Leading Off
The Leopards travel to Clemson, S.C. to participate in the Tiger Invitational, hosted by Clemson. The Maroon and White's third invitational of the spring will see a Friday doubleheader, with a 10 a.m. matchup against Indiana before a 12:30 p.m. game against the hosts. Saturday pits Lafayette against East Carolina, with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. The Leopards will play one more game on Sunday, with the start time and opponent depending on results from the previous two days of action.
Last Time Out
Lafayette played five games at last weekend's Panther Invitational at Florida International University. The Leopards lost a 6-2 decision against FIU and a 2-0 final against Iowa on Feb. 21 before an 8-4 loss against Iowa and 8-0 defeat to FIU on Feb. 22. The lone game on Feb. 23 saw the Maroon and White drop a 6-1 decision against FIU.
It's An Honor
Senior outfielder Mary Grace O'Neill received Patriot League Softball Player of the Week recognition after her performance at the Panther Invitational. The Pleasantville, N.Y. native hit .529 at the tournament, collecting nine hits over three days of action.Â
On the year, O'Neill leads the Leopards offensively, slashing .500 in the early going. The Economics major has started in all eight games, collecting three doubles and a triple while primarily hitting in the two-hole.
Are You New Here?
The Maroon and White have already seen positive results for the programs' newcomers. Freshman Emma Ahlborn has started seven of the Leopards' eight games, claiming the second best batting average in that span. Infielder Caroline Hall has started all eight games, picking up her first career RBI against FIU on Feb. 21. Junior Dani Rosner has appeared in four contests, starting in three of them. Pitcher Sophia Alvarez-Backus' six appearances lead the Leopards' pitching staff in the early part of the campaign. She collected her first career strikeout against Campbell and has five so far this year.
On The Road Again
After this weekend, the Maroon and White have one tournament remaining: the Penn State Invitational.Â
Lafayette is slated to open its home schedule on March 16 vs. St. Peter's before facing Holy Cross on March 22-23 to begin Patriot League play.
The Opponents
Lafayette's first matchup of the weekend comes against the 10-3 Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana dropped its first game of the 2025 slate in a 4-3 decision against FIU before ripping off a nine-game win streak. The Hooisers last time out was in Lubbock, Texas at the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic, hosted by Texas Tech. Indiana played in four games, winning the first two against UIC and UTEP before dropping two straight decisions against the Red Raiders. Indiana has seen eight of its players start in all 13 games, including senior Taylor Minnick. Minnick leads the team with a .459 average and 18 RBIs. Juniors Melina Wilkison and Avery Parker also have been effective with runners on base, tallying 14 and 13 RBIs, respectively. Freshman Jenae Berry has been the Hoosiers' ace within the circle, holding opponents to a .143 clip while boasting a 0.55 ERA. Berry has won five of her seven appearances, striking out 13 batters in the process.
The Clemson Tigers enter with a 10-6 mark. Clemson's last game was a 5-3 upset of No. 10 Georgia. Clemson is in the midst of a seven-game win streak following a four-game skid. Much of the Tigers' offense has been carried by sophomore Julia Knowler, who holds a .370 average. Through 16 games, Knowler paces Clemson in home runs (6) and RBI (22). Senior Reese Basinger has appeared in 12 contests with a 3-2 record, a 2.24 ERA and 45 strikeouts (both of which lead the staff).
Sitting at 9-5, East Carolina secured a Wednesday doubleheader sweep of UNCW and N.C. Central. Sophomore Kanisha Anderson has had the hot bat to start the campaign, hitting .514 through 14 contests. Anderson has been one of six Pirates to start in every game, collecting 19 hits, with a double and two triples. Morgan Johnson and Emma Jackson have combined for seven home runs. Freshman Kendall Frost has served as a reliable option within the circle, appearing in 11 games with a 4-3 record. She has started six games, going the distance in four of them while striking out 24 batters.
