
With its final regular season series on tap, the Stony Brook softball team will look to better its Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) tournament seeding with a big weekend.
The Seawolves (32-14, 17-7 CAA) will have one last shot to climb the CAA standings this weekend, as they take on the struggling North Carolina A&T (N.C. A&T) Aggies (11-34, 5-19 CAA) in Greensboro, N.C. The series will start with a pair of 1 p.m. starts on Thursday and Friday, respectively, before wrapping up with a noon first pitch on Saturday.
If Stony Brook sweeps the Aggies, it can potentially jump the Campbell Camels to clinch the second seed and a first-round bye in the postseason. To do so, it will also need the Delaware Blue Hens to sweep the Camels in their respective series. However, any Stony Brook loss or Campbell victory would likely lock the Seawolves in as the third seed for the playoffs barring a complete collapse this weekend.
Though it has no control over the Blue Hens’ performance, Stony Brook is ideally positioned to keep up its end of the bargain considering N.C. A&T sits second to last in the conference.
In the circle, the Aggies’ pitching staff possesses a CAA-worst 5.86 team earned run average (ERA), which is largely in part due to their conference-worst .341 batting average against. Additionally, N.C. A&T pitchers have racked up the fewest strikeouts (114) in the CAA.
Despite her struggles, starting pitcher Sharla Kirkpatrick has been the Aggies’ go-to option, logging a team-leading 98 ⅔ in innings. Her 5.60 ERA represents a team best, but it is also the seventh-worst mark in the CAA among pitchers with enough innings to qualify. Kirkpatrick’s .337 batting average against is tied for the third-highest mark in the conference.
Behind Kirkpatrick, the rest of N.C. A&T’s pitching staff has been worse. Starting pitcher Kayla Douglas has posted the fourth-worst ERA (6.26) and second-worst batting average against (.352) in the CAA through 11 starts. Starting pitcher Amaya Kearse has started 10 games to the tune of a 5.72 ERA and .327 batting average against.
Out of the bullpen, two-way player Joey Barkhimer has not fared well. Like the rest of the Aggies’ staff, she sports a lackluster 6.24 ERA and .317 batting average against.
With N.C. A&T’s struggles in the circle, the matchup figures to favor the Seawolves offense. Stony Brook leads the CAA with 32 home runs while its .295 team batting average ranks third. It also owns both the second-best slugging percentage (.436) and on-base percentage (.376) in the conference.
At the plate, the Seawolves’ top offensive force is left fielder Catherine Anne Kupinski, who will garner CAA Player of the Year consideration. She leads the conference with a 1.097 on-base plus slugging (OPS) and also ranks third in batting average (.379). Kupinski’s team-leading eight home runs are the third most in the league as she is the conference’s leader with 42 runs batted in (RBI). Along with driving in runs, Kupinski has scored the fourth most (36) in the league.
Above Kupinski in the order, shortstop Kyra McFarland and center fielder Alicia Orosco have combined to form a deadly double-leadoff duo. McFarland is the frontrunner to win the CAA’s batting title, as she enters the final weekend of the regular season with a conference-leading .400 average. McFarland also sports a .914 OPS and has added some pop this season with a pair of homers. She is a threat on the bases as well, as McFarland has stolen 11 bases and is tied for fifth in the conference with 34 runs.
Orosco is slashing .304 this season with two home runs and a .761 OPS in the leadoff spot. Like McFarland, Orosco has thrived as a table setter as she owns a .383 on-base percentage while being tied for the 10th-most runs (30) in the CAA and has swiped seven bags. The duo has combined for 36 RBIs as well.
In the middle of the order, first baseman Corinne Badger, designated player Julianna Sanzone and second baseman Naiah Ackerman have been key run producers. Badger’s six homers are tied for the sixth most in the conference and her 29 RBIs are the ninth most. She has also produced a .942 OPS, which is the seventh-best mark in the CAA. Though her .253 average does not stand out, Badger has drawn 22 walks and been hit by nine pitches to raise her on-base percentage to .427.
Like Badger, Sanzone has also crushed six home runs. She is batting .277 with an .872 OPS and is tied for 10th in the CAA with 28 RBIs. Ackerman has driven in 28 runs as well, while sporting a .279/.381/.459 slash line. She sits just behind both Sanzone and Badger with five long balls.
