DePaul Heads to UNCW for Five Games

CHICAGO– DePaul softball travels south to Wilmington, North Carolina for three days of play against three non-conference opponents. The Blue Demons will face Rider and UNCW on Friday, at 12:30pm and 5:30pm, respectively, before facing both teams again at 9:00am and 2:00pm on Saturday. DePaul concludes their weekend with an 8:00am game against UMass on Sunday.

Both Friday and Saturday's games against UNCW will be streaming on FloCollege here, with all other matches having StatBroadcast coverage through the schedule page here.

"As our team heads to North Carolina, we are committed to the intention to compete for every pitch," said head coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski.

"Our players have consistently demonstrated their ability to rise to the occasion in clutch situations, which has been crucial to our success. As we continue to develop as a new team, we are focused on achieving greater consistency and building on our strengths. Each game is an opportunity for growth, and we are dedicated to improving as a cohesive unit. We are excited for the challenges ahead and ready to showcase our commitment to excellence."

BLUE DEMON BITS

Freshman Zoe Levine posted the first multi-hit games of her career at the Skyhawk Classic, including a double against Purdue Fort Wayne. Levine is currently tied for third in the BIG EAST with three doubles on the year
Levine is joined by Addison Talbot, Kelly Beaupre, and Bibianna Rodriguez as they all own batting averages over .300. Talbot leads the way with a .412 average and .647 slugging percentage
DePaul's pitching staff continues to hold the lowest ERA in the conference at 2.29, also good for 42nd among NCAA Division I teams
Junior Bella Nigey leads the staff with a 2.08 ERA through 17 innings pitched, notching her first complete game and second win against UT Martin on Feb. 14
Fellow junior Kelly Greene has also made her presence felt in the circle, owning a 2.22 ERA in 28 innings of work, including two early wins at the DePaul Dome Tournament

SCOUTING THE BRONCS

The Broncs have yet to play a game this season, beginning their 2025 slate with five games this weekend
Rider finished in a three-way tie for third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll, matching their 2024 finish in the league, and their best selection in the preseason poll since 2005
Junior Fallyn Stoeckel returns after earning NFCA All-Northeast Region second-team honors at utility/pitcher, and a second-team All-MAAC selection in the outfield

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS

UNCW has opened the year at 7-2, their best start to a season since 2022, after being selected second in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) preseason poll
The Seahawks average exactly five stolen bases per game, good for second in the nation, led by preseason All-CAA selection Cassidy Relay, who accounts for 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts
Sophomore Madison Biddle tops the squad with 10 RBI, driving home three in three different games this season, most recently against Charleston Southern on Feb.14
Four Seahawks hold a batting average of .400 or better, highlighted by Addi Yates at .667. Yates also owns a team-leading .889 slugging percentage

SCOUTING THE MINUTEWOMEN

UMass opens their 2025 campaign at 4-6, including three losses to top ten opponents (No. 8 Texas Tech and No. 1 Texas)
Sophomore Riley Kairer leads the Minutewomen with a .360 batting average and seven RBI, including four doubles on the year
Three members of the UMass pitching staff have seen significant work, with sophomore Hannah Streicher holding a team-leading 1.35 ERA in ten innings of work, while senior Julianne Bolton has logged two wins for the Minutewomen

SERIES STUFF

DePaul is 2-1 all-time against Rider, earning victories in the two most recent meetings in 1989 and 1990 in Orlando, Florida, both by a margin of six runs
Last year was the first meeting between the Seahawks and the Blue Demons, with UNCW taking the 7-1 victory at home
The Minutewomen narrowly own the all-time series edge at 6-5, with all 11 meetings between the two sides played at neutral sites. The Blue Demons have won three of the last four outings, most recently in 2014 in Clearwater, Florida

UP NEXT
DePaul will travel to the Sunshine State for one last weekend of non-conference play Feb.28-Mar.2. They will tackle Mount St. Mary's three times, and host Jacksonville twice.

FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Softball, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Kelly Beaupre

Kelly Greene

Zoe Levine

Bella Nigey

Bibianna Rodriguez

Addison Talbot