SCF Softball Welcomes Eastern Florida State/CCF For Weekend Doubleheaders

The SCF softball team (17-5) return home for 12 straight home games and will begin the weekend with a series against Eastern Florida State (9-9) on Friday, March 1 at 4 and 6 pm and College of Central Florida (18-6) on Saturday, March 2 at 1 and 3 pm.

Last Time Out:
The Manatees are coming off of another split in the season as they faced Santa Fe College winning the first game 3-0 before falling in the second game 4-1. Despite the split, the Manatees won the series 3-1.

To 150 and Beyond:
Head coach Mandy Schuerman is one win away from reaching her 150th career win as head coach for SCF. Schuerman joined SCF fall 2014 after spending the 2014 season as a head coach for Bloomingdale High, while leading them to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 8A State Championship title with a record of 28-3.

The former Gator and two-time team captain (2003-04), SEC Co-Freshman of the Year and All-SEC Second-Team member began her inaugural season with SCF in 2015 where eight Manatees were named on both the Suncoast Conference First and Second Teams with Erica Ward also being named on the FCSAA All-State while being named Suncoast Coach of the Year in her first season.

Since being under Schuerman's helm, the Manatees have had at least two players being named to the Suncoast Conference First and Second Teams or Suncoast Honorable Mention (12 First Team, 12 Second Team, 4 Honorable Mention). Along with Ward, two other players have been named to the FCSAA All-State Second Team under Schuerman's wing, Lindsey Hall and Taylor Engman.

Currently, Schuerman has 149 career wins with SCF. Schuerman earned her 100th win on February 3, 2018 against Seminole State College (4-2).

Key Players:
At the plate, key bats for the Manatees include sophomores Cheyenne Nunez and Haley McFadden and freshmen Madi LoCastro, Sabrina Long, Makayla Benavidez and Lauren Bostwick.

Nunez is batting .282 (20-for-71) and leads the team in runs (22) and stolen bases (13) despite going 1-for-5 with an RBI and two walks Santa Fe.

McFadden is batting .250 with 12 hits and six RBI despite going 0-for-4 against Santa Fe

LoCastro is one of two hybrid players on the team at the plate and on the mound. At the plate, LoCastro is batting .400 with four home runs and 18 RBI while on the mound she is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Against Santa Fe, LoCastro was 1-for-4 (.250) with an RBI while going 0-1 in seven innings with six strikeouts.

Although she went 0-for-6 against Santa Fe, Long follows behind LoCastro as she is batting .344 with two home runs and 16 RBI.

Benavidez is batting .404  (21-for-48), five RBI and eight stolen bases. Benavidez was 1-for-6 with a walk.

Although mostly as a pinch runner, Bostwick is batting .268 (11-for-41) with nine runs, four RBI and 13 steals. Bostwick was 0-for-2 against Santa Fe.

On the mound, freshmen Kailey Christian and Ashley Zientek lead the way.

Like LoCastro, Christian is main factor at the plate and on the mound. At the plate, Christian is batting a team-leading .421 (24-for-57) and is tied with LoCastro in RBI (18) while at the plate, she is 9-0 with a 2.22 ERA and 72 strikeouts. Against Santa Fe, Christian threw a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in game one while also going 3-for-7 with an RBI.

Zientek is 5-3 with a 1.65 ERA and 35 strikeouts. Zientek threw a complete game in her third loss to SFC after throwing five innings, giving up four runs on five hits while walking three and striking out one.

Scouting Eastern Florida State:
EFSU ironically faced CCF with a split in the series winning the first game 3-2 in 10 innings while losing the second game 8-7.

At the plate, sophomore Caitlin Meyer is batting .309 while leading the team with four home runs and 14 RBI. Against CCF, Meyer was 0-for-7 with an RBI.

Sophomore Hannah Crumblish is batting .326 with a team-leading 22 hits and seven stolen bases. Crumblish was 2-for-10 with an RBI and two runs.

Freshman Katelyn Wilfert is 4-4 with a 2.41 ERA and 30 strikeouts while also batting .200 with a home run and 12 RBI. Wilfert pitched in both games winning the first one playing all 10 innings with five strikeouts before losing the second game after five innings of relief with one strikeout.

Scouting CCF:
Aside from splitting with EFSC, the Patriots' last series had them sweeping Hillsborough Community College (HCC) 10-0 in game one and 8-0 in game two.

Sophomore Anina Fernandez leads the team with 25 hits, five home runs and 22 RBI.

On the mound, freshman Kelsie Rivers is 6-1 with a save, 3.14 and 34 strikeouts.

Series History (2012-present):
Against CCF, SCF is 11-16 overall while against EFSC they're 7-0.

How to Keep Up:
Livestats will be available and fans can keep up on with all three teams on Twitter:
SCF: @SCFSoftball
EFSC: @efsctitans
CCF: @cfpats