JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The non-conference grind continues for the Presbyterian College softball team this weekend, participating in their last mid-year tournament from Friday to Sunday against Georgia Southern (twice), Jacksonville, North Florida, and Southern Miss.

Essentially every team that crosses paths with PC over the next three days has a strong 2026 resume, combining for 52 wins already in what figures to be a very challenging slate.

The Blue Hose played a dramatic doubleheader against Queens earlier this week and came up just short in both contests, the second of which advanced to extra innings and was decided by a 10-7 margin.

PC has a history with every school on the docket except Southern Miss, as they will square off with two Sun Belt institutions and two others from the ASUN.


 
GAMEDAY INFO – FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Presbyterian (11-9) vs. Georgia Southern (8-9)

WHERE / WHEN: Jacksonville, Fla. | 1:00 PM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
Presbyterian (11-9) at Jacksonville (11-10)

WHERE / WHEN: Jacksonville, Fla. | 6:00 PM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
GAMEDAY INFO – SATURDAY, MARCH 7

Presbyterian (11-9) vs. Georgia Southern (8-9)

WHERE / WHEN: Jacksonville, Fla. | 3:00 PM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
Presbyterian (11-9) at North Florida (19-5)

WHERE / WHEN: Jacksonville, Fla. | 5:00 PM
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: SideArm
 


 
GAMEDAY INFO – SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Presbyterian (11-9) vs. Southern Miss (14-8)

WHERE / WHEN: Jacksonville, Fla. | 10:00 AM
LIVE STATS: SideArm


 
SCOUTING GEORGIA SOUTHERN

 
- GSU is an interesting team to analyze at this stage of the season, currently at one game below .500 but recently pulling off a shocker over #25 Clemson with a five-run 7^th-inning explosion to win by a single score.

- The day after that huge upset, the Eagles were hammered by Wofford (a mutual opponent of PC) in an 11-1 decision. They got their revenge on the Terriers in the rematch on Sunday, however, thanks to another 7^th-inning eruption to beat them by nine.

- Georgia Southern has also played two tight games with Purdue and is led by senior pitcher Bailey Holland (1.88 ERA in just over 37 innings).

- Head coach Sharon Perkins' crew was a one-and-done exit in the Sun Belt Tournament last spring at the hands of Louisiana-Monroe. Even with the Clemson triumph, GSU is just 2-8 when playing away from their home venue.


 
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE

 
- The Dolphins hover one game above .500 with one month of the season complete, taking a 7-1 loss to 10^th-ranked Florida State on Wednesday evening.

- Presbyterian took down JU when they last locked horns in 2024, edging them out by a 5-2 clip. Prior to the FSU defeat, Jacksonville had won four out of five meetings against DePaul and Tennessee Tech.

- Head coach Erica Ayers has been with the program for nearly a full decade, directing graduate outfielder Kate Linkletter to a solid .409 average with eight extra-base hits.

- JU holds a strong 10-4 record on their home turf, with one of those losses coming to the #6 Florida Gators.


 
SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA
 

- Tabbed as the #16 best mid-major team in the country by D1Softball.com, North Florida is the preseason favorite to win the ASUN after steamrolling their way to the conference championship last year with 47 total victories.

- The Ospreys won 22 of their 24 regular-season league games last year and would go on to eliminate Virginia from the NCAA Tournament with two wins over the Cavaliers by a single run each.

- UNF was eventually ousted by South Carolina in the regional championship game, and they'll enter this weekend's slate with a six-game winning streak.

- Head coach Jeff Conrad's group started off 2026 with a mercy rule statement win over the Auburn Tigers. Star pitcher Cameron Ponich holds an 0.81 ERA in 51.2 innings, while Kate Peters displays a 1.35 average herself.

- The Blue Hose won an eight-inning thriller over North Florida three years ago on a neutral field, getting the victory with an error on a sacrifice bunt which improved Presbyterian to 12-0 at the time.


 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISS

 
- USM is another adversary that comes into this invitational on a hot streak, taking seven wins in a row while holding each of their opponents to under three runs.

- The Golden Eagles blanked Chattanooga twice and also downed Nicholls State, Lamar, Morehead State, Jackson State, and Alcorn State during this seven-game win streak.

- Amazingly, Southern Miss has not hit a single home run in 22 meetings this year. However, head coach Natalie Poole's unit has cranked out 30 doubles, eight triples, and 26 stolen bases.

- Sophomore twirler Kayla Giardina has enjoyed a breakout season thus far, throwing 60.1 innings and maintaining a 2.09 ERA with a 6-2 personal record.


 
LAST TIME OUT
 

- PC could not keep their grip on a late lead in two close calls with Queens on Tuesday, seeing a 7-3 advantage dissipate in the 6^th inning with a grand slam during the second affair.

- The Blue Hose have played Queens to a game beyond seven innings in three consecutive seasons now, but were unable to avoid a sweep by the Royals despite 16 combined hits and 10 runs.

- Junior Avery Robinson still stands as the team's leader in both batting average (.410) and ERA (2.23). She is one of just 25 pitchers in the country to have multiple shutouts to her name, holding both UAlbany and Columbia scoreless.

- Infielders Hali Duke and Cierra Grice have each had exceptional starts to their college careers, adding up for 12 doubles, three homers, and 24 RBI as true freshmen.

- Presbyterian went 3-1 at their last tournament in Macon, Georgia, defeating Columbia and Tennessee State by a combined 12-0 differential and then blowing out the host Mercer in a 12-2 five-inning ballgame.