Softball Heads to BIG EAST Championship

BIG EAST Championship Notes
BIG EAST Championship Bracket
Gametracker & Live Audio for all games

CHICAGO – The No. 5 seeded DePaul softball team travels to South Bend, Indiana this week to participate in the BIG EAST Conference Softball Championship. The Blue Demons face No. 4 Syracuse on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. (CST).

The championship features eight of the league’s 12 teams in a single elimination format at the Belleville Softball Complex.  The winner of the DePaul/Syracuse game will face the winner of the Louisville/St. John’s game on Friday, May 12 at 3:00 p.m.

BIG EAST softball fans will have plenty of options to keep up with the action for this week’s tournament. There are championship pages on www.und.com and www.bigeast.org. The www.und.com page will contain Gametracker links, final game boxscores and live audio links for each game.

Each game of the 2006 BIG EAST Championship will be broadcast via live audio on www.und.com and will be free for all listeners. Notre Dame Assistant Sports Information Director Chris Masters will call every pitch of the first two days of action.

For the championship game, which will be broadcast live on CSTV (check your local cable/satellite listings), the television coverage will be available on www.und.com free of charge as well.

DePaul enters the tournament on a five-game winning streak, and is led by freshman utility payer Stephanie Blagaich.  The freshman posted a 7-3 record in the circle and boosted a team high .351 batting average during league play.  Entering the tournament, Blagaich has a four-game hitting streak on the line and is 6-for-15 in those games with three RBI, four runs scored, and four stolen bases.

The Blue Demon’s first round opponent, No. 4 Syracuse enters the tournament on three game winning streak and has won seven of its last ten outings. The Orange are led by senior utility player Alexis Switenko, who is ranked third in the league with a .398 batting average and boasts a league best .752 slugging percentage. The senior also ranks 10th in the conference with a 2.25 ERA.

The Blue Demons were not successful in its inaugural meeting with the Orange in Syracuse on April 9.  The Orange snapped the Blue Demons seven-game winning streak and swept the doubleheader, 5-4 and 8-1. 

Louisville claimed the regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the tournament. USF is the No. 2 seed and Notre Dame is the No. 3.  The tournament field rounds out with Providence as the No. 6 seed with Pittsburgh and St. John’s as the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds, respectively. 

The winner of the championship will earn the BIG EAST’s automatic bid into the 2006 NCAA Softball Tournament.

Facts on File

No. 5 DePaul

Record: 32-21, 13-5 BIG EAST

Head Coach: Eugene Lenti  (25th season)

In the Polls: NR/NR

The Blue Demons are 5-9 against the tournament field this season.

First Round Opponent

Syracuse

Record: 36-20, 15-7 BIG EAST

Head Coach: Mary Jo Firnbach (7th season)

Series: Syracuse leads the series 2-0

Last Meeting: 4/19/06: Syracuse W, 5-4 & 8-1

Syracuse snapped DePaul’s seven-game winning streak, sweeping a doubleheader.  Syracuse took a close 5-4 victory in game one and defeated the Blue Demons 8-1 in the second game.  The Orange out hit the Blue Demons 18-8 and tallied seven doubles on the day.  DePaul senior Leslie Scott took the game one loss and freshman Stephanie Blagaich suffered the game two loss.

Possible Second Round Opponents

No. 1 Louisville

Record: BIG EAST

Head Coach: Sandy Pearsall (7th season)

In the Polls: 18/18

Series: DePaul leads the series 18-13

Last Meeting: 4/28/06; Louisville W, 2-1, & 1-0

Louisville staged  a dramatic comeback to win the first game 2-1 and the second game was also a heart breaker as the Cardinals won the nightcap 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh.  Louisville pitching stymied the Blue Demon offense and gave up no earned runs on the day.  The Blue Demons were out hit 9-5. Louisville’s Audrey Rendon and Leslie Garland each tallied three hits on the day. 

