GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Embry-Riddle (9-9) vs. Columbia (S.C) (4-6)
DATE: Tuesday, March 10, 2015
CITY: Daytona Beach, Fla.
SITE: Port Orange City Center Sports Complex (4625 City Center Drive)
FIRST PITCH: 4 p.m. EDT
LIVE STATS: ERAU Gameday Network

ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE
The Blue and Gold split a doubleheader against visiting Michigan-Dearborn on Saturday. Robi Zimmerman a three-run home run to cap an 11-2 win in game one but the Wolverines came back to take the second game, 12-6.

Kailah Rain leads the Eagles with a .356 batting average and two triples, while Anna Battison leads the team in hits (17), on-base percentage (.419), runs scored (14) and stolen bases (10). Robi Zimmerman is batting .283 with three of ERAU's four home runs and has driven in a team-leading 16 runs. In the circle, Taylor Cowan has been effective in six relief appearances, tossing 17 innings with a 1-0 record and a 3.29 ERA, while Zimmerman is 4-4 with a 3.67 ERA in nine starts.

ABOUT COLUMBIA (S.C.)
The Fighting Koalas hold a 4-6 record on the season and have lost four straight coming in to Tuesday's doubleheader. Columbia was swept by Milligan on March 4 and Tennessee Wesleyan on March 6, with all four losses coming at home.

As a team, Columbia is hitting .255, slugging .350 and has an on-base percentage of .323. CC has hit five home runs and is 10-for-11 in stolen bases. The Fighting Koalas' pitching staff has a 2.73 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched.

Hailey Grimoskas leads the team with a .364 batting average while Rochelle Lyda is batting .296 with a team-leading two home runs and four RBIs. Rachel Lembke is 2-0 with 0.70 ERA and Erin Walker is 2-5 with a 3.23 ERA and leads the team with 39 strikeouts.

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES
The 2015 edition of the Embry-Riddle softball team will look much different than the previous two seasons. ERAU has a new head coach in Kelsi Dunne, a new assistant coach in Monique White, and six of the 13 players are brand new this year. Besides the new faces, the Eagles will be playing most, and possibly all, of their home games at Daytona State College while the new baseball/softball facilities are completed. Embry-Riddle is hopeful that the construction will be completed in time for the Eagles to play their final two regular season doubleheaders at the ERAU Softball Complex, but that has not yet officially been determined.

ROBI BREAKING RECORDS
Robi Zimmerman is putting her name at the top of a number of the program's all-time leader lists. As a three-year starter at first base and pitcher, Zimmerman is among the top 10 in the following categories:

Games played - 98 (1st)
Games started - 94 (1st)

Hitting
At-bats - 275 (1st)
Runs batted in - 64 (1st)
Walks - 29 (1st)
Home runs - 9 (T-1st)
Doubles - 20 (2nd)
Sacrifice flies - 4 (2nd)
Hits - 81 (3rd)
Total bases - 128 (3rd)
Slugging percentage - .465 (4th)
On-base percentage - .361 (6th)
Batting average - .295 (7th)
Runs scored - 23 (T-7th)
Hit by pitch - 2 (T-8th)
Sacrifice bunts - 8 (9th)

Pitching
Saves - 3 (1st)
Appearances - 62 (1st)
Starts - 51 (1st)
Complete games - 28 (1st)
Innings pitched - 287.0 (1st)
Strikeouts - 148 (2nd)
ERA - 4.15 (2nd)
Oppenents batting average - .315 (2nd)
Walks/7 inn. - 2.59 (2nd)
Strikeouts/7 inn. - 3.61 (2nd)
Wins - 19 (2nd)
Shutouts - 1 (T-2nd)

Fielding
Assists - 103 (3rd)
Fielding percentage - .962 (5th)
Putouts - 125 (6th)

SOLID AS A ROCK
Talia Barraco, the team's lone senior, was one of the most reliable players on the team in her first season at Embry-Riddle in 2014, earning her the nickname "Rock." Barraco was third on the team with a .343 batting average and led the Eagles with 24 RBIs. She also led the team in sacrifice bunts with 16 and was solid in the field, committing just six errors in 208 chances while playing third and first base. This season, Barraco is hitting .244 and leads the team with six doubles to go along with 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored.

DUAL THREATS
Robi Zimmerman has contributed at the plate and in the circle in each of her two seasons at Embry-Riddle. Last year, Zimmerman earned 10 wins with a 3.06 ERA as a pitcher while also collecting eight doubles and 14 RBIs at the plate. This season, Zimmerman is hitting .283 and has three of the Eagles' four home runs, while also holding a 3.67 ERA and leading the staff with 34 strikeouts.

The Blue and Gold have another dual-threat athlete this year in Raquelli Bianco who will split time between the pitching circle and first base. Bianco had a 2.72 ERA in 54 innings last year while batting .429 with five doubles, three triples and home runs a year ago for Miami Dade College. This year, Bianco has registered 13 hits, including three doubles and two triples, and has 10 RBIs, while holding a 4-5 record and a 5.25 ERA.

Taylor Cowan has developed into a third dual threat for ERAU, leading the team in ERA (3.29) and batting average against (.238) in 17 innings of relief work while collecting nine hits and six RBIs at the plate.

DEFENDING THE NEST
The Eagles have been tough to beat at home in the program's first two years of existence, compiling a 9-3 mark in 2013 and a 13-8 record in 2014. The Blue and Gold will look to continue that winning tradition in 2015 at the Daytona State College Softball Complex, Embry-Riddle softball's temporary home field. Including an 8-6 mark in 2015, ERAU's overall record at home is 30-17, good for a .638 winning percentage.

EAGLES FOURTH IN PRESEASON POLL
After winning The Sun Conference regular season championship in 2014, the Eagles have been picked to finish fourth in the league in 2015 in a preseason poll voted on by all nine TSC softball coaches. Prior to winning the regular season title last season, the Blue and Gold were picked to finish third in the preseason poll.