DePaul University Athletics
Softball Hosts Seven Games This Week
4/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
Complete Release
CHICAGO- The DePaul University softball team will host seven games and welcome three different teams to Lincoln Park’s Wish Field this week. The Blue Demons will host non-conference doubleheaders with Valparaiso and Northern Illinois Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, action starts at 3:00 pm both days. DePaul will greet Conference USA foe Saint Louis on Saturday and Sunday for a three-game series play begins at Noon, both days.
DePaul 7-5 in C-USA play and 12-19-1 overall is looking to return to it wining ways after dropping three-games last week to Louisville. A sweep this week will propel the Blue Demons to .500 ball, and put them back in the hunt for the regular season C-USA crown.
The Blue Demons own a 77-14 record over this week’s opponents. DePaul has never lost to Valparaiso posting a perfect 32-0 record over the Crusaders. The Blue Demons have met the Northern Illinois Huskies 36 times and have been successful 23 times. DePaul is holds a near perfect 22-1 record over Saint Louis. The Bilikens lone win, came last season when they defeated DePaul 1-0.
The Blue Demons are led at the plate by All-Americans Saskia Roberson and Sarah Martz, both batting above .400. Last week Roberson blasted her 31st career home run tying the DePaul record for most home runs by a Blue Demon. Roberson bats a team high .408 with a blistering .748 slugging percentage also leads the team in home runs (8), doubles (11), RBI’s (29), runs (24) and total bases (77). Martz hits .404 and leads the team in hits, registering 44 on the season.
Valparaiso (13-15, 7-1 Mid-Con)
Tuesday, April 13th (DH) 3:00 p.m.
Valparaiso has won nine of their last eleven games, with losses only to IUPUI and Saint Joseph’s. They are on a current five game winning streak after beating Oakland this past weekend. Monica Rowan the leads the team with a .302 batting average and has had 13 hits this season. Teammate Karen Constien is batting .275 and has recorded 22 hits.
The Valparaiso pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.53. Ashlee Blankenbak has a team low 2.83 ERA. Fellow pitcher, Amanda Gilbertson, handles the brunt of the Crusader workload, pitching 82 innings.
Northern Illinois (10-27, 2-7 MAC)
Wednesday, April 14th (DH) 3:00 p.m.
The Huskies are currently suffering a nine game losing streak. Their last win came against Eastern Michigan on March 29th. Northern has six batters batting over .200, Kelly Drozd leads the team a .277 batting average including 15 runs, 31 hits, and 13 RBI’s.
Huskie pitcher Kathy Dearborn posts a team low ERA of 2.80 after pitching 102 innings.
Saint Louis (16-29, 1-11 C-USA)
Saturday, April 17th (DH) 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 18th Noon
Saint Louis claimed its first conference victory of the season, after taking the series finale from Charlotte at home on Saturday, beating the 49ers 1-0. Elizabeth Nielsen pitched the complete-game shut out, striking out six while scattering two hits. She has broken the SLU single-season record for appearances with 36. The previous record of 34 was held by Nicole Bohnenstiehl and Heather Hubert. Nielsen has pitched over 176 innings and has an ERA of 3.93.
Last Time Out
DePaul dropped three straight conference road games at Louisville last weekend. Saskia Roberson connected on her 11th double of the season in the second game of the series. Her mark is tied for fifth in Conference USA this season.
Racing to the Top
The Blue Demons opened the C-USA season 7-5, sweeping Charlotte and taking two out of three from both East Carolina and Houston. They are currently tied for thrid place with Southern Miss.
Roberson on the Record
Junior Saskia Roberson smashed her 31st career home run on Tuesday, April 6 tying the record held by Karen Stewart (1996-1999). Roberson began the 2004 season with 23 home runs and has connected on an additional eight this season.
Martz X3
Sarah Martz needs three more triples this season to take over the number one spot held by All-American Missy Nowak. Nowak blasted 20 triples during her career at DePaul. Martz is currently tied for second the all-time list with 17.
