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Softball April 28, 2017

CU Softball Preview - vs. Skidmore/Rensselaer (4/29-30)

Following Saturday afternoon's games the Clarkson University Softball team may know its conference playoff fate, or the Golden Knights could still be battling for home field advantage on Sunday as a wild weekend of games will decide which four teams will advance to the Liberty League Tournament the first week of May.

Clarkson will face Skidmore on Saturday and Rensselaer on Sunday in a pair of home doubleheaders at Scott Field. The Golden Knights, 18-14 overall and 5-3 in the Liberty League will clinch a playoff spot with a sweep over Skidmore (16-20, 3-5) on Saturday regardless of the outcome from other contests around the league. The Knights could also still be playing for hosting rights for the entire tournament on Sunday when they play Rensselaer (20-11, 6-2).

Clarkson will be riding its ace pitcher during the weekend with hopes that Jamie Bridge can continue to stifle the opposition. Bridge has a 0.79 earned run average with 28 strikeouts in 26.2 innings during conference play and she has struck out 88 hitters overall in 93.2 innings this season. Hitting .350 herself with eight stolen bases, Bridge is one of the top offensive performers for the Knights this year. Junior shortstop Raeanna Dunn has swiped 17 bases this year and is hitting .352/.410/.419 for Clarkson, but she has been even better in league games with a .560/.571/.640 line. Classmate Summer Lancette is also slashing at .313/.402/.458 with 11 steals and 10 extra-base hits, while freshmen Kyrstin Messier (.296 average) and Michele Winn (.600 slugging percentage with seven home runs) have done damage as well.

Few players in the conference are playing as well as Skidmore's Lauren Fortunato. The senior is leading the conference in a number of categories, including all three slash stats at .459/.555/.837. However, the Thoroughbreds are struggling without Fortunato's production. Skidmore is hitting .258/.357/.352 as a team, but without Fortunato, the team's average drops to .233 with only a .292 slugging percentage. In league play the numbers drop even more precipitously since Fortunato is slashing .500/.593/1.050 in eight league games. Lizette Roman-Johnston is the only other Thoroughbred hitting above .300, posting a solid .369/.395/.441 line. Amanda Carilli sees the majority of the team's innings, posting 44 strikeouts in 139.1 frames. Pitching to contact, Carilli allows a .314 average and a .450 slugging percentage but still has just a 3.57 earned run average. Emily Popp has whiffed 44 batters as well, doing so in 88.2 innings, but she too has been hittable, giving up 144 hits.

Rensselaer is putting up strong offensive numbers overall, but the Engineers have absolutely mashed in league games, hitting .371/.438/.546 as a collective. Stephanie Caudle is a top candidate for conference player of the year honors, hitting .400/.452/.667 with five home runs and 34 more driven in on offense, while allowing just a 2.09 earned run average with 92 strikeouts in 87 innings pitched from the circle. She has been even better in conference action, slashing .542/.536/.667 and allowing only a 1.17 earned run average with three shutouts and a 4-1 record as a pitcher. Devan Puhl (.356, 22 runs), Chelsea Elliott (.356 in 45 at bats) Lillian Kolehmainen (.333 in 51 at bats) and Rebecca Kienz (.319 with eight stolen bases) add to the offense, while Jamie Cleasby (3.36 ERA, three shutouts) does a good job of aiding Caudle in the circle.



 
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Players Mentioned

Chelsea Elliott

#15 Chelsea Elliott

IF
5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
Jamie Bridge

#6 Jamie Bridge

P/OF
5' 4"
Senior
R/R
Raeanna Dunn

#5 Raeanna Dunn

IF
5' 4"
Junior
L/R
Summer Lancette

#14 Summer Lancette

OF
5' 2"
Junior
L/R
Michele Winn

#3 Michele Winn

C/IF
5' 6"
Freshman
L/L
Kyrstin Messier

#15 Kyrstin Messier

IF
5' 7"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Chelsea Elliott

#15 Chelsea Elliott

5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Jamie Bridge

#6 Jamie Bridge

5' 4"
Senior
R/R
P/OF
Raeanna Dunn

#5 Raeanna Dunn

5' 4"
Junior
L/R
IF
Summer Lancette

#14 Summer Lancette

5' 2"
Junior
L/R
OF
Michele Winn

#3 Michele Winn

5' 6"
Freshman
L/L
C/IF
Kyrstin Messier

#15 Kyrstin Messier

5' 7"
Freshman
R/R
IF