UE looks to build on solid opening
After traveling north to the Chicago area for its opening weekend, the University of Evansville softball team heads in the opposite direction to Mobile, Ala. for the Jaguar Challenge.
The University of South Alabama is the host with the Purple Aces also set to face Louisiana Tech and Austin Peay.
Evansville posted a 3-2 record at last weekend’s Total Control Sports Invitational in Rosemont, Ill. The Aces opened the year with a win over defending Mid-American Conference Regular Season Champion Miami Ohio to open the season before defeating Western Illinois and Green Bay later in the weekend.
Jessica Fehr had the top weekend for UE, batting .500 while finishing with an on-base percentage of .706. Fehr recorded five hits in ten at-bats while drawing seven walks. She scored a team-high four runs. Freshman Hannah Hood led the team with six RBI in the first weekend of action. She batted .300 while recording three walks and two runs.
Eryn Gould and Alyssa Barela each posted a pair of home runs in Rosemont while leading the team with 10 total bases apiece. On the basepaths, Halie Fain accumulated four steals in four attempts. Her tally ranks second in the MVC.
UE’s pitching staff did an admirable job to open the year, finishing the first five games with a 2.26 ERA. Izzy Vetter earned the win over Green Bay to go along with a save. She fanned 23 batters in just 16 2/3 innings. Emily Lockhart earned two victories, defeating the RedHawks and Leathernecks.
Louisiana Tech will be the first opponent of the weekend. The Lady Techsters are coming off of a 45-16 campaign in 2019 that saw them go 19-5 in Conference USA en route to the league championship. They advanced to the Baton Rouge Regional. In their opening weekend, La Tech went 1-4. Next up is Austin Peay. The Governors picked up 33 wins last season and began the 2020 schedule by splitting two games against Chattanooga.
South Alabama picked up 18 victories a season ago and are 1-5 through their opening six games. Four of the five losses came to Power Five schools Notre Dame, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.
