UPDATE: With weather changing the schedule, here's Tech's current slate for the Jane B. Memorial...
Today
12:30 | S. Ala. vs. TTU
Saturday
12:30 | TTU vs. BG
5:30 | Auburn vs. TTU
Sunday
9:30 | S. Ala. vs. TTU
12:00 | TTU vs. Bowling Green
Changes are possible depending on further weather and field conditions
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
AUBURN, Ala. – This weekend's destination is a familiar one to the Tennessee Tech softball program as the Golden Eagles head down to Auburn to compete in the Jane B. Moore Memorial. After all, it was at Auburn in 2015 that Tech Softball made its last appearance in the NCAA Regionals.
Eight years later, the Golden Eagles return to that site to compete in the tournament and take on Bowling Green, South Alabama – who was also in that 2015 regional tournament – and the host Tigers.
Tech (1-10) is scheduled to take on Bowling Green at 10 a.m. Friday morning, but with expected inclement weather in Auburn over the next few days, it is possible the game could be postponed or cancelled if it can not be played by noon Friday.
If the schedule holds, the Golden Eagles will face South Alabama at 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Saturday's slate currently has Tech facing off with the Falcons at 12:30, followed by a contest against the host Tigers at 5:30 p.m. The event concludes on Sunday with a noon contest against the Jaguars.
The current forecast in Auburn calls for rain on Thursday and Friday, but sunny conditions are expected for Saturday and Sunday. Schedule changes will be reported on TTUsports.com and the team's Twitter account (@TTU_Softball) when available.
Tech went 0-4 for last week at the Mercer Bear Invitational, falling 12-2 to former Ohio Valley Conference foe Belmont, 8-0 to Jacksonville and 21-2 and 10-2 to Southeastern Conference opponent South Carolina.
For the season, the Golden Eagles are looking to jumpstart its offense, currently hitting .216 on the season with 25 RBI and 30 runs scored. Opponents are hitting .391 with 91 RBI and 103 runs scored.
Sophomore outfielder Abby Shoulders leads the team hitting with a .370 batting average, driving in six and scoring four times. Graduate infielder Haeli Bryson has a team-best eight RBI with a .300 average, while Ella Bishop has a team-high six runs scored.
In the circle, graduate Callie Piper (8.72 ERA, 1-5) has Tech's lone win of the season. She's thrown 21 2/3 innings with 19 walks and seven strikeouts.
Bowling Green comes into Friday's game with a 5-9 record after going 2-3 at the Evansville Softball Invitational II with a pair of wins over St. Thomas and losses to Purdue Fort Wayne and Evansville.
The Falcons have three players with a team-best seven RBI in Katie Hutter (.381), Reagan Williamson (.286) and Peyton Dolejs (.273). Scarlet Anderson (4-0, 2.49 ERA) has the team's best record in the circle, while Hannah Davies (0-4, 4.59 ERA) has struck out 31.
South Alabama enters the weekend with a 9-6 record, going 3-2 last week at its home tournament with wins over Furman, Tulsa and Louisiana Tech and losses to Mississippi State and Tulsa.
Victoria Ortiz (.318, two HR) has a team-best nine RBI, while Gabby Stagner (.333) and Sasha Willems (.282) each have eight runs driven in. Ortiz has also come home to score 11 times. Meredith Keel leads the team in average with a .372 clip along with seven runs scored and seven driven in.
Jenna Hardy (4-3, 1.61 ERA) and Olivia Lackie (5-3, 2.18 ERA) have combined for 109 strikeouts in 97 1/3 innings so far.
Auburn comes into its Wednesday game with a 15-1 record, winning 13 games in a row. The Tigers take on Troy tonight before the tournament begins on Friday.
Auburn has six players already in double-digit totals in RBI, led by Bri Ellis with 20 and five home runs. Icess Tresvik (.346) also has five home runs, while Lindsey Garcia has 18 RBI. Carlee McCondichie has a team-best .522 average in 46 at-bats.
In the circle, Maddie Penta has a 0.00 ERA in 39 innings with an 8-0 record, walking five and striking out 69. Annabelle Widra (4-0, 0.52 ERA) has 35 strikeouts and Shelby Lowe (2-0, 0.84 ERA) has 24. Auburn's pitching staff has a combined 0.81 ERA.
