EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball begins its 2021 season Friday at noon (CST) when it takes on Wingate University in a doubleheader in Dahlonega, Georgia. The No. 16 Screaming Eagles also take on No. 2 University of North Georgia in an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday in Dahlonega, before finishing the weekend Sunday at 10 a.m. with a single game against No. 5 Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia.
 
Spectator Policies
There will be limited capacity for fans at North Georgia and masks are required while in the facility, with the exception of eating or drinking. Young Harris, meanwhile, is limiting fans to people the Young Harris College community only.
 
How to follow
Live Stats and potential video will be provided for all of USI's games this weekend. Links will be provided on USI Softball's schedule page. Updates also will be provided via USI's social media platforms (@USIAthletics), particularly Twitter, although updates may be limited due to the volume of other athletic events happening at the same time. Also look for updates on USI Softball's social media platform (@USISOFTBALL).
 
USI Softball Notes
• Scouting the opposition. Wingate, which hosts Concord in a doubleheader Wednesday, is 2-2 to open the year after finishing 2020 with a 13-9 overall record. North Georgia, which was 23-4 a year ago, including a 5-0 win over USI, has started the year with a 6-0 record, while Young Harris brings a 5-1 mark into its Saturday doubleheader against Wingate.
 
• Eagles ranked No. 16. USI Softball moved up one spot to No. 16 in the latest NFCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll. The Eagles are one of two GLVC teams in the Top 25, with the University of Indianapolis moving up two spots to ranked No. 19. Grand Valley State University (GLIAC) moved up one spot to No. 24 and was the only other Midwest Region school in this week's ranking after Trevecca Nazarene University (GMAC) dropped from its preseason No. 10 ranking all the way out of the poll.
 
• USI picked to finish second in GLVC. League coaches predicted that the Eagles will finish second in the GLVC in 2021. USI received 170 points and two first-place votes, while Indianapolis was picked to finish first, receiving 190 points and four first-place votes.
 
• Blue Bridge Battle rescheduled. The Eagles' original opening weekend at the Blue Bridge Battle February 13-14 was rescheduled to the end of February in Owensboro, Kentucky. USI is set to take on Midwest Region foes Cedarville University and Lake Erie College February 27 as well as Northwood University and Kentucky Wesleyan College February 28.
 
• Eagles in 2020. USI finished the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign with a 15-4 record. The Eagles were set to host Indianapolis in their GLVC-opener when the season was canceled.
 
• USI brings back…The Eagles return 12 players, three pitchers and six starters from last year's squad. The Eagles' returning pitchers combined for an 8-1 record a year ago, with sophomore pitcher Allie Goodin going 4-0 with a 2.47 ERA and 26 strikeouts during her rookie campaign. She also hit .385 with five doubles, a home run and 10 RBI.
 
• Speaking of high-impact freshmen. Goodin was not the only freshman to make an impact a year ago as infielder Rachel Martinez hit .356 with four doubles, two triples, a home run and 10 RBI during her first season at USI. Sophomore catcher/infielder Sammie Kihega hit .333 with a double and a pair of RBI in her first year of collegiate softball, while sophomore infielder Jordan Rager hit .306 with two doubles and four RBI.
 
• Two seniors. The Eagles have just two seniors on their roster in 2021, with outfielders Alicia Webb and Jessica Tucker providing the Eagles with leadership on the field. Webb, a 2019 All-GLVC performer, hit .286 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and eight RBI a year ago, while Tucker played in 13 games, making 12 starts with a .207 batting average and three RBI.
 
• Heart and soul. Junior catcher Courtney Schoolcraft overcame radiation treatments in the Fall of 2019 to start all of USI's 19 games behind the plate a year ago, hitting .278 with five doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored.
 
• Kunkle going for 600. USI Head Coach Sue Kunkle enters her 20th year leading the Eagles with a 563-386-1 overall record. She is 37 wins from becoming the first coach in USI history with 600 wins—USI Baseball Coach Tracy Archuleta enters the 2021 season with 482 wins at USI and 630 overall.
 
• Replacing a legend. The Eagles find themselves with the unenviable task of replacing a four-time All-American in Jennifer Leonhardt, who finished her career as USI's all-time leader in wins (83), strikeouts (787) and complete-game shutouts (35). The most outstanding player of the 2018 NCAA II Championship graduated last May with a degree in biology and is using her NCAA-granted extra season of competition to play for the University of Louisville.
 
• Eagles looking to continue NCAA run. The Eagles were on pace for their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2020 and their seventh in the last eight years when the season was cut short due to COVID. USI won back-to-back NCAA II Midwest Region titles in 2017 and 2018 before capturing the 2018 national championship.
 
• Hitting streaks. Five players are carrying hitting streaks from the 2020 season into 2021. Martinez brings a team-high five-game hitting streak into the 2021 campaign, while Webb ended 2020 with a four-game hitting streak. Rager is bringing a two-game hitting streak into 2021, while Goodin and Tucker each had a hit in USI's last game a year ago.