CU Softball Preview - vs. Union/Liberty League Play-In (5/11)

Ben Moeller

Softball | 5/10/2023 7:00:00 AM

Back in the conference tournament for the first time since 2019, the Clarkson University Softball team looks for an extended stay as the Golden Knights will take on Union College in the play-in game Thursday morning on the campus of RPI. The winner of the game will move on to the double-elimination tournament, facing the host Rensselaer at 12:30 pm.

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The Series: Union won both games from the Knights in Schenectady a few weeks ago, 2-1 and 8-2. The Dutchwomen's starters pitched to contact and got out of trouble frequently, giving up 18 hits in 14 innings with just three runs allowed.

Key Stats for Clarkson (20-16, 6-8 Liberty League): If the Golden Knights hope for more than just one game in the conference tournament, the team will need to come through in clutch situations against Union on Thursday morning. The Green and Gold are more than capable, with plenty of hitters batting above .300 this season. Elizabeth Greco has ridden a hot streak to push her average to a team-best .373, going 18-for-40 in her last 14 games to raise her batting average 87 points in that time. Bridget Twaits (.372), Zoey Kovach (.367), Emma Sabourin (.348), and Devin Fitzpatrick (.313) have all enjoyed their own hot streaks as well. In the circle, Riley Page and Fitzpatrick have teamed to toss the majority of the innings and own nearly a 5-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio (191 strikeouts-40 walks). Page has been excellent in her last five starts, giving up just three runs (only two earned) in 32.1 innings with 36 strikeouts for a 0.43 earned run average in that stretch.

Key Stats for Union (14-18, 6-8 Liberty League): The Dutchwomen's lineup is hitting .316/.384/.407 for the year, but part of that impressive run comes from Karson Saunders, a leading candidate for conference player of the year. Saunders leads the Liberty League in all three slash categories (.515/.582/.762) and has stolen 22 bases in 23 tries. Without Saunders, Union's numbers drop to .291/.358/.361 with only seven stolen bases. She is far from the only threat in the lineup, however, as Olivia Valery is hitting .412/.434/.549 with 34 runs batted in, a figure that ranks second in the conference. Although Union's hurlers have rather pedestrian numbers overall, Autumn Duff and Amanda Granato were difficult to solve for Clarkson. Duff has a 3.64 ERA and Granato has a 4.33 ERA for the season, but the two scattered 18 hits in 14 innings for a pair of victories against the Knights, despite accumulating only three strikeouts between them. Every Union pitcher has allowed an opponents' batting average of .300 or better.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Riley Page: P/UT; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#5 Bridget Twaits: IF; 5' 4"; Junior; R/R

#3 Devin Fitzpatrick: P/IF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#7 Elizabeth Greco: IF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#16 Emma Sabourin: UT; 5' 4"; Freshman; R/R

#18 Zoey Kovach: C/UT; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#6 Riley Page
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: P/UT

#5 Bridget Twaits
: 5' 4"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#3 Devin Fitzpatrick
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: P/IF

#7 Elizabeth Greco
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#16 Emma Sabourin
: 5' 4"; Freshman; R/R
: UT

#18 Zoey Kovach
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: C/UT