FSU softball begins play in Dugout Classic against UMass

FSU softball (15-3) will enter action Friday in the Dugout Classic against UMass (3-6) after several days off to recuperate from six games in four days last week.

UMass will play the Noles after playing Georgia Southern in their first game and have won three consecutive games after starting the season 0-6. UMass

UMass hits .198 as a team and have an on-base percentage of .270, while striking out 35 percent of the time.

Their pitchers have a 3.98 ERA, and only have 49 strikeouts in 58 innings. Opposing batters are hitting .279 and have drawn 16 walks. Defensively, UMass brings a .958 fielding percentage into the game.

This is a game the Noles should win as UMass only has one hitter batting over .300. This game will hopefully be the beginning of players like Michaela Edenfield and Devyn Flaherty getting back on track and increasing their production.

This looks like a game where Lonni Alameda can use someone like Mack Leonard, Ali DuBois, or Allison Royalty to log some innings and build some confidence. It’s possible we would even see Emma Wilson or Madi Balk on the mound, both have pitched sparingly this season but need to eat innings in games like this to save others.

The Noles will take on Colgate (6-7) in the second game of their Friday doubleheader. Colgate will take on Georgia Southern (7-8) at 10 a.m. Friday.

Colgate is hitting .225 with an on-base percentage of .343. Their pitching staff has a 4.70 ERA and the have a paltry fielding percentage of .949. Both games will air on the ACCNX Channel and live stats from the game can be found here. The Noles will play Georgia Southern at 12:15 p.m. and Colgate at 2:30 in Saturday’s action.

FSU will play their final game of the invitational Sunday at 11:15 p.m. against Georgia Southern before traveling to Oklahoma for four monster games against No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 1 Oklahoma.