CU Softball Preview - vs. Ithaca (4/23-24)

Gary Mikel

Softball | 4/22/2021 9:00:00 AM

It's only the midway point of the conference season, but a home game in the Liberty League playoffs could be at stake this weekend when the Clarkson University Softball team and Ithaca College compete in a four-game set.

Live Stats (Friday 4/23 at Ithaca)
Live Video (Friday 4/23 at Ithaca)
Live Stats (Saturday 4/24 vs Ithaca)
Live Video (Saturday 4/24 vs Ithaca)

The Series: The two teams have met five times since 2018 when Ithaca joined the Liberty League, and the Bombers have won all five of the meetings by a combined score of 30-1. However, two games finished as 1-0 pitchers' duels, including a 10-inning affair in the 2019 Liberty League Championships.

Key Stats for Clarkson (14-6 overall, 6-2 Liberty League): In 13.2 innings against Ithaca, junior Olivia Zoeller has allowed just eight hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts, with both games coming in her freshman season of 2019. Zoeller leads the Liberty League in virtually every pitching category, including earned run average (0.34), wins (10), shutouts (5), strikeouts (106), and opponents' batting average (.137). Zoeller has twice as many strikeouts as any other pitcher in the conference and has struck out more batters than all but one team in the league. Offensively, Kayla Robert leads the conference (among hitters with at least 20 plate appearances) in batting average (.563), on-base percentage (.611), and slugging percentage (.875). Clarkson has out homered opponents 13-1.

Key Stats for Ithaca (12-4 overall, 8-2 Liberty League): The Bombers and Golden Knights have similar offensive profiles as both teams average better than six runs per game, have out homered opponents by a margin of 12, and each team has stolen 35 bases. Four hitters are batting .350 or better, led by Allison Dell'Orto, who is slashing .408/.473/.571. Gabby Laccona, Haley Gaffney, and Julia Loffredo have combined for 13 home runs and each owns a slugging percentage above .700. From the pitching circle, Riley Piromalli and Beth Fleming have pitched every inning, combining for 80 strikeouts in 99 innings with a combined earned run average just over 3.00. The duo is prone to slight wildness as they have walked 45 and hit another 16 batters for 61 extra baserunners beyond the 88 hits allowed.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Kayla Robert: IF; 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#9 Olivia Zoeller: P/OF; 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

Players Mentioned

#4 Kayla Robert
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#9 Olivia Zoeller
: 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/OF

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#4 Kayla Robert

#9 Olivia Zoeller

Players Mentioned

#4 Kayla Robert

#9 Olivia Zoeller