CARROLLTON, Ga. - Weekend number three of ASUN play is here for UWG softball as the Wolves will play the Jacksonville Dolphins for a three-game set beginning Saturday in Jacksonville.
It's the second time West Georgia (11-22, 3-3 ASUN) meets Jacksonville (18-14, 3-3 ASUN) already this season as the two teams opened ASUN play in Carrollton just two weeks ago.
The Wolves won that series by sweeping a Saturday doubleheader before falling in the series finale. It was tightly contested the whole series as UWG just outscored the Dolphins 9-8 in the three games combined.
Jenna Samuel, who is UWG's leading hitter and has been all season, hit .400 (2-for-5) with two home runs, three RBIs and five walks in that series, propelling the Wolves to the series victory. Madison McDonald was also crucial in the series win, hitting .375 (3-for-8) with a double, triple, and home run.
In the circle, UWG used three pitchers in the series with each tossing 7.0 innings. Cacie Cutright was the most effective, allowing just one run while Calli Hardison gave up three and Jenna Samuel allowed four.
Jacksonville bounced back after the series loss in Carrollton and took two of three from their rival North Florida last week.
Sarah Beth Brake, who hit two home runs in the series in Carrollton, continues to lead JU at the plate, bringing a .392 average into the weekend with a team high nine home runs and 29 RBIs.
The Dolphins ace, Jacy Harrelson, lost to the Wolves in the prior series opener, but then came back and pitched a complete game three-hit victory in the finale, salvaging a win for the Dolphins. The Warner Robins native pitched in two of the games last weekend at UNF, allowing nine earned runs in 11.2 combined innings. Harrelson still leads JU in ERA with a 3.12 mark over 101.0 total innings pitched.
UWG lost their last ASUN series at Queens, and are coming off a midweek game at Georgia Tech in which the Wolves were no-hit and run-ruled, 9-0, in five innings against the Yellow Jackets.
This weekend's series is set to begin with a 2 p.m. first pitch in Saturday's doubleheader with the finale slated for a 1 p.m. start from the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex on the JU campus.
