HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lady Railsplitters (1-3) will open the doors at the new Dorothy Neely Field this week when they welcome Milligan (0-0) and King (0-0) to town for a pair of nonconference doubleheaders.
Schedule / Game Day Links:
Tuesday, February 13 vs. Milligan (DH at 1 pm) –
Live Stats (1) /
Live Stats (2)
Wednesday, February 14 vs. King (DH at 1pm) –
Live Stats (1) /
Live Stats (2)
Quick Hits:
- Lincoln Memorial is returning to action for the first time since dropping a doubleheader at Lee last Thursday. The Lady Railsplitters suffered a 4-3 extra-innings loss in game one before falling 9-1 in six innings in the nightcap.
-
Ashlea Hunter and
Allie Jones hit their first home runs of the 2018 campaign in game one at Lee, with Jones' solo shot giving the Lady Railsplitters a brief 3-2 lead. The Flames countered with a game-tying home run in the bottom of the sixth and later scored the walk-off win on a suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the eighth.
- LMU batters combined to strikeout 11 times while
Justice Smith and
Madison Shields issued 10 free passes in the circle in game two, all of which contributed to a quick 9-1 setback. The Lady Railsplitters mustered just three hits while the Flames racked up 10 to complete the sweep.
- After Wednesday's doubleheader against King, the Lady Railsplitters will not return to Dorothy Neely Field until they host a doubleheader against New Haven on March 11.
- The Lady Railsplitters have yet to settle into a consistent rhythm at the plate. Through four games, the team has posted a .190 batting average with a .293 on-base percentage. Lincoln Memorial has also recorded 25 punch-outs with only 19 hits.
- Senior hurler
Brianna Taylor has been solid in her first two outings of the season with a 2.44 earned-run average, two complete games and just five earned runs allowed over 14.1 innings of work. She is 1-1 on the season with a win over Bellarmine and an extra-innings loss to Lee.
- Freshman
Emma Webb has hit safely in all four of her appearances this season. She leads the team with four hits total and has three RBI with a double.
Notes on Milligan:
- Tuesday will serve as the 2018 opener for Milligan. A member of the NAIA, the Buffaloes went 21-23 last season and struggled on the road with a 6-12 mark.
- Milligan has finished as the Appalachian Athletic Conference runners-up in back-to-back seasons (2016 and 2017) but were picked sixth in the AAC preseason poll leading up to the 2018 campaign.
- The Buffs bring back a solid core of pitchers in senior Cayley Shoemaker, junior Kassi Butcher and sophomores Jaclyn Jenkins and Brianna Snyder to go with transfer Josie Milam. Butcher pitched 66 innings last season, compiling a 3-5 record with a 4.23 ERA. Shoemaker made just 13 appearances and posted a 4.09 ERA over 22 innings.
- Milligan will be asked to replenish a roster that lost three All-AAC selections as well as 2017 Conference Freshman of the Year Kirstan Beaver. The Buffalos have 10 freshmen as well as seven sophomores on their 25-player roster.
- Milligan is entering its 30th season under the direction of head coach Wes Holly, who has compiled an 854-516 record during his long tenure. He picked up his 800th career coaching victory in 2015 with a win over Hiwassee.
Notes on King:
- Wednesday will also represent the 2018 opener for the Tornado, who are coming off of stellar 2017 season during which they posted a 32-19 overall record and a 15-5 mark in Conference Carolinas play.
- The Tornado return All-Region second team selection Hannah Riddle, who was the only player to appear in all 51 games for King last season. Kaycee Casteel was also a second team All-Region honoree after batting .417 last season.
- Sophomore pitcher Emma Hughes is back after earning All-Conference Carolinas second team laurels last season by compiling a 2.44 ERA and 136 strikeouts.
- All told, King returns seven players who batted over .300 last season as well as five All-Conference Carolinas selections. Along with Hughes and Riddle, junior utility player Katelyn Davidson was also listed as a player to watch in the Conference Carolinas preseason release.
- The Tornado went 14-8 on the road last season.
Series History:
- The Lady Railsplitters are 35-15 all-time against Milligan. Tuesday will be the first meeting between the long-time rivals since the 2014 season. Lincoln Memorial has swept four straight doubleheaders from the Buffalos to string together eight consecutive wins in the series, as Milligan has not beat LMU since 2009.
- Lincoln Memorial has had similar success against King with a 20-6 all-time edge in the series. The Lady Railsplitters have swept the past three doubleheaders from the Tornado and pieced together eight consecutive wins. King has not beaten LMU since March 2013.