 

No. 8 St. John’s

Record: 27-29, 8-14 BIG EAST

Head Coach: Debbie DeJong (6th season)

In the Polls: NR, NR

Series: DePaul leads the series 7-1

Last Meeting: 5/6/06; DePaul W, 7-0, 9-1 (5 i)

The Blue Demons shutout the Red Storm 7-0 in the first game and won the second game 9-1 in five innings. DePaul’s Kate Sheaks, Sandy Vojik and Jackie Tarulli-Fisher all posted multiple hits and RBI on the day for the Blue Demons. DePaul starter Stephanie Blagaich and reliever Leslie Scott combined for a two-hit shutout in game one. Tracie Adix earned the win for the Blue Demons and gave up no earned runs, scattering five hits and struck out two.

Doubling it up into “FIRST”

DePaul is ranked first in the nation in turning double plays.  The Blue Demons are averaging .62 double plays per game and have turned 33 this season.

Sacrificing Patton

Freshman Amber Patton is ranked 11th in the country by averaging .38 sacrifice hits per game.  Patton’s 20 sacrifice hits this season leads the BIG EAST. 

Streaking Demons

Freshman Amber Patton leads the Blue Demons with a .320 batting average and had season long eight-game hitting streak that began on April 1 versus Providence and ended at Syracuse on April 9.  During the streak the she registered 13 hits, and three RBI.  Junior Linda Secka, and freshmen Jackie-Tarulli Fisher and Stephanie Blagaich all have hitting streaks on the line entering the tournament.   

            Current Blue Demon Hitting Streaks

            Linda Secka                 6

            Jackie Tarulli-Fisher      4

            Stephanie Blagaich        4

In their 20’s

Five Blue Demons have surpassed the 20 RBI mark this season.  Kate Sheaks DePaul with 28 RBI, while Marcy Wilus (27), Sandy Vojik (27), Jackie Tarulli-Fisher (27) and Linda Secka (23) have also reached the 20+ mark.

Hits=RBI

Jackie Tarulli-Fisher has 27 RBI on 35 hits this season.  The freshman is tied for second on the squad with 27 RBI. 

Shutout Stephanie

Freshman hurler Stephanie Blagaich leads the Blue Demons with seven shutouts/combine shutouts.  Blagaich threw three consecutive shutouts against Northern Illinois and two against Bowling Green.  She has thrown shutouts/combined shutouts against three BIG EAST teams; Providence, Pittsburgh and St. John’s .

Two-Timing Tarulli

Freshman catcher Jackie Tarulli-Fisher is the only Blue Demon this season to hit two home runs in a game. She had two home runs at Valparaiso (game 2) on April 4 and versus Illinois (game 1) April 12.  Tarulli-Fisher recorded a Blue Demon season-high nine total bases versus Illinois.

Vojik + Tarulli-Fisher= 6x2

Sandy Vojik and Jackie Tarulli-Fisher hold the season-high for RBI in a game.  Vojik registered six against Ball State and Tarulli-Fisher notched six versus Illinois.

 

Combining for Zero

The Blue Demon pitching staff of freshman Stephanie Blagaich, juniors Tracie Adix adn Megan Huitink and senior Leslie Scott have combined for six shutouts.

Slamin’ Sandy

Sophomore Sandy Vojik recorded her first collegiate grand slam against Ball State. The sophomore finished the game with a career high 6-RBI on two hits. 

Closing with Leslie

Senior pitcher Leslie Scott has handled the closing duties for DePaul this season.  The senior is ranked second in the league with 15 finished games and is third in the league after entering 17 games in relief. 

No April Fools for Blagaich

Freshman Stephanie Blagaich threw her first collegiate shutout against Providence on April 1. The freshman hurler gave up just three hits and two walks on her way to her first shutout.  Blagaich was named to the BIG EAST honor roll after her shutout performance as she combined for two wins and a .500 batting average in DePaul’s opening weekend of BIG EAST play.

