Softball Set for Final Week of Play
5/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 2, 2007
Setting the Scene... The Pioneers conclude the season with three doubleheaders, hosting Siena Thursday at 3:30 pm and visiting Saint Francis and Monmouth, respectively over the weekend. Saturday's twinbill is set for a 12:00 pm start with Sunday's first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm. SHU was eliminated from NEC playoff contention last weekend with four losses at home.
Seniors Lead the Way... The Pioneers are led by their four senior members, Caitlin Carroll, Jacqui Riley, Danielle Mellin and Bethany Lemenager. Carroll will serve as the backstop, catching the bulk of the games. She has a team leadng 21 RBI. Mellin and Lemenager make up two-thirds of the Pioneers picthing rotation. Lemenager has solidfied her self as SHU's No. 2 starter, allowing just nine earned runs in her last seven games, with 26 strikeouts in that span.
Spehar in the Circle... The Pioneers ace is picther is junior Megan Spehar. The righthander, who is also a good offensive player, is 9-11 on the season in 20 starts, pitching 132 innings. She is averaging more than one strikeout per inning. She has struck at least 10 batters in five different games this year. At the plate, Spehar has scored 15 runs, second most on the team.
Super Sophs... In addition to their seniors, the Pioneer line-up is anchored by a pair of sophomores who made an immediate impact in their rookie seasons, Amanda Bradley and Betsy Harvey . The Pioneer second baseman, Harvey is the team's leading hitter, with a .275 mark and 13 RBI, second most on the squad. Bradley has 10 RBI on the season, third on the team.
Scouting the Saints... Siena enters the season's final week with a 9-21 overall record following a sweep at the hands of Albany Tuesday. The Saints have a balanced offense attack with three players hitting over .300. Jennifer Granato leads the way with a .396 mark and a team leading 29 RBI. Andrea Piela is second on the team, batting .318 for the season.
Scouting the Red Flash... Saint Francis gets set to wrap up the season with a 3-11 mark in league play and a 17-31 record overall. Kara Stroup has posted a team best .356 average with 30 RBI. Nicole Bender is second on the team with 29 RBI and a .298 average On the mound, Laura Caldwell is the Red Flash ace with a 2.58 ERA and 12-13 record.
Scouting the Hawks... The Hawks have had an outstanding first half of the season, sprinting out to a 21-8 record and a 7-1 mark in NEC play. Mounmouth leads the Northeast Conference in offense The Hawks offense includes four players hitting at least .390, led by Heather Gordon who bats .448 with a league leading 61 RBI. She leads the league in RBI by a wide margin. In the circle, Kristine Swalsville leads the league in wins with 15 and ERA, 1.66.
