By Elizabeth Weaver
Intern
After a slow start in conference play, the University of North Carolina Wilmington softball team is looking to use this weekend’s home stand against Delaware to get back on track.
With a record of 21-14, the Seahawks will look to improve on their 1-4 record in the Colonial Athletic Association when they face the conference’s third-placed team, the Blue Hens, in a three-game series this weekend. UNCW will host Delaware on Saturday, April 9 at 1 and 3 p.m., and again on April 10 at 1 p.m. at Boseman Field.
The matchup comes after the Seahawks claimed their first conference win last weekend when they split a weather-shortened series in New York against Hofstra. Freshman utility player Rachel Willis posted four hits while junior infielder Lauren Moore added three hits as UNCW won 5-3 over the Pride. The win gives the Seahawks a 3-3 road record, while posting an 18-11 home record.
After playing 29 of 31 games at home, UNCW began a six-game road trip last week at Campbell in a non-conference doubleheader, where they split games with the Camels.
With a batting average of .296, sophomore infielder Kelsey Bryan leads the team in hitting, while sophomore pitcher Sarah Davis provides the power with four home runs and freshman third base Hannah Adamczyk adds 32 hits this season.
The Seahawks are also getting significant contributions from the pitching staff, led by junior Payton Jordan, who was named CAA Pitcher of the Week on March 20.This is the first time in her career that she has been honored by the CAA and is also the first time a UNCW pitcher has been awarded since 2013.
In the week she was awarded, Jordan threw a complete game shutout in the Seahawks’ 2-0 win over Bryant. She also earned a win in relief against Columbia, as the Seahawks rallied for a 4-2 victory in eight innings after Jordan didn’t allow a hit in the final two innings while recording three strikeouts. She followed that performance with a pair of wins the following day against Columbia, combining for 12 scoreless innings.
Jordan is posting an earned run average of 1.88. The Seahawks are getting solid contributions from the rest of the pitching staff. Freshman pitcher Haley Lenderman leads the team with a 1.87 ERA, while freshman Laurel Koontz is putting up a 1.99 ERA and Davis is posting a 2.16 ERA. Davis also leads the team in strikeouts, with 77.
The Seahawks rank second in the CAA with a 2.09 earned run average and a .235 opponent batting average. In January, the UNCW softball team was picked to finish seventh in the CAA by the conference coaches.
