MAY 1, 20082008 FREEDOM CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT WILKES
EDWARDSVILLE -- Four teams will be in search of a trip to the NCAA Division III National Tournament when the 2008 Freedom Conference Softball Championships are held Friday and Saturday at the Wilkes University Ralston Complex in Edwardsville. The field of teams includes DeSales University, King's College, Delaware Valley College, and Farleigh Dickinson University at Florham.
The double-elimination event tips off Friday with top-seeded DeSales meeting fourth-seeded FDU-Florham at 11:00 a.m. Second-seeded King's College will then meet third-seeded Delaware Valley in the second game at 1:00 p.m. The winners will then square off in the final game of the day at 3:00 p.m. with the victor advancing to Saturday's championship round. Play will continue Saturday with elimination games at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. The championship round will take place at 1:00 p.m. Should a second game be needed, it will follow at 3:00 p.m.
Fans will be able to view play-by-play and game statistics as they happen on the internet through LIVE STATS. King's College will be making LIVE STATS available at the following link: http://departments.kings.edu/athletics/sportsinfo/Live_Stats/xlive.htm
Host Web Site: http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/106.asp
Tickets prices will be available at a per-day price of $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors, and $2.00 for students. Children under age six will be admitted free. Two-day all-session tickets are also available at a price of $8.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors, and $3.00 for students.
Defending champion King's comes into the tournament as the second seed, standing at 19-11 overall and 8-4 in the Freedom Conference. The Lady Monarchs have won seven of the last eight Freedom Conference championships, finishing second to Wilkes in 2006. King's has also earned a berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament each of the past eight seasons. The Lady Monarchs enter the tournament with a 3-3 record against the tournament field, having split their season series with Delaware Valley; sweeping FDU-Florham; and dropping both games to DeSales.
Sophomore pitcher/designated player Lindsey Hoerner earned Freedom Conference Tournament most valuable player honors as a freshman and has parlayed that success into a fine second year at King's. Hoerner owns a team-best .452 (28-62) batting average with five home runs, six doubles, 21 RBI, and has scored 12 runs. As a pitcher, she owns a 9-6 record with a 2.28 earned run average and 60 strikeouts in 98 and two-thirds innings.
Junior second-baseman Abbey Knoblauch has battled through a painful season-long hip injury that has resulted in her recent move to second base from shortstop where she has been a two-time first-team All-Freedom selection. Knoblauch has played in 25 of the team's 28 games, averaging .398 (35-88) with three home runs, 12 RBI, and 18 runs scored. Senior outfielder Leanne Harvey, a 2007 first-team All-Freedom choice, has started all 30 games and is batting .387 (36-93) with six doubles, one home run, 16 RBI and has scored 19 runs. Freshman outfielder Lauren DeCreny cracked the staring lineup at mid-season and has been solid ever since. The Lady Monarch rookie is batting .380 (19-50) with five doubles, one home run, and seven RBI while scoring 18 runs.
Sophomore Meaghan Galvin, who moved from second-base to shortstop due to Knoblauch's injury, has played well, batting .302 (26-86) with five doubles, one home run, and 19 RBI. Junior Becky Loring, who will see action at either first-base or third-base, was a 2007 first-team All-Freedom pick who is batting .282 (24-85) with 14 RBI. Junior pitcher Kelsey Shreaves is 10-5 with a 3.34 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 102 and one-third innings while also batting .311 (14-45) with three doubles and nine RBI.DeSales enters the Freedom Conference Tournament top-seeded for the first-time in program history after compiling a 24-12 regular-season record as well as a 10-2 conference mark. DeSales also has an opportunity to break the program record of 25 wins in one season, set in 1995 (25-9). The Bulldogs earned the top seed thanks largely to their 5-1 record against the field of teams, having swept King's and FDU-Florham while splitting with Delaware Valley. This is DeSales' fourth Freedom Conference Tournament appearance and the first since the 2004 campaign. The Bulldogs will look to win its first Freedom crown as well as register its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
Leading the way for DeSales is junior outfielder Kelly Moran who posts a team-high .391 (43-110) batting average with seven home runs, nine doubles, two triples, 31 RBI, and 28 runs scored. Her seven home runs is tied for the DeSales' single-season record while her 14 career round trippers is the most in program history. Junior outfielder Amanda Kensecki follows with a .371 (39-105) mark with four doubles, one home run, 18 RBI, and 19 runs scored. Junior outfielder Maddie Roxandich stands at .365 (42-115) with four doubles, 11 RBI, and 19 runs scored. Freshman pitcher/first-baseman Jen Lococo is hitting .357 (35-98) with two home runs, three doubles, 18 RBI, and 18 runs scored. As a pitcher, she is 10-5 with a 1.47 ERA and 55 strikeouts on 104 and two-thirds and two-thirds innings.
