NORFOLK, Va. – Just two weeks are left in conference play for Norfolk State softball, and the first is this weekend when the Spartans head down to South Carolina for the MEAC Round-Up from Friday through Sunday.
 
NSU will face each team from the Southern Division over the course of the three-day event being held at the Orangeburg Recreation Complex. The Spartans will take on South Carolina State on Friday at 3 p.m., North Carolina A&T on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., and then North Carolina Central and Florida A&M in back-to-back games beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
 
Live stats will be available for the games against North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central.
 
Each team from the North will face each team from the South this weekend in Orangeburg, all counting toward MEAC records. Up to four fields at once will be hosting games this weekend
 
The Spartans currently find themselves in a battle in the MEAC North, holding a 7-5 conference ledger as well as a 14-12 overall record. They currently sit a game ahead of Delaware State (6-6) for second place in the division behind first-place Morgan State (10-2). Only the top two teams from each division will advance to this year's MEAC Tournament.
 
More MEAC Updates
Howard (4-8) and Coppin State (1-7) sit fourth and fifth, respectively, in the division. After this weekend, both Howard and Morgan State will face Coppin State to close out their conference seasons. NSU will take on DSU.
 
North Carolina A&T (7-1) and North Carolina Central (3-1) both have an early edge for the top two spots in the South in their quest to advance to the MEAC Tournament, being held in another month at the NSU Softball Field.
 
Some MEAC Rankings
Kirsten Greene currently leads the MEAC with a 1.40 ERA. In fact, the top 3 all hail from NSU, with Alexis Robinson (2.39) and Cam Andersen (2.89) second and third, respectively. Opponents are hitting just .143 against Greene, also tops in the league. The second-best opponent average in the MEAC belongs to Andersen (.200).
 
On the hitting side, Denisha Megginson (.350) and Tuli Iosefa (.344) own the fifth and seventh-best averages in the league. Iosefa leads the MEAC in home runs (4), RBI (24) and slugging (.625). Jazzmaine Hammond leads in stolen bases (18) as well.
 
National Too
NSU currently sits 16^th in the nation in stolen bases per game (2.12), 56^th in on-base percentage (.381), as well as 60^th in scoring at 5.35 runs per game. Out of 282 teams, the Spartans are also in the top 100 in ERA (62^nd, 2.69), batting average (91^st, .284), and doubles per game (96^th, 1.31).
 
Pitching-wise, Robinson ranks 11^th in the country in fewest walks per seven innings (0.74) and 18^th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.50). Greene sits 19^th in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (3.60) and 51^st in ERA (1.40).
 
Hammond, meanwhile, currently ranks 31^st in the country in total stolen bases with 18.
 
Career Updates
A few players now find themselves in the top 15 all-time at NSU in a variety of categories:
- Tuli Iosefa – 7^th in Home Runs (16), 8^th in Sacrifice Flies (7)
 
- Jazzmaine Hammond – 12^th in Stolen Bases (69)
 
- Jade Dixon – 3^rd in Hit By Pitch (26), 10^th in Sacrifices (18)
 
- Shelby DesChamps – 9^th in Walks (62), 11^th in Hits (150)
 
- Skylar Swain – 9^th in ERA (3.15), 14^th in Wins (21), 15^th in Appearances (59)
 
Up Next
NSU will wrap up MEAC play on April 24-25 at Delaware State.