ASUN softball tournament: Five things to know, scouting reports, schedule at UNF, JU
The ASUN softball tournament comes to Jacksonville May 10-14, with most of the games being played at the University of North Florida Complex and a play-in game and one first-round game at the Jacksonville University Pruitt Softball Complex.
UNF is the third-seeded team, passed in the conference standings by Central Arkansas by one game in the final weekend of the season (the Ospreys were idle and UCA swept Jacksonville State).
Jacksonville had a chance to qualify as a seventh or eighth seed but was swept by Kennesaw and with a 9-15 conference record, the Dolphins finished a game behind No. 7 Stetson and No. 8 Lipscomb.
University of North Florida will be the primary venue for 2022 ASUN softball championship
ASUN Softball tournament bracket
It’s the second time in three full seasons (not counting the canceled COVID-19 year in 2020) that JU has not qualified for the ASUN tournament. UNF has reached the tournament for the third year in a row, not counting 2020.
One question looms large: who can beat top-seeded Liberty? The Flames are the defending champions, didn’t lose in the ASUN until their final game and are 39-3 (.927) in the league in the last two seasons.
Here are five things to know about the tournament, a scouting report on the eight teams and the schedule:
1. Flame-throwing
Liberty had a 36-game regular-season conference winning streak until falling to Stetson 7-6 in the final game. The Flames have no weaknesses. They don’t lead the conference in any single important statistical category but they’re among the top three in ERA, strikeouts, batting average, slugging, on-base percentage, runs scored and home runs.
Five Liberty players, led by outfielder Kara Canetto, are hitting .300 or better and four, led by catcher Caroline Hudson with 50, have 30 or more RBI.
Oh, by the way ... coach Dot Richardson, a three-time MVP at UCLA who hit the game-winning home run for Team USA in the 1996 Olympic gold medal game, starts only one senior and has three freshman and four sophomores among the starting position players and her three primary pitchers.
2. Ospreys in the circle
The University of North Florida’s best hope is to continue its collective pitching performance, led by Hallie Arends and Morgan Clausen. The Ospreys lead the ASUN in ERA and are second in strikeouts per seven innings. Fun fact: UNF’s pitchers have given up only six home runs. The team allowing the next fewest is Kennesaw, giving up 27.
3. KSU's slugging O
Kennesaw senior third baseman Taylor Cates enters the tournament as perhaps the most feared power hitter in the ASUN. She's slashing .406/.453/.871 and leads the conference in average and slugging, and is tied with Georgia Land of North Alabama with 17 homers. In 160 college games, Cates has 39 home runs and 125 RBI.
4. What’s in the West?
The addition of Central Arkansas, Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky had an immediate impact on softball. UCA won the West division and Jacksonville State finished third, both making the tournament with room to spare. The common denominator is that both teams hit the ball. UCA is second in the ASUN with a .311 team batting average and Jacksonville State is fourth at .281. The Sugar Bears also lead the conference with 80 stolen bases.
5. Welcome to the First Coast
This is the first time Jacksonville has hosted the ASUN softball tournament. It’s been hosted by Stetson in DeLand eight times, by Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton six times, when the Owls were ASUN members, and in Fort Myers by Florida Gulf Coast three times.
Tournament teams, by seed
1. Liberty (40-16, 23-1)
Tournament history: 4-3, won in 2021.
Key players: Sophomore C Caroline Hudson (.312, 16 HR, 50 RBI); junior SS Devyn Howard (.317, seven homers, 30 RBI); junior outfielder Kara Canetto (.345, 11 2B, nine SB); sophomore RHP Karlie Keeney (17-7, 2.43).
2. Central Arkansas (33-18, 17-7)
Tournament history: First appearance.
Key players: Sophomore OF Tremere Harris (.401, 23-24 SB); sophomore 2B Mary Kate Brown (.356, 51 RBI); sophomore OF Jenna Wildeman (.383, 37-45 SB); sophomore RHP Kayla Beaver (18-7, 2.46); junior DH Jaylee Engelkes (.293, 11 HR, 45 RBI).
3. UNF (39-15, 16-8)
Tournament history: 9-10.
Key players: Junior OF Shannon Glover (.345, nine HR, 37 RBI); senior C Paige Pfent (.338, six HR, 37 RBI, 11 2B); junior RHP Hallie Arends (19-5, 1.76); senior RHP Morgan Clausen (12-4, 1.30).
4. North Alabama (37-16, 15-9)
Tournament history: 1-4.
Key players: Senior C Georgia Land (.345, 17 HR, 47 RBI); sophomore 3B Emma Broadfoot (.378, seven HR, 50 RBI); sophomore RHP Maci Birdyshaw (17-3, 1.14, 130 K).
5. Jacksonville State (30-22, 13-11)
Tournament history: 10-15, won in 1996.
Key players: Junior SS Carmryn McLemore (.382, five HR, 17 RBI); senior DH-IF Addie Robinson (.355, eight HR, 34 RBI); freshman RHP Kat Carter (16-11, 2.87).
6. Kennesaw State (21-26, 12-12)
Tournament history: 16-20, won in 2018.
Key players: Senior 3B Taylor Cates (.406, 17 HR, 43 RBI); junior 1B Brinaya Bailey (.323, three HR, 26 RBI); junior RHP Melanie Bennett (15-14, 2.89).
7. Stetson (21-34, 10-14)
Tournament history: 59-54, won in 1986, 1987, 1988, 2007, 2014.
Key players: Junior OF Brianna Clary (.330, 58 hits); senior 3B Danielle Diaz (.311); sophomore LHP Lauren Hobbs (8-12, 3.00).
8. Lipscomb 20-31 (10-14)
Tournament history: 20-27, won in 2010, 2019.
Key players: Senior SS Amy Vetula (.383, 39 runs); junior OF Presley Leebrick (.329, 14 2B); freshman RHP Kate Peters (11-8, 3.60).
ASUN Tournament schedule
Tuesday
Single-elimination play-in games
Jacksonville State vs. Lipscomb, 3 p.m., at JU.
Kennesaw State vs. Stetson, 3 p.m., at UNF.
Wednesday
Game 1: UNF vs. Kennesaw-Stetson winner, 3 p.m., at UNF.
Game 2: North Alabama vs. Jacksonville State-Lipscomb winner, 3 p.m., at JU.
Thursday, at UNF
Game 3: Central Arkansas vs. Kennesaw/Stetson-UNF winner, 10 a.m.
Game 4: Liberty vs. Jacksonville State/Lipscomb-North Alabama winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 5: Loser game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3 p.m.
Game 6: Loser game 3 vs. Loser Game 5, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, at UNF
Game 7: Winner’s bracket final, 12:30 p.m.
Game 8: Loser’s bracket game, 3 p.m.
Game 9: Loser’s bracket final, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, at UNF
Game 10: Championship game, 1 p.m.
Game 11: If needed, following Game 10.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Liberty is the top seed, UNF third as ASUN softball tournament comes to First Coast
