MISENHEIMER — With back-to-back USA South Athletic Conference tournament championships and three consecutive regular-season conference titles, Pfeiffer University’s softball team is looking to keep its successful streaks going.
The No. 22 Falcons (14-7, 2-0 USA South) opened up conference play last weekend with a pair of home victories at Jack Ingram Field in Misenheimer as they picked up wins of 4-0 and 8-4 against NC Wesleyan (11-9, 0-2 USA South) on Saturday.
Led by 10th-year coach Monte Sherrill, Pfeiffer has been historically dominant against USA South opponents as of late, racking up a 49-7 conference record since the beginning of the 2022 season.
His team is currently ranked 22nd in the country in the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Top 25 Coaches Poll for NCAA Division III schools.
While the Falcons have already accumulated more losses than they did in their program-best 45-4 (16-2 USA South) campaign last season, they still have a chance to roll through conference play as they have grown accustomed to during the past few seasons.
The team’s pitching duties this year have been shared between senior Emma Bullin (8-4) and freshman Peyton Lane (5-2), who have ERAs of 3.16 and 2.93, respectively. Both pitchers were awarded on March 10 for being USA South Athletes of the Week.
Bullin was named the conference’s Softball Pitcher of the Week for appearing in five games and posting a 1-1 record with three saves. In 15 total innings, she had a 2.33 ERA and allowed 13 hits and a walk as she struck out a dozen batters.
Meanwhile, Lane was awarded as the conference’s Softball Rookie Pitcher of the Week honor for appearing in three games and posting a 3-0 record with a 2.19 ERA throughout 16 innings. The freshman only allowed six runs on 16 hits with seven walks and eight strikeouts.
At the plate, senior outfielder Alyssa Broaddus (.387) leads the Falcons with a team-high 24 hits, while junior outfielder Landry Stewart tops the squad in batting average (.404) and runs scored (16). Senior catcher Emma Chopko (.351) and senior relief pitcher/first baseman Kenzi Lyall (.380) have also provided reliable hitting.
Pfeiffer traveled to Meredith (10-10, 2-0 USA South) on Wednesday for a road double-header and will return home to host Salem (7-13, 0-0 USA South) on Friday.
The Falcons are hoping to round out March on a rebound after suffering four consecutives losses during the middle part of the month, falling short to Guilford (8-10, 0-2 ODAC), No. 7 East Texas Baptist (20-2, 2-0 ASC), George Fox (7-8, 2-2 NWC), and No. 7 Christopher Newport (19-1).
The 2025 USA South Tournament is set to begin on May 1 and run until the championship game on May 10.