CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team heads towards warmer weather this weekend as it travels to Charleston, South Carolina to take part in the Buccaneer Invitational Tournament hosted by Charleston Southern.
 
The Colonels will open the tournament on Friday at 11 a.m. as they take on Valparaiso, followed by a 3 p.m. game against Charleston Southern. The squad will play two more on Saturday back-to-back as they take on North Carolina Central at 9 a.m. and Valparaiso at 11 a.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
-EKU went 3-for-4 last weekend, defeating Fort Wayne (6-5), the University of Northern Colorado (4-0) and Loyola Chicago (5-4), but falling to DePaul University, 4-0.
 
-Samantha Reynoso, Tori Peterson and Mollie Paulick each earned their first wins of the season from the circle. Peterson comes into the tournament with a 0.00 earned run average.
 
-Hannah Clark leads the Colonels with a .455 batting average after going 5-for-11 with two walks at the dish. The junior collected three runs, three RBIs, a double and a triple to rack up a .727 slugging percentage.
 
-Three other Colonels notched hits for extra bases: Emily Corbitt had a double and a triple, Destinee Lizzmore had two two-baggers, while Paulick sent one over the fence.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
                                                                                                                               
-None of the three tournament teams have ever beaten EKU. The last time the Colonels squared off with Valpo was 1997. EKU last played North Carolina Central in 2017 when Eastern won 12-2. Charleston Southern and Eastern most recently played in 2002.
 
-Valpo went 2-2 last weekend, falling to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, defeating Tennessee State twice and coming up short against Troy. Out of the players that have played multiple games, Addie Burke leads with a .556 batting average after going 5-for-9 last weekend with no hits for extra bases.
 
-North Carolina Central is 0-2 on the season after dropping a doubleheader to Elon on Saturday. Ava Dolan led the Eagles after a 2-for-5 day at the plate with a home run.
 
-Charleston Southern is 3-1 on the year with wins against North Carolina A&T and Towson and a split series with North Dakota. Outfielder Jade Gandara leads CSU with a .769 batting average. She is 10-of-13 in the batter's box with a round-tripper.
 
LIVE STATISTICS AND VIDEO
 
Live statistics will be available for each game of the tournament at these links: 

GAME ONE | GAME TWO | GAME THREE | GAME FOUR