UAlbany plays three against Stony Brook at home to continue 2013 conference play.
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ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany softball team (19-9, 6-0 AE) will host America East foe Stony Brook University (21-15, 4-2 AE) at Albany Field in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 13, followed by a third game on Sunday, April 14. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
The Great Danes have opened up America East Conference play with two series sweeps. They currently sit in the first place in the conference standings. UAlbany defeated the University of Hartford in a doubleheader on Friday, March 29, 1-0 and 9-4. Then again on Saturday, March 30, 2-1. The Great Danes improved to 6-0 in conference with wins at Maine on Sunday, April 7, 5-2, 8-4 and Monday April 8, 1-0, in 11 innings.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK
The Seawolves pushed its winning streak to nine straight games with a doubleheader sweep of Sacred Heart on Wednesday, April 10. Sophomore Shayla Giosia leads the team with a .314 batting average, starting all 36 games. She has a team-high 55 total bases and 25 RBIs. As a unit, Stony Brook bats .263 and have combined for 14 homers and 125 RBIs. Junior Christine Lucido is among the elite in terms of America East pitchers. She is 9-1 this season with a conference-best 2.01 ERA.
LAST GAME VS. UALBANY
UAlbany defeated Stony Brook, 6-5, in a 2012 America East elimination game that sent the Great Danes to the conference championship. UAlbany scored four runs in the third inning. Current junior Taylor Franich hit an RBI-triple in the inning. Great Dane junior Brittany MacFawn came in to shut the door on Stony Brook to grab her first save of the season.
SNAGGING BASES
UAlbany has stolen an America East-high 52 bases to begin 2013. Leading the charge on the basepath is freshman Annie Johnson. In 27 games this season, she's stolen 22 bases. Sophomore Vicky McFarland, who stole 23 bases last season, is second with 12 steals. Johnson has hit the national radar in terms of stolen bases. As of April 7, her .83 steal-per-game average ranked third in all of Division I softball.
NO FREE BASES FROM MACFAWN
Junior Brittany MacFawn has walked just 17 batters in 126.1 innings this season. Her conference-leading 141 strikeouts give her a K:BB ratio of over 8:1. As of April 7, MacFawn ranked 10th in all of Division I in terms of walks per seven innings (.98). The right-handed hurler tossed her third career no-hitter against Hartford to open up conference play on March 29. Less than a week later she threw a one-hitter against Siena -- one out away from a perfect game.
MCFARLAND SHOWCASING STRONG SOPHOMORE CAMPAIGN
Reigning America East Softball Rookie of the Year, Vicky McFarland, has emerged in 2013 as a veteran leader for the Great Danes. She leads the team in five statistical categories including, batting average (.326), runs scored (24), total bases (51), hits (31) and home runs (5). She ranks second in stolen bases (12) and doubles (5). She also has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. McFarland has started every game for UAlbany since joining last season. The outfielder is quickly approaching a milestone 100th start – she's started 78 straight.
DANES' WIN STREAK SETS NEW PROGRAM RECORD
UAlbany won 14 consecutive games from March 15- April 7. Over the span, the Great Danes outscored opponents 107-41. They twice won on the eight-run mercy rule and strung together five shut-out victories. The team scored a season-high 14 runs twice, tying the second most for single-game runs in Division I program history (15 in 2004). Their 14-game win streak set a Division I program record.
GREAT DANES ARE TOP DOG DOGS IN PRESEASON POLL
UAlbany and Boston University, who played in the 2012 America East Softball Championship, were announced on Monday, Feb. 4, as co-favorites in the conference preseason coaches' poll. UAlbany is coming off a 36-14 overall record and second place finish, 13-5, in the America East. After defeating both Maine and Stony Brook in elimination games, the Great Danes fell just short of crowning themselves conference champions for the fifth time. UAlbany and Boston U. each received three first-place votes and 32 points in a vote of the league's head coaches.
ON DECK
UAlbany will next travel to Manhattan for a doubleheader against the Jaspers. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16.
