Hot-Hitting SAU Softball, Shaw Battle For Division Lead Saturday (April 14)

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 13) – Division-leading Saint Augustine's University takes on Shaw University in a key CIAA softball doubleheader at Worthdale Park on Saturday, April 14. Game times are 12 p.m. and approximately 2 p.m.

The division lead is at stake in the twinbill between crosstown rivals. The Lady Falcons are atop the Southern Division standings at 4-0 followed by the Lady Bears at 3-1.

The Lady Falcons (8-2 CIAA, 11-7 overall) are looking to maintain two streaks on Saturday. Winners of their last four games, the Lady Falcons own a 13-game winning streak over the Lady Bears (7-3 CIAA, 9-13 overall). The last time the Lady Falcons lost to the Lady Bears was in 2012.

Powered by their explosive hitting, the Lady Falcons are one of the top offensive teams in the nation. They rank fifth nationally in Division II in batting average (.365), sixth in scoring per game (8.17), first in triples per game (1.22), second in doubles per game (2.5) and third in slugging percentage (.647).

Makayla August (So./Palm Springs, CA) is the NCAA Division II national leader in doubles per game and Jasmine Rios (Sr./Greensboro, NC) is the DII leader in triples per game. Marley Parker (Sr./Langley, British Columbia) and Mechelle Moss (Fr./Nassau, Bahamas) are tied for ninth in triples per game while Akera McPhaul (Sr./Greensboro, NC) and August rank 13^th and 23^rd, respectively, in triples per game. August ranks 10^th nationally in batting average (.492) while McPhaul ranks 16^th (.478) and Parker ranks 21^st (.464) in batting average.

Rios ranks fifth nationally in total triples (6) and Parker ranks eighth in slugging percentage (.964), 16^th in toughest to strike out and 19^th in RBIs per game (1.22). August ranks 12^th in slugging percentage (.881) and Tamiera Sanchez (So./Sacramento, CA) ranks 19^th in runs per game (1.22).

In the CIAA, August ranks third, McPhaul fourth and Parker fifth in batting average. August is also a dominant pitcher in the CIAA, ranking fourth in earned run average (3.61) and tied for fourth in wins (7) and strikeouts (49). She was named CIAA Pitcher of the Week on Wednesday, April 11, and threw a one-hit shutout with a season-high 11 strikeouts in the 27-0 win over Livingstone Thursday.

On Thursday, April 12, the Lady Falcons totaled 45 runs, 45 hits and 39 RBIs in trouncing Livingstone College 27-0 and 18-0 in Salisbury, N.C. The Lady Falcons amassed eight inside-the-park home runs, 12 doubles and eight triples in the doubleheader.

The Lady Bears are off to their best season in several years. Brittany Kline paces the team with a .400 batting average and Kiana Rogers bats .375 at the plate.

Follow the contest via live video and live stats on shawbears.com. Live stats are also on saintaugfalcons.com.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Akera McPhaul: Util; 5' 7"; Junior

#7 Marley Parker: P/UTIL; 5' 10"; Junior

#4 Jasmine Rios: CF/Util; 5' 7"; Junior

#22 Makayla August: P/SS; 5' 8"; Freshman

#5 Tamiera Sanchez: CF/SS; 5' 5"; Freshman

#1 Mechelle Moss: P/UTIL; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#3 Akera McPhaul
: 5' 7"; Junior
: Util

#7 Marley Parker
: 5' 10"; Junior
: P/UTIL

#4 Jasmine Rios
: 5' 7"; Junior
: CF/Util

#22 Makayla August
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: P/SS

#5 Tamiera Sanchez
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: CF/SS

#1 Mechelle Moss
: Freshman
: P/UTIL

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned

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