CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Having the luxury of three consecutive tournaments (12 games in total) from their home site, the Presbyterian College softball team will hit the road for the first time this semester over the weekend, making the three-hour drive to Western Carolina for the "Catamount Classic" from Friday-Sunday.

The Blue Hose are primed for five meetings over the next 72 hours: they'll face North Carolina A&T and Rhode Island back-to-back tomorrow, leading to another DH the following day with A&T and the hosting school (WCU). One more contest awaits them on Sunday, a second go-around with Rhode Island.

PC's two-parter with the Bulldogs and Rams is scheduled for 10:00 AM and 12:30, looking to expand upon a 9-3 victory four days ago versus Maryland Eastern Shore.


 
GAMEDAY INFO – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Presbyterian (7-5) vs. North Carolina A&T (2-9)
WHERE / WHEN: Cullowhee, N.C. | 10:00 AM
LIVE STATS: SideArm
 
Presbyterian (7-5) vs. Rhode Island (1-4)
WHERE / WHEN: Cullowhee, N.C. | 12:30 PM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
GAMEDAY INFO – SATURDAY, MARCH 1
Presbyterian (7-5) vs. North Carolina A&T (2-9)
WHERE / WHEN: Cullowhee, N.C. | 10:00 AM
LIVE STATS: SideArm
 
Presbyterian (7-5) at Western Carolina (2-9)
WHERE / WHEN: Cullowhee, N.C. | 3:00 PM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
GAMEDAY INFO – SUNDAY, MARCH 2
Presbyterian (7-5) vs. Rhode Island (1-4)
WHERE / WHEN: Cullowhee, N.C. | 10:00 AM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA A&T
 
- A former member of the Big South until switching allegiance to the Coastal Athletic Association in 2022, North Carolina A&T has started the season with mostly negative results and a six-game losing streak heading into the Catamount Classic.

- The Bulldogs avoided a Division II loss in their second outing of the year against Claflin, needing to score four runs in the bottom of the 8^th to dodge the upset (and one earlier score in the 7^th to send the game to extra's in the first place).

- A&T's only other W came over NC Central at home – a 14-6 run-rule decision – where they lined up 16 hits and an absurd 10 stolen bases.

- However, their last three bouts have ended on the wrong side of the mercy rule, getting swept by USC Upstate in Spartanburg by a combined margin of 24-6 and then falling to UNC Greensboro on Wednesday 13-1.


 
SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND
 
- Unable to begin their season until two weeks later than most other schools thanks to inclement weather, Rhode Island was finally able to start the engine at a tournament hosted by College of Charleston. They were able to pull away one win out of their five-game stay.

- Mike Coutts was named URI's new head coach last August after spending the previous three seasons with Colorado School of Mines at the D-II level, hoping to turn around a program that went 15-37 last year.

- Incidentally, the Rams were going to be a part of Presbyterian's second home tournament near Valentine's Day (joining other visitors ETSU and Maine), although Mother Nature intervened before they could successfully make the journey south.

- Friday will be the first-ever meeting between the Blue Hose and Rhode Island, a stark contrast to NC A&T who PC boasts a 5-0 all-time record against.


 
SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA
 
- A frequent opponent of the Scotsmen since their early D-I days in the late 2000's, Western Carolina will be competing at home for the first time this season after spending the bulk of their first 11 outings in neutral/road tourneys.

- Interestingly, WCU currently holds the same record as A&T (2-9), with those two victories coming over Jacksonville by four and Gardner-Webb in an 8-inning barnburner from Boiling Springs.

- Western secured a solo homer in the top of the 6^th to send that game to extra's, ultimately winning the game with an RBI triple by shortstop Sydney Dirks. G-W gave the Catamounts a receipt in the second half of that doubleheader, beating WCU 5-1.

- After playing PC just once this weekend, head coach Jim Clift and co. will then go to Clinton next Tuesday for a pair. Thus, the saga continues between two non-conference foes who have already faced off 27 times in the past.


 
LAST TIME OUT
 
- The Blue Hose will cross into the Tar Heel State as winners of their last two, emerging victorious in a 2-1 extra-inning thriller over Cleveland State last weekend which led to the aforementioned UMES stomping.

- Senior outfielder Mallory Fletcher delivered a two-RBI double in the 8^th to walk-off the Vikings after pitcher Kasey Wolfe held CSU scoreless for all of regulation. The bats were more consistent for Presby the next day as they hammered Maryland Eastern Shore, scoring six in the first frame and never looking back.

- Eight of PC's nine runs came with two outs against the Hawks, with the highlight coming from junior catcher Molly Mattas on a bases-clearing double to help her squad assume a six-run advantage.

- Five different PC players notched an extra-base swing in that victory, while freshman Baxleigh Arnette turned in a 3-of-4 showing along with a walk and three stolen bases.

- Fletcher leads the way offensively for head coach David Williams' lineup in the four-hole, batting .457 which is the second-highest number in the Big South among those that have at least 30 at-bats.