HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Lady Railsplitters (9-5) return to Dorothy Neely Field for the first time since February 8 this week to host four nonconference contests. Lincoln Memorial, who is coming off of a doubleheader sweep at the hands of No. 4 North Georgia, will host the winless Bluefield State Big Blues (0-8) on Wednesday before welcoming the Virginia-Wise Cavaliers (4-6) to town for a doubleheader that was rescheduled from early February.
 
Schedule/Gameday Links:
 
Wednesday, March 8 vs. Bluefield State (2pm) - Live Stats
Wednesday, March 8 vs. Bluefield State (4pm) - Live Stats
Thursday, March 9 vs. Virginia-Wise (1pm) - Live Stats
Thursday, March 9 vs. Virginia-Wise (3pm) - Live Stats
 
Quick Hits:
 
-The Lady Railsplitters were handed a pair of losses by the No. 4 nationally-ranked North Georgia Nighthawks in Dahlonega, Ga. on Friday. In game one, North Georgia pitchers Kylee Smith and Amber Johns combined to throw a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts in a 4-0 win. In game two, the Lady Railsplitters committed four errors and left seven runners stranded on base in a 9-1 loss in five innings. The two losses dropped LMU to 2-7 all-time against North Georgia - the 2015 NCAA Division II National Champions.
 
-Despite the game-one loss to North Georgia, junior right-hander Brianna Taylor (Ooltewah, Tenn.) turned in a strong outing in the circle for the Lady Railsplitters, allowing just four hits and two earned runs over six innings of work. It was Taylor's second solid performance against a nationally-ranked opponent, as she allowed just four hits and one run against No. 2 West Texas A&M earlier this season in Tucson, Ariz. Unfortunately, she took the loss in both of those games and sits at 5-3 on the season.
 
-Junior outfielder Ashlea Hunter (Woodruff, S.C.) was the only player to have a hit in both games against North Georgia, posting a single in game one and two. The centerfielder has hit safely in seven consecutive games to lift her batting average to .333, which is the fifth-highest average for the Lady Railsplitters.
 
-Senior Jennifer Moose (Statesville, N.C.) accounted for the lone run of the doubleheader for Lincoln Memorial with a solo home run in the top of the fifth in game two. Moose - a 2016 All-Southeast Region selection - is hitting .341 with two home runs, eight RBI, 12 runs scored and four stolen bases. She has multiple hits in four of her first 14 appearances.
 
-Freshman righty Justice Smith (Rockmart, Ga.) looks to bounce back from a rough outing against North Georgia during which she allowed a season-high nine hits, six earned runs and seven walks to fall to 4-2 on the season.
 
-Kelsie Hocutt (Wendell, N.C.) has hit safely in nine of her last 10 games. For the season, the sophomore infielder is sporting a .395/.438/.581 slash line with 17 hits, five doubles, a home run and eight RBI.
 
-The Lady Railsplitters are making their first appearance at Dorothy Neely Field since taking both ends of a doubleheader against Lees-McRae on February 8. The weather hasn't cooperated since then, as Lincoln Memorial had to postpone home games against Virginia-Wise, Lee and Limestone. 
 
Notes on Bluefield State:
 
-The Big Blues are 0-8 and have been outscored this season by an incredible 129-9 margin. That includes 19-0 losses to Elizabeth City State and Lenoir-Rhyne, a 23-0 loss to Bluefield College and a 17-0 loss to Clarion.
 
-Bluefield State is batting .162 as a team with just 25 hits through its first eight games. Of those 25 hits, only four have gone for extra bases. The Big Blues have also struck out 50 times and drawn just seven walks.
 
-Infielder Emily Day, shortstop Ashley Rasnake and outfielder Lauryn Hatfield are the only everyday players hitting above .200 for Bluefield State. Hatfield leads that group with a .267 average and two doubles, while Day and Rasnake have four hits apiece and .222 averages. Aside from Hatfield, Day and Lyndsay Hatfield are the only other players with an extra-base hit for the Big Blues.
 
-The pitching stats are even uglier for Bluefield State as three pitchers have combined for a sky-high 16.84 earned run average and a .427 batting average against. Emily Day has thrown 24 of a possible 37 innings for the Big Blues, allowing 49 hits, 34 earned runs and walking 28 over that span. She leads the team with a 9.92 ERA. Casey Spencer and Ashley Rasnake have combined to throw 13 innings. Over that span, they have cooperatively allowed 55 earned runs, 35 walks and 44 hits.
 
-Bluefield State has committed 32 errors through its first eight games for an .831 fielding percentage. Lauryn Hatfield and Marceda Lee lead the team with four apiece.
 
Notes on Virginia-Wise:
 
-The Cavaliers are returning to action after a more than two-week layoff. Virginia-Wise was most recently in action on February 19, when they split a doubleheader against Lees-McRae.
 
-The Cavaliers have had a strange season so far. Virginia-Wise has lost twice to Lees-McRae, who started off the season with eight consecutive losses. The Cavaliers were swept by King and Carson-Newman as well, but also have a win over No. 10 nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne on their resume.
 
-Virginia-Wise's two primary pitchers have been solid. Junior right-hander Taylor Brandts has thrown 33.2 innings and compiled a 2-3 record with a 2.70 ERA and 26 strikeouts over that span. Freshman Raychel Lapallo is off to a similar start with a 2-3 record, a 2.97 ERA and a .264 batting average against. Lapallo pitches to contact, though, with only nine strikeouts and 32 hits allowed on her ledger.
 
-Sophomore outfielder Shannon Bennett, junior outfielder Zoe Millard and senior middle infielder Alexa Hernandez have started all 10 games and are hitting above .300. Bennett leads that trio with a .375 batting average, two doubles and a team-high nine RBI. Millard is hitting .353 with a pair of doubles, a triple and four RBI. Hernandez has compiled a .303 average with a team-leading seven doubles and 17 total bases.
 
-The Cavaliers have just one home run in 273 official at-bats. Olivia Cleary was responsible for that dinger, but it was one of just two hits this season for the senior corner infielder.
 
-Virginia-Wise has been strikeout prone with an average of nearly six strikeouts per game. Samantha Ely (.345, 1 2B, 7 RBI) leads the team with nine strikeouts, while Lucindy Lawson (.286, 2 2B) has seven K's. The Cavaliers combined to strikeout 19 times in their two losses to Carson-Newman.
 
-The Cavaliers won their first three games of the season, but lost six of their last seven before taking that extended break.
 
Series History:
 
-Wednesday will mark the Lady Railsplitters' first-ever meeting against Bluefield State College.
 
-Lincoln Memorial is 9-4 all-time against Virginia-Wise, but the Cavaliers have won the last four head-to-head meetings, including a doubleheader sweep (4-0, 6-2) in the most recent showdown on April 21, 2009 at Dorothy Neely Field.
 
-Despite those two losses, Lincoln Memorial is 5-2 all-time on its home field against Virginia-Wise.