Carolina Diamonds Ready For Greenville/Kannapolis Home Series
July 12, 2012 - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
Carolina Diamonds News Release
SALISBURY - The Carolina Diamonds are ready to face the Akron Racers for the third time this season in a home series split between Greenville, South Carolina and Kannapolis starting tonight.
The Diamonds come into this weekend's National Pro Fastpitch softball league series 7-12 after a road trip to the face Florida's USSSA Pride at Louisiana State University while the Racers are 8-12 with hopes to not be swept by Carolina again like two weeks ago. However, Akron is hot off a winning series with the league leading Chicago Bandits.
"They are coming in with a lot of confidence and if we continue to play as good it will be a good series. It will go back and forth," head coach Lisa Navas said.
The Diamonds have once again been graced with honors this week with catcher Rachel Folden being named the league's Offensive Player of the Week after Katie Burkhart was named Pitcher of the Week last week and Angel Bunner was named Rookie of the Week last month.
Folden is hitting .409 with four home runs and 10 RBIs so far this season.
"It really says a lot about our team," Folden said. "We have been hitting really, really well lately. It kind of makes it easier when you are just one hitter in the middle of that pretty awesome lineup."
Last weekend's series was mixed with high Louisiana temperatures and thunderstorms pushing game two of Saturday's double header into Sunday and eventually postponing what would have been Sunday's game.
"Thank God for Q (infielder Angeline Quiocho) and the ukulele ... She just kind of plays and sings and we have a good time in the locker room," Navas said of the weather delays.
Sunday also saw the temporary departure of outfielder Caitlin Lever, who is headed out on international duty with Canada for few weeks. But the Diamonds will have an immediate replacement available with new signing Jazlyn Lunceford, who joins Amanda Locke as representatives of this year's NCAA Women's College World Series champions from the University of Alabama. Carolina will also soon have pitcher Morgan Melloh back.
"There will be some adjustments. Some other players will get opportunities to play in other situations, but I think the next three weeks are going to be a little crazy with people just in and out of town for different reasons," Navas said.
To view the Carolina Diamonds schedule, purchase tickets to an upcoming game or stream live game video, visit www.yourcarolinadiamonds.com.
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National Pro Fastpitch Stories from July 12, 2012
- Racers, Diamonds Tied at 5-5 in Rain Delay to Continue Tomorrow - Akron Racers
- Racers Bolster Pitching Staff with Bulldog Pitcher - Akron Racers
- Carolina Diamonds Ready For Greenville/Kannapolis Home Series - Carolina Diamonds
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