SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team heads south this weekend to Raleigh, North Carolina for five games in the Shaw University Softball Challenge to open the 2014 season.
 
The Shaw University Softball Challenge is a three-day tournament featuring 28 teams from Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. For many teams the tournament will serve as the season opener.
 
The three-day tournament was originally scheduled to start Friday, February 21 and go through Sunday, but thunderous weather has forced the tournament to condense the games into Saturday and Sunday action.
 
The Rock will play a total of five games over the weekend, starting with three games on Saturday and finishing with two on Sunday. Saturday's triple-header starts with an 2:00 p.m. game against Alderson-Broaddus, followed by a 6:00 p.m. matchup with Fairmont State and 8:00 p.m. game against Concord. Slippery Rock concludes the tournament with an 11:00 a.m. matchup with Winston-Salem State and 1:00 p.m. contest against West Virginia State Sunday.
 
Scouting The Rock: The Rock was picked to finish fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division and is returning 14 experienced players from last season's club, including six who started at least 30 games.
 
Leading the way for The Rock will be sophomore Katie Kaiser and seniors Emily Lobdell and Breanna Tongel.
 
Kaiser shined as a freshman a season ago, finishing as one of the top offensive performers for The Rock. Kaiser started 34 games and finished second on the team in batting average (.373), first in runs scored (27), second in hits (44), third in doubles (6), tied for third in home runs (5) and third in RBI's (25).
 
Lobdell is coming off a strong campaign after starting 34 games a season ago. As a pitcher, Lobdell logged the second most innings for The Rock and finished with a 6-6 record, 3.29 ERA and nine complete games. In her season debut, she tossed a no-hitter against Bluefield State College. Lobdell also finished the season third on the team in batting average (.336), third in hits (38) and third in runs scored (18).
 
Tongel started 35 games last season and will again look to anchor the middle of The Rock lineup. As a junior, Tongel hit .275 and finished second on the team in doubles (7), tied for third in home runs (5), fourth in RBI's (24) and fourth in slugging (.510).
 
Other key returns for The Rock include senior Lindsey Kelenske (.273), juniors Taylor Welch (.264, 15 runs) and Alaynna Beers (.258, 5 doubles, 8 RBI) and sophomore Megan Maloney (.310, 11 runs, 8 SB).
 
Scouting the Battlers: The Shaw University Softball Challenge marks the season opener for Alderson-Broaddus, who finished the 2013 season with a record of 23-24.
 
The Battlers return standout first baseman Regan Drake. Drake finished the 2013 season third on the team in batting average (.336), third in on base percentage (.417), fifth in runs scored (21), third in hits (47) and first in RBIs (41).
 
The Battlers lost their top three starting pitchers and four of their top five offensive performers from a year ago, a void that will provide a tremendous opportunity for the 11 returning players and nine newcomers to step up and contribute.
 
Series: SRU split a double header with Alderson-Broaddus in the only previous meeting between the teams (2009).
 
Scouting the Fighting Falcons: The Shaw University Softball Challenge marks the season opener for Fairmont State, who finished the 2013 season with an impressive 37-12 record, won the WVIAC Regular Season Championship and was the runner-up in the WVIAC Tournament.
 
The Falcons were picked to finish second in the Mountain East Conference preseason poll and return six starters and 12 letter winners to the club in 2014.
 
Fairmont State lost All-American Holly Frampton, but return significant offensive leaders such as Courtney Iacobacci (.420 avg., 44 runs, 27 RBI, 16 SB), Sarah Parsons (.343 avg., 32 runs, 26 RBI) and Amanda Skidmore (.284 avg., 25 runs, 36 RBI, 7 HR).
 
Series: SRU split a double header with Fairmont State in the only previous meeting between the teams (2009).
 
Scouting the Mountain Lions: Concord has jumped out to an impressive 6-2 start after being picked to finish 11^th in the Mountain East Conference.
 
The offense is led by juniors Lacey McDougall (.433 avg., 4 runs, 6 RBI) and Jessica Seymour (.409 avg., 8 runs, 4 RBI, 3 SB), as well as sophomore standout Kristen Rose (.387 avg., 8 runs, 10 RBI, 3 SB, 1 HR).
 
Sophomore Allie Reid anchors the pitching staff with 4 wins and an impressive 1.75 earned run average. Reid has struck out 18 batters in 24 innings so far this spring.
 
Series: This will be the first ever meeting between SRU and Concord.
 
Scouting The Lady Rams: The Shaw University Softball Challenge will mark the opening of the 2014 season for Winston-Salem State. The Lady Rams were scheduled to open the season last week, but were forced to cancel the games due to weather.
 
The Lady Rams finished the 2013 season with a record of 28-21 and return nine players to this year's squad.
 
Senior Tanaya Pettus (.342 avg., 28 RBI, 6 SB) and junior Monet Daly (.381 av.g, 38 runs, 24 RBI, 2 HR) will look to lead the offense once again after strong campaigns in 2013.
 
Senior Yasmin Lee looks to take over as the ace of the pitching staff this season after going 9-8 last season with a 3.52 earned run average and leading the team in games started (24).
 
Series: This will be the first ever meeting between the Lady Rams and SRU.
 
Scouting the Yellow Jackets: The Shaw University Softball Challenge marks the beginning of the 2014 season for West Virginia State.
 
The Yellow Jackets finished the 2013 season with an impressive 42-14 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. West Virginia State was picked to win the inaugural Mountain East Conference title this season after receiving 10 of 12 possible first place votes.
 
West Virginia State, which received votes in the initial National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, will be powered by junior outfielder Sabrina Schouten who batted .451 last year,  senior Mattie Best who hit .409 and sophomore pitcher Anna Eggleston who went 7-2 last year with an ERA of 2.22.
 
Series: The Rock is 1-2 all time against West Virginia State, splitting a double header with the Yellow Jackets last season.
 
 
 
 

Shaw Tournament Schedule
Date	Opponent	Time
Feb. 22	Alderson-Broaddus	11:00 a.m.
Feb. 22	Fairmont State	3:00 p.m.
Feb. 22	Concord	5:00 p.m.
Feb. 23	Winston-Salem State	11:00 a.m.
Feb. 23	West Virginia State	1:00 p.m.