CLINTON, S.C. – Officially off to the greatest start to a single season in the program’s 15-year NCAA Division I membership, the Presbyterian College softball team – one of just 10 remaining unbeaten schools in the nation through two weekends – wraps up their 10-game home stand tomorrow afternoon in nonconference action against Western Carolina. First pitch of the Wednesday doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., with a 3:00 follow-up for the second half.
It's been a dream scenario for the Blue Hose through their first eight meetings in 2023, now sitting just one win away from obtaining a new school record for longest unbeaten streak to start a year (the maximum number by a previous PC squad was achieved by the then-D-II ‘07 unit at eight games).
Uncovering a masterclass in defensive determination that has gifted head coach David Williams and co. its perfect opening, the Blue Hose have already blanked five different opponents as part of their unblemished resume, a figure that has currently only been topped by second-ranked and defending national champion Oklahoma.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
- Presbyterian will run into a Western Carolina squad that may have some rust to shake off tomorrow, a Catamount club that hasn’t competed in 12 days since pulling out consecutive wins both by the same score of 1-0 versus Tennessee Tech and Alabama State.
- Regular opponents over the past decade-plus, Wednesday’s Clinton two-parter has the makings of another potential pitcher’s duel if looking purely at statistics for both clubs. Not letting either foe circle the diamond at any point over the season’s first weekend, WCU’s six allowed hits in 15 frames and .128 opposing BA led to starting hurler Tessa Juett being selected as the SoCon Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 13.
- Head coach Jim Clift’s squad necessitated a last-inning score and a first-inning run over their two encounters in order to escape both affairs without an L, having only beaten the Blue Hose at PC’s venue thrice in 12 attempts.
LAST TIME OUT / BLUE HOSE IN NATIONAL RANKS
- Coincidentally also on a 15-inning streak with zero runs conceded, Presbyterian’s prior two shutouts over IUPUI (3-0) and Appalachian State (1-0) have given coach Williams’ bullpen a combined ERA of .063, the fourth-lowest figure among all Division I programs. Senior ace Jenna Greene – the conductor of three shutouts and four complete games all by herself – ranks 13th in the country with 41 total strikeouts, throwing to 103 batters that have only hit .184 off of her.
- Possessing more shutouts than every other pitcher in the United States minus one (South Dakota State’s Tori Kniesche), Greene has been backed by an equally-fantastic pitching duo of sophomore Morgan Hess and freshman Peyton Duncan, giving PC 72 K’s on the year and a mere six scores allowed.
- Holding a point differential of +28 after limiting their last two opponents to scoreless endeavors, the Blue Hose were last seen dishing out some more Greene brilliance in the Appalachian State victory, wherein the Mountaineers were forced into 11 stranded base-runners (seven of which had advanced at least to second).
- Factoring in the 2022 season’s record-breaking expedition, Presbyterian has tallied 31 home W’s while picking up the win in each of their last nine Clinton appearances, currently making serious headway to the ’22 edition’s 14-game win streak overall that spanned well over one month.
- Among the litany of impressive performers on both sides of the field for PC, sophomore infielder Kendall Owens has erupted to the team-lead in batting average (.556), a stat that ranks inside the nation’s top 20. Additionally, the Virginia native’s .652 on-base percentage sits as the 11th-highest figure in the nation.
- Tomorrow’s potential history-maker against the Catamounts can be followed via live stats, with the link for that page included at the bottom or top of this article.
PC vs. Western Carolina Game 1 Live Stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=441134
PC vs. Western Carolina Game 2 Live Stats - http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=441150
NEW INFO:
Stetson Invitational Live Stats: https://gohatters.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
DeLAND, Fla. – Unquestionably one of the hottest programs in the country through the first two weeks of the 2023 journey, the undefeated Presbyterian College softball team – one of only five squads in NCAA Division I with a record of 10-0 or better – puts their prestige to the test with a busy weekend ahead of them on the road for the first time. A five-game invitational hosted by Stetson will include the Blue Hose from Friday-Sunday, wherein PC will meet the Hatters twice, along with two extra bouts against Cornell and another head-to-head with North Florida.
Joining only 15th-ranked LSU in the company of other schools who boast 10 victories on their home turf, Presbyterian extended the program’s best-ever start to a season on Wednesday afternoon by sweeping Western Carolina in Clinton by scores of 5-2 and 6-5. Two of the three opponents for PC in DeLand have never faced the Blue Hose under head coach David Williams’ direction, making for a very intriguing layout down south.
GAME INFORMATION – Friday, February 24
PC vs. Cornell – 3:00 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION – Saturday, February 25
PC vs. North Florida – 12:00 p.m.
PC vs. Stetson – 3:00 p.m. (Stream – HatterVision)
GAME INFORMATION – Sunday, February 26
PC vs. Cornell – 10:00 a.m.
PC vs. Stetson – 12:30 p.m. (Stream – HatterVision)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
- A true sense of unknown will imbue the first bout of the tourney for Presbyterian, taking on a Cornell squad who has yet to take the field on the season. A preseason selection of sixth-place in the Ivy League, longtime head coach Julie Farlow’s club progressed through a record of 17-23 one year ago next to a 3-6 mark in neutral encounters.
- The only obstacle of the Sunshine State trio that is scheduled to play the Blue Hose only once this weekend, North Florida brings a 7-3 resume with them to the tournament with several standout performances to boot. A winner of 42 games last spring before falling in the ASUN Championship game to top-seed Liberty, head coach Jeff Conrad’s team nearly took down sixth-ranked Florida State last night in Tallahassee, falling victim to a tiebreaking solo homer in the 6th frame for a 4-3 decision.
- Possessing a five-game win streak approaching their duties as the host, Stetson rivals Presbyterian in terms of momentum thanks to a 4-3 triumph over #25 UCF on Wednesday evening, utilizing three runs in the bottom of the 7th to claim the W in walk-off fashion. An opening round exit in the ASUN tourney last season, the Hatters seem to have turned the corner in a big way for head coach Shellie Robinson Cousins, claiming an 8-4 record with all of those W’s occurring on their own turf.
LAST TIME OUT / BLUE HOSE IN NATIONAL RANKS
- Holding down an ERA of 1.10 after 70 innings of work, Presbyterian’s pitching roundup of Jenna Greene, Morgan Hess, and Peyton Duncan have continually frustrated each opponent trying to make a dent in that rotation, not allowing a single home run on the campaign to this point behind eight complete games, 91 K’s, and five shutouts.
- That three-headed beast got the job done again in the Western Carolina sweep yesterday, sending 19 batters back with a strikeout over the doubleheader. PC’s offensive tendencies were ramped up in the two victories, finding three separate innings with three scores on the board in order to push their home winning streak to 11 games dating back to 2022.
- Notching 14 K’s or more for the fifth time in her marvelous career, Greene became the first ever Presbyterian pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts in her fifth personal win of the semester, currently holding 87 more than the second-place holder in the school record books. One of 11 players in the country to reach at least five W’s already, Greene has been the centerpiece of a bullpen that is tied for fourth in the nation in earned-run average along with fifth-ranked Clemson.
- Ranking inside the Big South’s top three in 12 major statistical categories, the Blue Hose have featured 15 RBI when faced with a two-out scenario while hitting .360 with runners in scoring position. PC has ended the fourth inning in possession of the lead five times, leading after five in every appearance but one.
- Stat links for each Presbyterian matchup over the next three days can be found below, or at the top of this page. Said link will remain the same for each encounter, as Stetson is represented by Sidearm Live Stats.
Stetson Invitational Live Stats: https://gohatters.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
