Softball team hosts No. 1 Florida Southwestern Saturday

The Eastern Florida State College softball team will host No. 1 Florida Southwestern State College Saturday afternoon for a Citrus Conference doubleheader.

The Titans, who are ranked No. 19 in the latest national poll, come into the doubleheader 9-9 in the conference and have lost three in a row. Florida Southwestern has won six in a row and are 17-1 in the conference.

Florida Southwestern comes into Saturday's doubleheader hitting .369 as a team and is averaging seven runs per game. The Bucs are fourth in the state in runs scored, third in triples with 16 and fifth in doubles with 62.

Skylar Brennan is hitting .462 with 10 doubles in 32 games this season while teammates Nicole Edmiaston, Noelani Livingstone and Virginia Mambelli are also all hitting over .400.

On the mound the Bucs are pitching to a 1.44 ERA which is second in the nation. The group has posted 12 shutouts which is also second in the nation. Zoe Yzaguirre is 9-0 with a 1.43 ERA while Leah Meyer is 10-0 with a 1.94 ERA.

The Titans are hitting .338 this season which is sixth in the state led by the duo of Avery Velazquez and Madison Velazquez. Madison Velazquez is hitting .468 in 17 games while her sister Avery Velazquez is hitting .438 in 35 games. Teammate Aracelis Jimenez is hitting .377 in 35 games with 13 stolen bases.

On the mound the Titans have a 2.85 ERA led by Avery Velazquez who has started 16 games and has 14 complete games.

Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. at Titan Softball Complex and admission is free. Fans can watch the doubleheader live online at the EFSC Titans YouTube page.