EAST GREENSBORO – For the second consecutive week, North Carolina A&T welcomes two softball teams to the Lady Aggies Softball Complex in Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU) and George Mason (GMU).
FDU and GMU open their respective seasons in East Greensboro this weekend. The Aggies face FDU in a doubleheader Friday starting at 11 a.m.
Saturday starts with FDU versus GMU at 9:30 a.m., followed by A&T facing FDU at 11 a.m. and A&T versus GMU at 2:30 p.m. Sunday finishes with another FDU/GMU game at 11 a.m. and another A&T/GMU game at 1:30 p.m.
The Aggies went 2-3 during the 2022 opening weekend. Junior Latianna Langley and senior Eternal Fuller had big weekends. Langley hit .500, while Fuller batted .462. Sophomore Alyxx Estrada drove in seven runs and batted .313 over the first five games.
Kiara Richards (1-0) has a 0.00 ERA in 3.1 innings pitched in the circle. Icess Tresvik (1-0) has a 1.75 ERA in eight innings with 12 strikeouts. Mariah Headen (0-1) has a 3.00 ERA.
Reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rookie of the year, Kendall Macauley leads the Big South Conference and ranks sixth nationally with five stolen bases.
George Mason went 18-17 overall last year, including a 9-15 record in the Atlantic 10. The Patriots return nine letterwinners from last season and lost 15 letterwinners. GMU welcomes seven newcomers. The top three offensive players return in Amber Verstynen (.306), Rachel Warrens (.299) and Sydney Bales (.288).
The Patriots lost their top two pitchers from last year, Bekah Ansbro (7-7, 2.16) and Haellie Gordon (8-8, 2.59), but returns Carly Cooper (3-2, 3.31).
Fairleigh Dickinson went 11-21 overall, including 11-17 in the Northeast Conference. FDU returns 12 players from last season and lost eight players. The Knights welcome 12 newcomers.
FDU lost the top two offensive players in Madison Emerson (.388) and Rylie Schmeh (.296) but return Cassidy Triska (.289) and Courtney Mahoney (.271). In addition, the Knights return their top two pitchers of Alayna Savaglio (7-8, 2.75) and Malori Bell (3-3, 4.36).
