Minutewomen Trek To North Carolina For Purple And Gold Invitational

University of Massachusetts Softball Notes & Information
Games 11-15	UMass @ Purple and Gold Invitational
Date	Friday-Sunday, March 1-3
Location	Greenville, N.C. // ECU Softball Stadium
Watch (Game vs. ECU)	American Digital Network
Live Stats	SideArm Live Stats
Twitter	@UMassAthletics // @UMassSoftball
Instagram	UMass Softball
Facebook	UMass Softball
Directions	Directions to ECU Softball Stadium

Last Time Out
UMass split four games at the Georgia Classic last weekend, picking up wins over Belmont and Bryant while falling twice to the No. 8-ranked Bulldogs. Erin Stacevicz and Riley Gregoire each posted .400 averages or better at the plate in the top of the lineup for the Minutewomen while Madison Gimpl drove in a team-high five runs on the weekend, including the game-winner in a win over Bryant on. Saturday. In the circle, Kiara Oliver struck out 14 batters in 12.0 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .227 average at the plate in two appearances.

Looking Ahead
The Minutewomen are set for five games at the Purple and Gold Invitational at the ECU Softball Stadium in Greenville, N.C. UMass opens the weekend with a Friday doubleheader, beginning with the program's first ever meeting against Columbia at 10 a.m. before taking on Winthrop following the tournament opener. UMass holds a 1-0 all-time record over Winthrop, winning in the only meeting in 2015 while East Carolina holds a 1-2 all-time series lead.

Offensive Leaders
Kaitlyn Stavinoha leads UMass with a. .370 average to go along with team-leading marks in doubles and home runs while slugging .741 and reaching base at a .438 clip. Stacevicz has added a team-leading 12 base hits for a .364 average to go along with a .400 on-base percentage after tallying five hits over four games last weekend.

Rookie of the Week
Freshman pitcher Kenadee Rausch earned her first Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honor after striking out a career-high seven batters in a 2-1 win over Bryant at the Georgia Softball Classic. Rausch picked up her fifth strikeout of the. game in the fourth inning to leave a runner stranded on third before working around a leadoff base hit in the seventh inning to preserve the one-run lead. Rausch improved to 2-1 in the circle on the year with a 2.39 ERA in 14.2 inning of work.

Record Watch
Stacevicz currently ranks eighth all-time at UMass in career batting average with a .355 mark at the plate while also ranking in the top-20 in on-base percentage (18th, .400), runs (17th, 112), hits (17th, 194) and triples (20th, 8). Oliver's 14 strikeouts last weekend moved her to 200 on her career (18th-most) while a save in a win over Providence on Feb. 17 moved the freshman into a tie for fourth all-time with three career saves.

Kenadee Rausch is your Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week! ??

The righty struck out a career-high 7?? batters in 7?? innings of work in a win over Bryant! ??

?? https://t.co/u3wc6aixu2 #Flagship ?? pic.twitter.com/kEfDblNyZ3
— UMass Softball (@UMassSoftball) February 25, 2019

UMASS WINS!! ??

Gimpl drove in the game-winning run for her 5th RBI of the weekend in the 6th, Stacevicz led the way with a pair of singles for the Minutewomen while Rausch struck out 7!#Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/t5y0H2Gsgc
— UMass Softball (@UMassSoftball) February 23, 2019

Scoreboard