HBU Huskies (12-21, 4-11 SLC) at Sam Houston State (14-25, 6-9 SLC)
April 15-16
Bearkat Softball Complex • Huntsville, Texas
Live Audio | Game 1 • Game 2 • Game 3
Live Stats | Game 1 • Game 2 • Game 3
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The HBU softball team continues Southland Conference play and opens a four-game road swing, visiting Sam Houston State in a three-game series across April 15-16 at Bearkat Softball Complex. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, starting at 3 p.m., before concluding in a 3 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.
The Legacy Sports Network with Bill Cousins will carry the audio broadcast of all three games on HBUHuskies.com, beginning with the pregame show 15 minutes prior to the first pitch of each contest.
The Huskies (12-21, 4-11 SLC) are looking build upon a 2-1 series win over Stephen F. Austin their last time out. In the series, sophomore left fielder
Nicole Shedd torched the Ladjacks at the plate, turning in a .571/1.000/.625 split. The native of Universal City, Texas, went 4-for-7 with one home run, three RBI and one run scored. Senior pitched
Shannon O'Connor went the distance in game two of the series, scattering five hits and fanning a season-high five batters in a 1-0 victory, the second shutout tossed by an HBU pitcher on the season.
Overall, senior pitcher
Laci Belovsky leads the Huskies in the circle, owning a 7-12 record and 4.36 ERA through 25 appearances and 19 starts. Belovsky, who ranks second in the SLC with 14 complete games, has a staff-best 45 strikeouts across 125 and a third innings pitched.
At the plate, senior third baseman
Shay Orsak leads the team with a .337 batting average. Sophomore utility player
Libby Brown (.306) and freshman second baseman
Demi Janak (.300) are also hitting a .300 clip or better, respectively. Janak leads HBU with a .533 slugging percentage, five home runs and 17 RBI. She is tied with Orsak and Shedd for the team mark with six doubles.
The Bearkats enter the series with a 14-25 overall record and 6-9 mark in SLC play to sit tied for seventh place in the standings. SHSU has won its last two conference series, defeating both Southeastern Louisiana and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2-1.
The Bearkats have three players batting over .360 on the season in senior second baseman Dani Allen (.392), senior catcher Katie Doerre (.374) and junior third baseman Breanna Homer (.362). Allen leads team with nine doubles, as five players have six two-baggers or more, while Homer (7) and Doerre (5) have combined for 12 home runs.
The Bearkats have rolled with two pitchers for most of the season in junior Tayler Atkinson (7-9, 4.65 ERA) and freshman Lindsey McLeod (6-8, 4.07 ERA), as the staff holds a 4.83 collective ERA.
SHSU is under the guidance of head coach Bob Brock, in his 15th season at the helm and 32nd overall in charge of the lineup. Brock, who coached Texas A&M to national titles in 1982, 1983 and 1987, finishing as runner-up in 1984 and 1986, has over 1,000 wins to his name.
The Bearkats lead the all-time series, 22-5.
Following the weekend, the Huskies will close their four-game road swing with a 3 p.m. first pitch at Prairie View A&M on April 19.
