CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Niners are back in action, after opening up home play earlier this week with a midweek match-up against Elon on Tuesday, by hosting the Queen City Classic, this Friday through Sunday.
The tournament will feature appearances from Charlotte, Michigan State (RV), Villanova, and No. 14 Virginia Tech.
DATE AND LOCATION
🗓️ Friday – Sunday, Feb. 13-15
📍 Sue M. Daughtride Stadium // Charlotte, N.C.
📺 ESPN+ (Except Feb. 15)
📊 » Live Stats Link
PROMISING START
The Niners have gotten off to a 4-2 start and are currently sporting a two-game win streak coming into this weekend, including their most recent victory over Elon at home, on Tuesday (Feb. 10).
Last weekend, Charlotte opened the 2026 season with a 9-1 run-rule victory over FGCU to begin play at the FGCU Kickoff Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. The Niners left Fort Myers with a 3-2 overall record and showed some promising performances both at the plate and in the circle.
Jenna Lord has picked up where she left off at the end of 2025, batting .421 with four of eight hits for extra bases, including her first homer of the year. Olivia Williams has started hot as well, racking up six hits as well, including her first home run of the season, which occurred on the first pitch thrown in the Niners’ first match-up against Southern Illinois on Feb. 6.
Audrey Wilson and Carley Keller both have had phenomenal starts to their careers as a Niner. Wilson, the transfer from South Carolina, has five hits, four of which have been for extra bases, and tallied four RBI. Wilson hit her first homer of the year, a three-run shot, against Elon on Tuesday. Keller, the freshman out of Greenwood, Ind., went 5-6 at the plate during the FGCU Kickoff Classic, including two two-RBI hits with two outs.
Charlotte has thrown two complete games so far this season. The first occurred against FGCU, where Brooke Bowling pitched all five innings, striking out six, and the second was thrown by the arm of Taylor Jones, who threw all seven against LIU, striking out five. Avery Shamblin earned her first win of the season earlier in the week, against Elon, and Taylor Jones recorded her first save.
PLAYING CLEAN BALL
After opening weekend, Charlotte left Fort Myers with the fewest number of errors out of any team that competed. The Niners only committed two errors in five games, heavily improving an area that seemed to plague Charlotte at times last season.
LAST TIME OUT
Avery Shamblin got the start in the circle, kicking off the game with a one-two-three inning to quickly put Charlotte up to the plate.
In the bottom of the first, Audrey Wilson came up to the plate with two runners on, and stayed hot by launching her first homer of the season over the wall in right center to quickly put the Niners up 3-0.
Elon got a run back in the top of the fourth, when Teagan Baulsir hit her first homer of the season to put the Phoenix on the board.
After Elon got on the board, Charlotte responded in the bottom of the inning by putting up two runs to make the score 5-1 at the time. The first run scored on a bunt single from Jaylah Jarrell that allowed Chloe Aldrich to come around to score after entering the game as a pinch runner. A batter later, Savanna Nguyen scored on an RBI from Olivia Williams.
The Phoenix did score two more runs in the top of the fifth on some fielding mistakes from the Niners, but after entering the game in the top of the fifth, Taylor Jones closed it out for Charlotte, and the Niners notched their first home win of 2026.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Virginia Tech Hokies
After a very impressive opening weekend on the road, Virginia Tech comes into this weekend’s tournament ranked No. 14 in the NFCA coaches poll. The Hokies began the season going 5-0, including two wins over previous No. 14 South Carolina in Columbia. Through its first five games, Virginia Tech has scored 32 runs while only allowing 13.
Nora Abromavage leads the team in batting average, hitting .462, and slugging over 1.000. Abromavage has hit two home runs and notched 14 RBI in just five games. In the circle, the Hokies have two pitchers who are currently sporting an ERA below 1.00. Bree Caricco holds a 1-0 record and a 0.72 ERA in 9.2 innings pitched, while Emma Mazzarone also owns a 1-0 record with an ERA of 0.88 in 8.0 innings pitched.
Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State arrives at the Queen City sporting a 4-1 record from its appearance at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Due to their performance in Clearwater this past weekend, the Spartans have found themselves receiving votes in the NFCA Coaches Poll. MSU’s one loss came to receiving votes Auburn, but the weekend concluded with a 5-2 victory over No. 13 Clemson.
Sydney Doloszycki leads the team in batting average, batting .421, while Zoe Bernard leads the team in extra base hits with five, and is batting .412 on the young season. In the circle, Autumn Behlke leads the team in wins, sporting a 2-0 record. Behlke has pitched 11.1 innings and is sporting a 4.94 ERA.
Villanova Wildcats
Villanova enters the Queen City Classic still searching for its first win of the season. The Wildcats have had a tough start to 2026, going 0-6 and being shut out in their first four games.
Madison Ostrowski leads the team in average, batting .267 with four hits in 15 at-bats. In the circle, Lexi Kobryn leads the team in innings pitched at 10.2 and leads the team in ERA at 7.22.
UP NEXT
Charlotte will continue its home stretch next week, when No. 18 Clemson comes to town for a midweek on Wednesday, Feb. 18, before hosting the Charlotte Invitational next Friday through Sunday that will include Boston University, Jacksonville, and Marshall.
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