DePaul University Athletics
Lenti Takes Cool Approach After Loss to No. 17 Illinois
5/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Eugene Lenti gathered his softball team at the back of the bus, and the DePaul players braced themselves for a blistering talk.
The Blue Demons had just lost to No. 17 Illinois 4-2 Friday in their NCAA Regional opener, and their coach did not look too happy.
But instead of fire and brimstone, Lenti delivered an even-handed critique and then surprised his team with some almost fatherly encouragement.
"No matter what happens here, you've already has an awesome season," Lenti said. "You have all overcome so much adversity and won the BIG EAST Conference regular-season title.
"Brittney Yniguez is the best-fielding second baseman we've ever had and Tara Voss is our best shortstop. In her first season at third base, Lynsey Ciezki is already among the best defensively at that position.
"Our outfield speed---it's the fastest our program has ever seen. Our pitching and defense keep us in every game. It all comes down to timely hitting.
"You have accomplished so much already. This regional is the ice-cream sundae with a cherry on top.
"Put this game in the past and be proud of what you've done this season. And, everybody gets ice cream tonight."
Lenti wants his team to be playing free and easy in its battle for survival on Saturday. To win the Missouri regional, DePaul (38-17) has to win four games in a row---one at a time.
The postseason gauntlet begins with a 2:30 p.m. losers'-bracket showdown with Creighton (37-22).
Next up would be a 5 p.m. game against the loser of No. 14 Missouri (47-11) and No. 17 Illinois (44-6). The winners'-bracket game begins at noon.
Should the Blue Demons win twice on Saturday---as they did a year ago on the same field---they would need two wins on Sunday to keep their season alive.
"I've tried everything to keep them loose," Lenti said. "Maybe the ice cream will work. Sure, it's do-or-die on Saturday, but there isn't any pressure on us. We're the underdog, the No. 3 seed in the regional.
"We have nothing to lose."
That was the effort Shea Warren gave in the biggest play of the game Friday. DePaul was leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning when a leadoff walk and a two-out, hit-by-pitch put Fighting Illini runners on first and second.
Former Sandburg star Ashley Conrad hit a line drive down the right-field line. Warren came sprinting over and dove for the ball, which skipped past her. Conrad raced to third base and scored on an errant relay throw.
"Shea knows when you're a corner outfielder---never dive for a ball," Lenti said. "There's nobody to back you up. If she fields that hit and gets it back in quickly, they only score one run.
"And, the next batter grounded out to the pitcher. The score should have been 2-1."
Illinois did add an insurance run in the fifth on Hollie Pinchback's RBI sacrifice fly.
DePaul jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Samantha Morgan led off the third inning by reaching on an error. Ciezki's fielder's choice erased pinch-runner Sean Plese.
Tara Voss followed with a sharp single to right and Ciezki hustled to third base. Voss then stole second.
Alex Morocco came through with a two-run single to left field.
Starting pitcher Becca Heteniak and reliever Bree Brown combined to hold the dangerous Illini attack to three hits while racking up 11 strikeouts.
"We only struck out twice and they struck out 11 times," Lenti said. "We doubled them up in hits. Usually, you win a game with numbers like that.
"But they hit the ball in the right place where our player made a mistake she will never make again."
Lenti firmly believes if there is one team in this regional that can win two games in one day, it's DePaul because of the pitching depth of Heteniak and Brown.
Now if only his ice-cream strategy can warm up the bats.
The last that was seen of the Blue Demons Friday night, the team bus was headed to Dairy Queen.
NOTES: Heteniak's bat was booming against Illinois with a double and a single in three at-bats... Voss, Morocco, Marie Thompson and Katelyn Braget each had a single against Illini ace Monica Perry... after losing to DePaul 3-2 on May 6, Perry made an adjustment in her pitching strategy and threw a lot more changeups at the Blue Demons on Friday... with the weather forecast calling for high humidity and a high temperature near 90 on Saturday, Heteniak and Brown will each start one game if DePaul plays twice... Creighton is expected to go with ace Tara Oltman (32-13)... Creighton had a 2-0 lead against Missouri, but the Tigers cut the deficit to 2-1 in the sixth and score twice in the bottom of the seventh... the first big shocker of the NCAA tournament took place Friday night when No. 7 seed Texas was eliminated by East Carolina 1-0 on the Longhorns' home field in Austin, Texas... East Carolina and BYU will face off for the title on Saturday... on the season, Plese has the top batting average at .356... Morocco is second at .331 and leads the team with 51 hits... Plese and Morocco are tied for second in run scored with 31... Voss is hitting .323 and leads the Blue Demons in home runs with nine and runs with 41... she is also second in RBI with 33 and in hits with 50... Heteniak is hitting .318 with team-highs in doubles (11) and walks (45)... Yniguez is batting .307, leads in RBI with 34 and is tied with Heteniak for second in homers with seven... Warren is batting .305, Samantha Dodd .287 and Thompson .278... Heteniak is 20-11 with a 1.81 earned-run average and 210 strikeouts in 181.2 innings... Brown is 16-5 with a 2.45 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 151.2 innings.
