DePaul University Athletics
Battle-Tested Blue Demons Ready for BIG EAST Championship
5/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
CHICAGO - Battling adversity and facing the toughest schedule in program history has this DePaul softball team primed for the BIG EAST Championship that begins Thursday in Louisville, Ky.
Along with a number of injuries, the starting catcher quit the team in mid-April. Another Blue Demon endured a death in the family.
"This is way more adversity than any softball team at DePaul has ever experienced," said Blue Demon coach Eugene Lenti. "It's not even close.
"Our season has gone beyond anyone's expectations. All the adversity, and we also had the most difficult BIG EAST schedule. That's why winning the regular-season title is one of the most special accomplishments in the history of the program.
"We've got a great group of kids who have been able to overcome a lot."
Even as Lenti spoke, leading hitter Sean Plese (.356) was recovering from a wrist injury and hopes to play in the 11:30 a.m. tournament opener against Rutgers.
"We're hoping to get Plese back," Lenti said. "She's our fastest player and leads the team in batting average. We've been able to adjust in her absence and have won the last three games without her."
DePaul (37-15, 18-3 in the BIG EAST) won all three games against Rutgers (24-30, 9-12) on April 17-18 at Cacciatore Stadium, sweeping a Saturday doubleheader 9-0, 4-2 and following up with a 10-7 win the next day.
In the series opener, Brittney Yniguez smashed a grand slam. Almost going unnoticed, Bree Brown tossed a five-inning no-hitter.
Yniguez added three more RBI in the series finale and wound up going 5-for-7 with seven RBI that weekend.
"Winning the BIG EAST Championship starts with pitching," Lenti said. "You need good defensive support and timely hitting.
"Brittney really came through with some timely hitting at Syracuse last weekend. She drove in the winning run in the first game of our doubleheader and hit a two-run homer in the second game."
DePaul enters the BIG EAST tournament as the hottest team in the league. The Blue Demons have won eight in a row and 16 of 17.
A lot of that comes from a stellar pitching staff. Becca Heteniak has won 11 games in a row and Bree Brown is 9-1 since April 17. In addition, Yniguez comes in with a 12-game hitting streak.
"We've always done well at the BIG EAST tournament, and the kids really enjoy it," Lenti said. "It's single-elimination, do-or-die, and that's good preparation for the NCAA tournament. There's an urgency to play well right away."
The Blue Demons had some problems at the beginning of the season.
"We may have bitten off a little more than we could chew at first," Lenti said about taking on nationally ranked LSU, Texas and North Carolina in its season-opening tournament.
"But nobody remembers who wins in February. Everybody remembers what you do now."
The Blue Demons have nine victories against teams ranked in the Top 25 at some point in the season.
And most of those were on the road.
"By far, this was the toughest schedule in the history of DePaul softball," Lenti said. "Part of DePaul softball is learning to be successful on the road. It has definitely toughened us up.
"Now, it doesn't matter where we play. We've been everywhere this season and faced the best."