Junior catcher Jamie Pfitzenmayer owns a .333 (34-102) average with four home runs, four doubles, two triples, 21 RBI, and has scored 24 runs. Freshman second baseman Kylie Fehnel has registered a .326 (28-86) average with one home run, two doubles, two triples, and 14 RBI. Freshman Kate Steiner contributes with a .314 (22-105) mark with 10 doubles, five home runs, three triples, 19 RBI, and has scored 23 runs. Sophomore infielder Kyra Monarek checks in at .291 (23-79) with three doubles, nine RBI, and 18 runs scored. Sophomore third-baseman Kerri Andrews is a 2007 second-team All-Freedom Conference selection and bats .245 (26-106) with one double and 13 RBI.
Delaware Valley has posted a 15-17 overall record and a 7-5 Freedom Conference ledger. The Aggies are making their second straight Freedom Conference Tournament appearance and their fourth overall. Delaware Valley hopes to earn both their first Freedom Conference crown and Division III national tournament berth. The Aggies are 3-3 against the field of teams, having split each of their two-game series' with King's, DeSales, and FDU-Florham. Delaware Valley enters the tournament riding a school-record seven-game winning streak, the best among the tournament teams.
The Aggies are led by sophomore outfielder Bethany Pavlick, a 2007 first-team All-Freedom Conference selection, who is hitting .385 (28-91) with seven home runs, six doubles, 30 RBI, 28 runs scored and 11 steals in 13 attempts. She is one home run shy of breaking the record of set by current teammate Nicole Dorney in 2005. Dorney, a senior catcher, is a three-time second-team All-Freedom choice with a.316 (30-95) average, including eight doubles, three home runs, 18 RBI and has scored 14 runs. Sophomore infielder Brittany Stockert owns a .319 (29-91) mark with six doubles, three home runs, 15 RBI, and 14 runs scored. Senior Kelly Andrews, two-time second-team all-conference pick, follows at .315 (28-89) with six doubles, four home runs, 25 RBI and has scored 18 runs. Senior outfielder Maureen Ferguson contributes with a .289 (24-83) average, including four doubles, one home run, and eight RBI. Senior second-baseman Kim Harle, a 2007 All-Freedom second-team choice, checks in at .266 (17-64) with three doubles and six RBI
Senior pitcher Jennifer Bummer tops the staff at 8-8 with a 2.98 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 98 and two-thirds innings while allowing just two earned runs in her last 21 innings. Fellow senior Kirstyn Ruhling, a 2007 second-team All-Freedom pick, is 5-7 with a 3.64 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 84 and two-thirds innings of work, allowing only one run in her last 21 innings.
FDU-Florham is making its fourth straight appearance in the Freedom Conference Tournament and its seventh overall as the Devils look to win their first league crown and secure the program's first-ever NCAA national tournament berth. The Devils enter the post-season with a 26-14 overall record with a 6-6 Freedom Conference mark. FDU-Florham will also have an opportunity to surpass the school single-season record of 27 victories set in 1998.
The Devils have been led by the play of sophomore Christine Heyl, the 2007 Freedom Conference "Rookie of the Year" who is batting .391 (36-92) with nine doubles, two home runs, 22 RBI and has scored 24 runs. Senior outfielder Lean Minnick follows at .374 (37-99) with 10 doubles, four home runs, and 20 RBI while scoring 23 runs. Senior pitcher/first-baseman Katelyn Smith, a 2007 All-Freedom second-team selection, is hitting .360 (32-89) with one home run and nine RBI. In the circle, she is 13-7 with a 1.38 ERA, including 131 strikeouts in 127 innings. Senior infielder/pitcher Kristin Loriot contributes with a .355 (33-93) mark with 16 RBI and 18 runs scored. As a pitcher, she is 2-2 with a 2.01 ERA and nine strikeouts in 31 and one-third innings.
Senior catcher Kelly Nover, a 2007 All-Freedom first-team choice, owns a .352 (44-125) average, with 11 doubles, four home runs, three triples, 27 RBI, and has scored 26 runs. Senior third-baseman/pitcher Julie Hartnett bats .345 (40-116) with 12 doubles, four home runs, and 28 RBI. As a pitcher, she is 7-4 with a 3.66 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 67 innings. Sophomore outfielder Amy Beideman, a returning second-team All-Freedom pick, chips in with a .342 (40-117) batting average, including 11 doubles, four home runs, and 32 RBI. Sophomore shortstop Marysa Cole hopes to return to the lineup after missing several games with a knee injury. She bats .400 (14-35) with seven doubles and seven RBI. The Devils own a tournament best .336 (374-1114) batting average and have scored.
The winner of the Freedom Conference championship will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III National Tournament where it will begin regional play May 9-11 at a site to be determined.
2008 Freedom Conference Softball Championships at Wilkes University
Friday, May 2
Game 1 - FDU-Florham (#4) vs. DeSales (#1), 11:00 AM
Game 2 - Delaware Valley (#3) vs. King’s (#2), 1:00 PM
Game 3 - Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2, 3:00 PMSaturday, May 3
Game 4 - Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2, 9:00 AM Game #4
Game 5 - Winner Game #4 vs. Loser Game #3, 11:00 AM Game #5
Game 6 - Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #5, 1:00 PM Game #6
Game 7 - Same Teams, If necessary, 3:00 PM
King's College
133 North River Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
1 (888) KINGS PA
Questions or comments to: Bob Ziadie, King's College Sports Information Director
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