Despite having a down year for her standards, right fielder Alyssa Costello has produced a .323 batting average and an .853 OPS from the nine hole. She has also notched 22 RBIs and is perfect in 10 steal attempts. Though she has only hit one home run this season, Costello’s three triples are tied for the third most in the CAA.
Catcher Emily Reinstein will be looking to stay hot against the Aggies. She is batting just .248 this season with a marginal .618 OPS, but went 4-for-10 against Elon last weekend with a double, home run and three RBIs. Overall, Reinstein has driven in 12 runs and hit two homers this season. From behind the plate, she has caught nine out of 26 would-be base stealers this season (34.6%).
Rounding out Stony Brook’s starting lineup will likely be light-hitting third baseman Brooke Dye. She is batting just .125 this season with two RBIs. Dye is known for her glove, as she has recorded 66 assists this season, but has committed nine errors to bring her fielding percentage down to .906.
Opposing the lethal Seawolves’ order is an N.C. A&T lineup that struggles just as much as its pitching staff. The Aggies’ .224 team batting average is the worst in the CAA, while their .315 on-base percentage and .327 slugging percentage are both the third-worst marks in the league.
Leading the charge for N.C. A&T are right fielder Brenay Howard and second baseman Alyxx Estrada. Howard has posted a .292/.379/.442 slash line, giving her the second-best OPS (.821) on her team. She has knocked in the second-most runs (18) on the squad, scored the second-most runs (22) and has gone deep three times. Howard can also run, as she has stolen seven bases and tripled twice.
Estrada leads the Aggies with an .843 OPS and has also totaled 18 RBIs with two home runs. Along with her .288 average, Estrada ranks eighth in the CAA with 22 walks and is tied for ninth with 15 steals. Her 34 runs scored are tied with McFarland for the fifth most in the conference.
Barkhimer and catcher Jamari Moss are N.C. A&T’s primary power threats, as they are tied for the team lead with four home runs. Moss also leads the team with 20 RBIs and is batting .286 with a .793 OPS. Barkhimer trails closely with 19 RBIs.
Unfortunately for the Aggies, there has not been much production after their top-four hitters. Left fielder Destiny Sims is batting just .207 with a homer and nine RBIs, while third baseman Trinity Glover and designated player Kayla Taylor have each homered and driven in seven runs. Both possess sub-.200 batting averages.
Center fielder Katriel Williams and shortstop Makayla Layton make up the rest of N.C. A&T’s lineup. Williams is batting .205 with five steals, while Layton is slashing .138 with eight RBIs.
This matchup does not bode well for the Aggies, as Stony Brook’s team 3.27 ERA is the fifth-best mark in the CAA. The Seawolves’ .258 batting average against is the fourth-best rate in the league and they walk the fourth-fewest batters (109). However, they are susceptible to the long ball, as they have allowed the third-most home runs (32) in the CAA.
At the top of Stony Brook’s pitching staff is ace starting pitcher Mia Haynes. The right-hander has pitched to a 2.84 ERA this season, which is the eighth-lowest mark in the CAA. Haynes’ 119 punchouts rank sixth in the conference and her .229 batting average against is the seventh-lowest rate. She has been a workhorse, as her 140 ⅓ innings pitched are the fifth most in the league and her four shutouts are the third most.
Behind Haynes, starting pitcher Gabrielle Maday has been inconsistent. The southpaw owns a 4.17 ERA and despite walking just 20 batters — which is the second fewest amongst qualified pitchers — her walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) is a team-worst 1.41 due to a .284 batting average against.
After beginning the year at the back end of the starting rotation, pitcher Ashton Melaas has transitioned into a relief role and been lights out. Her 2.87 ERA is the ninth lowest in the CAA and she has saved three games. In her six starts, Melaas has tossed two complete games and one shutout.
In the field, the Seawolves edge out N.C. A&T’s defense. Stony Brook’s .964 fielding percentage is tied for third in the CAA while the Aggies .956 rate is tied for ninth.
The Seawolves dominate this matchup on paper and should cruise to a series win to conclude their regular season on a high note.