Road Trip Takes Blue Demons to Jacksonville

CHICAGO – DePaul softball continues their non-conference slate in Jacksonville, Florida February 28 through March 2 at the JU Classic. They will face Mount St. Mary's at 11 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday, followed by Jacksonville at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, respectively. On Sunday, they will conclude their tournament with a final game against Mount St. Mary's at 9 a.m.

Live stats to follow each event can be found on the DePaul softball schedule page here. The games will not be streamed.

"After a weekend that secured our winning record, we're proud of our team's dedication and collective effort," said head coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski.

"Our pitching staff has been instrumental in maintaining our competitive edge, and we remain committed to fostering growth and consistency as we strive for continued success."

BLUE DEMON BITS

Freshman catcher Zoe Levine and redshirt sophomore Kali Blount have made an immediate impact, both part of a four-way tie atop the league with five doubles this season
Bibianna Rodriguez leads the squad with a .414 batting average, one of just ten players in the BIG EAST hitting above .400
Pitcher Bella Nigey became the second Blue Demon pitcher tabbed to the BIG EAST Honor Roll this past Monday, after tallying two wins, 17 strikeouts, and a complete game
Nigey's 1.50 ERA is good for third in the BIG EAST, and the entire pitching staff holds a 1.97 ERA, which places them 27^th among Division I teams, and first in the league
Nigey also ranks third in the conference with 34 total strikeouts, and her four wins place her tied for second
The Blue Demons have been hit by pitch 15 times, with only 18 other teams in the nation having been hit by pitch more frequently

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS

Mount St. Mary's began their season at the Spartan/Pirate Invitational in Hampton, Virginia, notching a 2-2 record on the weekend
Freshman utility Tyra Christian tops the squad with a .429 batting average
The Mountaineers joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in 2022, and were selected to finish eleventh in this year's preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches
Head coach Anna Nagro is in her 15th season at the helm of the program, the all-time record holder for career wins at Mount St. Mary's

SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS

Jacksonville opens the season at 9-5, including a 1-1 tally against BIG EAST opponent UConn, and a loss against No. 2 Florida
Senior Haley Fox tops the squad with a .417 batting average and 15 hits
The Dolphins were selected to finish sixth in the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), and both catcher Averi Harcus and outfielder Madison Bratek were selected to the preseason All-ASUN Team.
Harcus and Bratek have combined for 22 hits and 13 RBI on the year
Pitcher Skylar Waggoner boasts a 1.67 ERA and three complete games for the Mountaineers, tallying 20 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched

SERIES STUFF

DePaul holds a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series over Jacksonville, with this weekend marking the first time the sides will not play at a neutral site
The last meeting between the Blue Demons and Dolphins was a 5-0 DePaul victory in Miami, Florida in 2014
Friday represents the first-ever matchup between the Mountaineers and Blue Demons

UP NEXT
The Blue Demons travel to Butler to open BIG EAST play March 7-9. They will play one game a day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, at 2 p.m., 12 p.m., and 11 a.m. CT, respectively.

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.