DePaul University Athletics
Softball Wins BIG EAST Conference Regular Season Title
5/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
CHICAGO The No. 19/20 DePaul softball team clinched the program’s second BIG EAST Conference regular season title on Sunday. The Blue Demons’ doubleheader at Georgetown was cancelled today and with Louisville and Notre Dame splitting their doubleheader it cleared the way for the regular season crown.
The Blue Demons (35-11, 18-3), who are looking to defend their 2008 BIG EAST Championship title, are the No. 1 seed and will play No. 8 Seton Hall on Thurs., May 7 at 11:30 a.m. (CST). DePaul and the Pirates (24-30-1, 10-14) split their regular season doubleheader in Chicago this season; however the Blue Demons hold a 6-3 all-time series advantage, including a 10-1 BIG EAST Championship opening round win in 2007.
All-American Amber Patton had an exceptional conference season as she set a new BIG EAST single-season record with 44 hits while her .587 average and .644 on base percentage ranks second all-time in the league annuals.
Becca Heteniak led the Blue Demons in the circle as she held league opponents to a conference-best .158 average while her 105 strike outs ranks fifth all-time in the BIG EAST record book. Heteniak went 13-2 during her junior campaign and is 33-3 all-time during league play.
The winner of the DePaul/Seton Hall game will face the winner of the No. 4 USF/No. 5 Syracuse game on Friday at 1:30 p.m. The semifinals and Championship games will be broadcast on CBSC with Ann Schatz and Jason Knapp calling the action live.
DePaul, who joined the BIG EAST in 2006, is 5-2 all-time at the BIG EAST Championship and has won all three of its opening round games.