Walk-Off Wilus

Marcy Wilus’ seventh inning two-run home run propelled the Blue Demons to a 5-4 victory over UConn at Cacciatore Stadium., April  2.

Familiar Face, Different Place

Junior Kate Sheaks entered the circle for the first time since her freshman season, Sunday, April 2 against Connecticut.  The junior threw a scoreless inning and allowed just one hit and gave up one walk.

Adix BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week

Junior Tracie Adix was awarded the BIG EAST Conference’s inaugural Pitcher of the Week honor for the week of February 12-19.  The junior boasted a perfect 0.00 ERA during the week and notched two wins at the GRU Florida Tournament in Gainesville, Florida. Adix allowed only a pair of hits in DePaul’s 3-0 win over Longwood and 1-0 win over Penn State.

No Singles at Stetson

The Blue Demons combined for six extra base hits during the Stetson Tournament.  Linda Secka, Jessica Evans, and Marcy Wilus all notched doubles, while Amundson and Wilus each blasted triples and Sandy Vojik smashed her first home run of the season. 

Freshman Starters

Freshman Amber Patton and Stephanie Blagaich each started their first collegiate game on February 10 against Charleston Southern.  The freshman were in the Blue Demons inaugural 2006 line-up.

Oregon Tournament

DePaul returned to the west coast for the second time in March, and participated in the Oregon Tournament, where they split a double-header with BYU, defeated Akron and registered losses against No. 8 Oregon State and Oregon. Sophomore first baseman Marcy Wilus led the Blue Demons with a .429 batting average and .857 slugging percentage. Freshman catcher Jackie Tarulli-Fisher was crowned the weekend’s RBI queen after tallying five over fours days and registered her first collegiate home run against Akron.  Junior Megan Huitink threw two complete games, giving up just three run and three walks. 

DePaul at the Fresno St. Tournament

The Blue Demons participated in the Fresno State Tournament March 9-12th.  DePaul finished 2-3, defeating Central Florida and Ball State, but fell to No. 8 Oregon State, No. 15 Washington and No. 25 Fresno State.  Junior Jessica Evans was named to the All-Tournament team after yielding a perfect fielding percentage and registered two RBI on three hits.  Freshman Amber Patton led DePaul’s offense at the Classic recording a team high .385 batting average (5 for 3) and two RBI.  Adix finished the tournament with a team low  2.80 ERA, throwing 15 innings giving up 21 hits while fanning 10 batters. 

Blue Demons Crowned GRU Florida Tournament Champions

The DePaul softball team was crowned the GRU Florida Tournament Champions after finishing the weekend 4-1, defeating Longwood, Florida and Penn State twice, but fell to No. 1 Michigan.  The Blue Demon offense was led by sophomore Sandy Vojik, freshman Stephanie Blagaich and junior Kate Sheaks; who combined for .380 batting average, a double and five RBI.  Vojik led the squad with a .400 batting average and was perfect at the plate (4-4) against Florida.  Blagaich’s three RBI and Sheaks two RBI propelled the Blue Demons to their four victories. Junior pitcher Tracie Adix stayed perfect in the circle as she gave up no earned runs and just six hits in 14.1 innings.  Adix threw two complete games to notch victories over Longwood and Penn State, while junior Megan Huitink took the wins over Florida and the first Penn State victory. 

Stetson Tournament Highlights

Blue Demons claimed second place, registering wins over Charleston Southern and wins Northern Iowa (twice). Amber Patton led DePaul with five hits and .500 batting average, while junior centerfielder Linda Secka led the team with five RBI on the weekend.  Junior Kara Amundson recorded her first collegiate triple against Charleston Southern. The pitching staff combined for a 0.52 ERA and gave up just two earned runs in 27.0 innings. Junior pitcher Tracie Adix and senior Leslie Scott combined for a 5-0 shutout over Northern Iowa. Junior Megan Huitink struck out 13 batters.

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