GAMEDAY CENTRAL

DETROIT (2/26/14) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team will hit the road for a visit to Tempe, Ariz. for four games in the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by Arizona State University. Detroit's first game of the Louisville Slugger Classic will be on Thursday against the host school No. 3 Arizona State. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium with live video and stats provided on the ASU website www.sundevils.com.

The Titans will also face No. 19 Minnesota on Friday (Feb. 28) followed by Ball State Saturday (March 1) and Florida International on Sunday (March 2).

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Titan fans can follow every Detroit game this season through Softball Gameday Central located on the Titans Athletic Website that will keep fans one click away from all the action. This page will feature links for live video on HLN and live stats as well as links for all the latest info while making it easy to find the Titans on social media and to purchase photos and game tickets. Softball Gameday Central also carries all the information on each opponent from who is leading the all-time series to who won the last game.

LAST OUTING
Detroit (2-7) finished its weekend in Hattiesburg, Miss. against Southern Miss 1-3 with the Titans lone win coming on Saturday when they split the double-header. Detroit won the first game 4-3, before dropping the nightcap 11-0 to the Golden Eagles at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.

Junior Kat Hoffman pitched five strong innings and Christa McGahuey hit a two run homer to help lift the Titans past Southern Miss. Hoffman (2-3) pitched 5.1 innings allowing one earned run while striking out two for her second win of the young season. Maksym threw 1.2 innings of no-hit ball in relief with one strikeout and three walks.

WHO THE TITANS FACE
No. 3 Arizona State (17-0)
The then-No. 4 Sun Devils improved to 17-0 on the season after outscoring their opposition 56-7 over the course of the six games in four days at the Diamond Devil Invitational. The team gave up just three earned runs in that process. The dynamic duo of Dallas Escobedo and Mackenzie Popescue again remained exceptional as Escobedo gave up zero earned runs in 14 innings pitched on the weekend – striking out 26 in the process to just two walks.  Popescue had an ERA of just 0.70 with two victories.  Alexis Cooper also picked up her first two wins of the seasons as she allowed a team low opponent batting average of .125 in her two appearances. The Sun Devil bats came alive on the weekend as the team combined for 14 long balls in the six games played – notable after the team entered the weekend with 15 home runs on the season.

No. 19 Minnesota (12-1)
The Golden Gophers are 12-1 on the season with their only loss coming to No. 1 Florida. The pitching staff has been exceptional this season for Minnesota, putting together eight shutouts on the season thus far. Sara Moulton is 8-1 this year with a 0.92 ERA and seven complete-game shutouts while limiting the opposition to just a .139 batting average, helping pave the way for the three Golden Gopher batters currently hitting over .400 this season.

Ball State (7-2)
Ball State won the MAC regular season title last season and has four players batting over .400 this season in addition the this week's MAC West Player of the Week, Jennifer Gilbert. Kelsey Schifferdecker is a perfect 4-0 in the circle this season.

Florida International (12-4)
The Panthers are currently 12-4 on the season and will be playing away from Miami for the first time this season this weekend. Krystal Garcia who is batting .424 on the season with three home runs, 14 RBI and a .909 slugging percentage has led the team. Cor Jenkins has been solid in the circle with a 5-0 record and a 1.24 ERA while fanning 21 batters this season.