conference season commences
Opening weekend in the American Conference begins Friday with all ten teams in action. South Florida and Memphis will launch the slate with a doubleheader in Memphis, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
securing wins
Two American pitchers sit near the top of the national leaderboard in saves as the season gets rolling. Florida Atlantic’s Ainsley Lambert and South Florida’s Belle Sardja have each recorded three saves, tied for the third-most in the nation and just two shy of the current NCAA leader.
MAKING THE SACRIFICE
The opening weekend also features a matchup between two of the nation’s best at executing the sacrifice bunt. South Florida enters with 22 sacrifice bunts—the second most in Division I—while Memphis follows closely with 18, ranking eighth nationally. Their three-game series in Memphis should showcase two teams committed to creating pressure and manufacturing runs.
TURNING TWO
Four American programs rank inside the NCAA’s top 15 in double plays turned:
? South Florida – 3rd nationally (17 double plays)
? UTSA – 6th (15)
? East Carolina – 8th (14)
? Charlotte – 12th (12)
REACHING BASE
Wichita State’s Ausha Moore has been one of the nation’s best at getting on base. She leads the conference and sits 15th nationally with a .612 on-base percentage this season. Last week, Moore reached base at an astounding .867 clip, earning her American Player of the Week honors.
FRIDAY, February 27
South Florida at Memphis (DH)*….. 3 p.m.
Wichita State at East Carolina*…… 5 p.m.
UTSA at Tulsa*………………………………….. 5 p.m.
rv/- Florida Atlantic at Charlotte*….. 6 p.m.
North Texas at UAB*………………….. 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, FEBRUARY 28
rv/- Florida Atlantic at Charlotte*…… 1 p.m.
North Texas at UAB*……………………….. 2 p.m.
Wichita State at East Carolina*…… 2 p.m.
UTSA at Tulsa*………………………………….. 2 p.m.
South Florida at Memphis*…………… 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 1
Wichita State at East Carolina*….. 11 a.m.
rv/- Florida Atlantic at Charlotte*… 12 p.m.
UTSA at Tulsa*………………………………… 12 p.m.
North Texas at UAB*………………………… 1 p.m.
tuesday, march 10
Charlotte at NC State……………………… 5 p.m.
UAB at Georgia Tech……………………….. 6 p.m.
wednesday, march 11
Memphis vs North Alabama…………. 3 p.m.
UTSA at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi 5 p.m.
Wichita State at Oklahoma State.. 6 p.m.
Tulsa at Oklahoma…………………….. 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, March 13
Charlotte at South Florida*…………… 4 p.m.
East Carolina at rv/- Florida Atlantic* 6 p.m.
Tulsa at North Texas*…………………….. 6 p.m.
UAB at Wichita State*……………………. 6 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA*…………………………… 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 14
Memphis at UTSA*…………………………… 2 p.m.
Tulsa at North Texas*…………………….. 2 p.m.
UAB at Wichita State*…………………….. 4 p.m.
East Carolina at rv/- Florida Atlantic* 5 p.m.
Charlotte at South Florida*…………… 5 p.m.
Sunday, March 15
East Carolina at rv/- Florida Atlantic* 12 p.m.
UAB at Wichita State*…………………… 12 p.m.
Tulsa at North Texas*…………………… 12 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA*……………………………. 1 p.m.
Charlotte at South Florida*……………. 1 p.m.
