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Softball Plays First Ivy Homes Games vs. Columbia (Fri.), Penn (Sat.)
4/6/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University softball hosts its first Ivy League home games of the season when the Bears take on Columbia University in a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 2:00 p.m. and face the University of Pennsylvania in a twin bill on Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Brown Softball Field.
FOLLOW THE BEARS
Vs. Columbia: Game 1 Live Stats | Game 2 Live Stats
Vs. Penn: Video (Both Games) | Game 1 Live Stats | Game 2 Live Stats
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THE FIRST SEASON
The 2017 season marks the first season for Brown softball at its new field. Softball has a rich and storied tradition at Brown University, and to commemorate this historic season, there will be a ceremonial first pitch prior to every game at the Brown Softball Field. This new facility was made possible through the generous support of donors, alumni, and fans.
For Friday's doubleheader against Columbia, the Bears will welcome Brown Senior Associate Director of Athletics Carolan Norris to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the opening game. A member of the Brown athletic department since 1983, Norris supports the total student-athlete experience in her current role. Prior to moving into an administrative role, Norris enjoyed great success as the head coach of the women's lacrosse and field hockey teams while also spending time as an assistant softball coach.
For Saturday's twin bill vs. Penn, the Bears will welcome Brown Director of Athletics Jack Hayes to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the opening game. Hayes became Brown's Director of Athletics in April of 2012 and has helped take the Bears to new heights, including multiple appearances in Ivy League and NCAA Championships. Overseeing one of the largest athletic departments in the country, he has implemented a variety of facility upgrades, including the Brown Softball Field. For the second game Brown will welcome Brown Associate Director of Athletics, Meredith Scarlata to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Scarlata joined Brown in October of 2012 and oversees the financial operations of one of the nation's largest athletic departments while also serving as the sport administrator for softball.
LAST IVY DOUBLEHEADER
Senior Christina Andrews, sophomore Cat Seitz, and freshman Raquel Blanchard all hit home runs as Brown University softball topped Cornell University, 5-4, in game one before falling, 4-3, in eight innings in game two at Niemand-Robison Field on Sunday afternoon.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Columbia enters the weekend with an 11-15 overall record and a 4-0 mark in Ivy League play. The Lions opened Ancient Eight competition with sweeps of Dartmouth (4-3, 6-5) and Harvard (3-1, 6-5) before dropping a pair of mid-week games at Fairfield (4-2, 2-1). Sommer Grzybek leads the Ivy League with six home runs while ranking second with 17 RBIs alongside a .325 batting average. Madison Gott leads the team with a .370 batting average. In the circle, Madison Canby stands in a tie for the league lead with seven wins and has posted a 3.93 ERA.
SCOUTING THE QUAKERS
Penn brings an 11-11 overall record and a 2-2 Ivy League mark into the weekend and will play Yale in a doubleheader on Friday prior to facing Brown. The Quakers split with both Harvard and Dartmouth to start Ancient Eight play prior to falling to Villanova in a mid-week game, 8-1. At the plate, Sarah Cwiertnia and Leah Allen rank fourth and fifth respectively in the conference with .389 and .380 batting averages. In the circle, Alexis Sargent paces the league in ERA (2.23), strikeouts (66), and wins (seven) while Courtney Cuzick ranks third in the ivies with a 2.76 ERA.
The Bears closed their pre-Ivy League slate with wins in seven of their last eight games in the month of March. Brown won its last two games at the Pirate Invitational and went 3-1 at the Stony Brook Tournament. In their first games at their new field, the Bears swept a doubleheader from Hartford.
AT THE PLATE
Brown carries five student-athletes on its roster who have hit .280 or above thus far on the season. Senior Christina Andrews (Southlake, Texas) leads the group with a .316 average alongside three homers, six doubles, and 12 RBIs. Freshman Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) follows her with a .303 average, .400 on-base percentage, three homers, 16 RBIs, and 15 runs.
Junior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) has posted a .293 batting average to go with three home runs, five doubles, and 12 runs scored, sophomore Cat Seitz (Poway, Calif.) has hit .281 with 12 runs, and junior Grayson Metzger (Severna Park, Md.) has hit .281 with 11 RBIs.
Okimoto enters the weekend on an eight-game hit streak and ranks third in the Ivy League in RBIs (16) and fifth in runs (15) while Andrews stands second in the Ancient Eight with six doubles.
ORONA PACES PITCHERS
In the Ivy League pitching rankings, junior Katie Orona (Pueblo, Colo.) ranks third in wins (five), third in complete games (six), fourth in innings pitched (65.2), fourth in games started (11), fifth in appearances (15), fifth in strikeouts (36), and sixth in ERA (3.30).
GOING YARD
Brown has hit 14 home runs on the season with nine of them coming in its last six games. Junior Annie McGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) and freshman Raquel Blanchard (Valencia, Calif.) each hit blasts in a 5-1 game two win over Hartford on Mar. 29. Freshman Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) hit two homers and McGregor went yard in game one at Princeton on Apr. 1. Blanchard and sophomore Cat Seitz (Poway, Calif.) both cleared the fences in a 5-4 game one win at Cornell on Apr. 2 while senior Christina Andrews (Southlake, Texas) hit two homers in game two against the Big Red.
OKIMOTO WINS IVY ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman Kaitlin Okimoto (Burbank, Calif.) earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors on Mar. 13. She posted a .462 batting average (6-for-13), a run, a double, an RBI, a walk, and a .500 on-base percentage over five games. She went 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, and a double against Fordham.
COMING SOON
After hosting Penn, the Bears play Holy Cross at home in a single game on Thursday, Apr. 13 at 3:30 p.m. prior to opening Ivy League North Division play with a pair of doubleheaders at Dartmouth on Saturday, Apr. 15 and Sunday, Apr. 16.