Over the Fence
This season seven different Blue Demons have sent 22 balls over the fence. Roberson leads the team with eight, while Linda Secka and Christina Douglas have each belted five, and Sarah Martz, Katie Sheaks, Jenny Doezie and Sarah Douglas each added one.
Martz C-USA Pitcher of the Week
Senior All-American Sarah Martz was named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week on Monday, March 29th after leading the Blue Demons to a 5-1 record in its opening week of C-USA play. Martz tallied four complete game league wins, two against East Carolina and another two against Charlotte. She struck out 22 batters in 28.0 innings pitched. Martz only walked five in 104 batters faced. She allowed just four earned runs and kept her opponents’ batting average down to .163 and posted a 1.00 ERA.
Come Back Kids
The Blue Demons have made two amazing come backs this season. DePaul pulled off its two come-from-behind wins in 24 hours during its three-game series with Houston. The Blue Demons had a five-run fourth inning highlighted by a game-tying home run off the bat of Saskia Roberson. In the next inning Roberson sent her second home run of the game over the fence and ensured the win for DePaul.
In the third game of the series, the score remained 4-0 until the bottom of the sixth. Jessica Evans, Katie Sheaks, Sara Polensky each strung together hits to plate three DePaul runs. Roberson came to plate with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh and smashed her seventh home run of the season to tie the ballgame at four apiece and send it into extra innings. Christina Douglas would plate Sarah Martz in the bottom of the ninth on a ground ball that slipped past by the Cougar second baseman.
Tournament Season
The Blue Demons competed in some of the nation’s best tournaments. DePaul participated in UNLV Classic, NFCA Classic, Saluki Round Robin, and KIA Klassic. They saw eight ranked opponents in 15 scheduled contests. They played the United States Olympic Team at the KIA Klassic in Fullerton, California on March 18th.
The Polls
DePaul dropped out of the Top 25 the week of February 23rd. The Blue Demons opened the season ranked No. 14 by the ESPN/USA Softball poll and No. 12 by the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll.
Pre Season National Watch
Two-time All-American Sarah Martz has been named to the ASA/USA Softball initial watch list for the third annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. Martz finished the 2003 season ranked 12th in the nation with a .448 batting average and 22nd in runs per game, averaging 0.89. Martz also posted a 15-1 pitching record and a 1.24 ERA. She has been slated as the preseason Conference USA player of the year.
Pre Season Conference USA
The Blue Demons have been slated to finish second in C-USA behind USF. Sarah Martz is the preseason favorite for C-USA Player of Year while Saskia Roberson is picked as an All-Conference selection.
Filling the Void
2003 saw the exit of five exceptional seniors, All-American’s Lindsay Chouinard and Liz Bouck, Gina Ramacci, Laura Vision and Katy Kukman. Chouinard, Bouck and Ramacci have been drafted into the National Pro Fastpitch league (NPF). The 2004 season team faces the challenges of replacing Chouinard’s arm, Bouck and Ramacci’s defense and Bouck’s speed. Senior Sarah Martz will be asked to fill the shoes of Chouinard along with incoming pitchers Leslie Scott, Tracie Adiz and Katie Sheaks. Sophomore Sara Polensky will position herself behind the plate, filling the vacancy left by Ramacci. Sophomore Sarah Bandauski and junior Jenny Doezie will fill the void left by Bouck.
Familiar Faces
DePaul return 10 players including two All-Americans, senior Sarah Martz and junior Saskia Roberson. The Blue Demons also return senior twin sisters Sarah and Christina Douglas; juniors, Ashley Parker, Jenny Doezie, and Dana Kenney; sophomores, Jamie Lachenberg, Sara Polensky, and Sara Bandauski.
New Faces
The Blue Demons welcome nine newcomers this season; infielders Erin McGovern, Jessica Evans, Kara Amundson and Cara Santori, pitchers; Leslie Scott, Tracie Adix, and Katie Sheaks, and outfielders, Kathleen Goss and Linda Secka. Kathleen Goss activated this season after serving as the Blue Demons manager for two seasons. Leslie Scott comes transferred from the University of Washington this season; she has three years of eligibility left.
