STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
The Canisius softball team will close out the tournament portion of its 2017 schedule Saturday and Sunday when the team travels to Emmitsburg, Md. to take part in the two-day Mount St. Mary’s Invite. The Golden Griffins are 11-13 on the year after going 2-2 last weekend at the Battle at the Beach, which was hosted by FGCU in Fort Myers, Florida.
Canisius’ 11 wins are the second-most for any team in the MAAC. Marist (13 wins) leads the way for the conference. The Griffs have played more games (24) than any other team in the league (as of March 23). The Blue and Gold has played its share of close games this season, with nine of the team’s first 24 contests being decided by just one run. Canisius is 2-7 in one-run games this year. The Griffs played the nation’s top-team, Florida State, on March 15 on FGCU’s campus. That marked the first time Canisius has played the country’s top-ranked softball team since May 20, 2005 when the Griffs played No. 1 Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship. The Griffs enter this weekend’s event ranked second in the MAAC in runs scored with 91.
Canisius junior Madi Weathers was named the MAAC Pitcher of the Week March 21 – the second time this season she’s earned the league’s pitcher of the week honors. Weathers went 1-1 with a save and a 0.78 ERA last week in three appearances. She picked up her second shutout of the season March 17 when she went the distance and fanned seven in a 3-0 win over Cleveland State. The Westminster, California native leads Canisius and is tied for the MAAC lead with five wins this season, and her three saves ranks tops in the MAAC and seventh-best in the nation.
As a team, Canisius is batting .277 on the year, which ranks third-best in the conference. Senior Samantha Sharkey leads the way at the plate for Canisius with her .354 batting average. Sharkey saw her career-long 11-game hitting streak come to an end March 15 vs. Florida State. Sophomore Lauren Castro is hitting .347 on the year. She is tied for the MAAC lead in hits (26) and doubles (9), while leading the conference in in total bases (44). Of the Blue and Gold’s 177 total hits this season, 48 have been for extra bases. The team has 33 doubles to its credit so far, with seven players having at least two or more two-base hits to their credit.
Cornell is 2-5 on the season, having played fewer games than any other Division I softball team in the nation. Canisius and Cornell have met 20- times previously, with the Big Red leading the series 12-8. Mount St. Mary’s is led by former Niagara player Anna Nagro. The Mountaineers are 5-14 this season. The Griffs have played the Mount seven times in program history, with Canisius coming out on top in five of those contests. Morgan State is 7-8 this season. The Bears have won three of their last four games. Canisius is a perfect 6-0 all-time against Morgan State, with the last meeting coming at the 2011 UMBC/Coppin State Invitational in Baltimore.
After playing 27-straight games away from home, Canisius will open the home portion of its 2017 schedule Wednesday, March 29 with a doubleheader against Buffalo. Game one between the Griffs and the Bulls is set for 4 p.m., at the Demske Sports Complex.
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