Wolves take on UNA, UWA on final weekend
4/22/2010 11:41:38 AM
Senior Weekend Preview
Softball Event Calendar
Saturday, April 24
12:30 PM
Dedication/Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Women's Facility
3:00 PM
West Georgia vs. North Alabama
Sunday, April 25
12:30 PM
Senior Day Ceremonies
1:00 PM
West Georgia vs. West Alabama
Special Appearance by USA Bobsledding Bronze Medalist Elana Meyers
Carrollton, GA - Mathematically, the West Georgia Wolves have been eliminated from contention for the 2010 Gulf South Conference tournament, but the Wolves can still have an impact on this year's tourney, as both of this weekend's opponents are in a dead heat for the final spot in Southaven.
North Alabama and West Alabama are both 10-13 in the GSC East Division and tied for fourth place. The Wolves lost both ends of each doubleheader to both the Lions and the Tigers earlier this season, but in each series, West Georgia was on the cusp of winning before a few late inning heroics turned things in the opposite direction.
West Georgia is coming off of a tough weekend trip through the southern half of the GSC East, falling in two 8-0 battles with Valdosta State last Saturday, the losing 5-4 and 8-4 at West Florida.
North Alabama comes into the weekend as one of the top pitching teams in the GSC. The Lions sit in fourth place in team ERA behind Valdosta State, Arkansas-Monticello and Alabama-Huntsville. Jennifer Sexton leads the way with a 2.21 ERA on the season.
Sexton threw a complete-game five-hitter against the Wolves in Florence, allowing just one run while striking out four. Freshman #Kristin Hall# had two hits in the game against her, the most of any UWG player, and scored the Wolves' lone run in the 4-1 loss.
The doubleheader between the Wolves and West Alabama in Livingston earlier this season was heartbreaking for UWG, which lost the first game 6-4, then lost the finale 6-5. In that 6-4 loss, the Wolves had runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the seventh, but couldn't push the runs across.
Where pitching is key for North Alabama, the Tigers rely on a heavy hitting attack, coming into the weekend with a .301 batting average on the season. Led by Anna Shartzer at .354, West Alabama has five different players who are batting at least .300 on the season.
Senior Day Tribute
This Sunday marks the final weekend in a four-year journey for two West Georgia senior softball players. Candice Brown, a four-year starter from Melbourne, FL, will leave Carrollton as one of the most decorated players in the history of the program. Lindsy Kragt, a three-year regular from HIghlands, CO, has been a major contribution off the field this season, as an injury has kept her from playing as a senior, but not from being a leader in the dugout.
Brown joined the Wolves as a freshman in 2007, making an immediate impact as a leadoff hitter and earnin GSC East Division Freshman of the Year honors. Since that time, she has been named to the All-GSC Second Team in 2008 and First Team last season. She comes into the weekend needing three at-bats to move into second place in the all-time record book in that category. She is second in walks and third in runs scored and has the opportunity to move into second place in the all-time hits category. She is sixth all-time in batting average, with a current lifetime average of .308.
Kragt was a regular behind the plate for three seasons for the Wolves, coming to Carrollton for the 2006-07 academic year. Her best season came in 2008, when she started 50 of her 52 games played, hitting .229 with 33 hits, 24 RBI, 17 runs, seven doubles and five home runs.