March 27, 2012

Live Stats
Live Video
Quinnipiac Softball Homepage
Quinnipiac Softball Schedule
Northeast Conference Softball Schedule
Complete Game Notes in PDF

Games #22-23
Quinnipiac University Bobcats (13-8, 2-2 NEC) at
University of Massachusetts Minutewomen (13-10, 2-0 A-10)
Wednesday, March 28 - 3 p.m. (DH)
UMass Softball Complex - Amherst, Mass.

Bobcats Face UMass
The Quinnipiac University softball team (13-8, 2-2) will play a non-conference game at the University of Massachusetts (13-10, 2-0 A-10) on Wednesday, March 28. The match-up is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at the UMass Softball Complex in Amherst, Mass.

Multimedia
Live stats and video will be available by clicking on the appropriate links of the Quinnipiac softball schedule at the Official Website of Quinnipiac Athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.

Scouting The Minutewomen
UMass enters the week at 13-10 overall with a 2-0 mark in the Atlantic 10. Prior to playing Quinnipiac on Wednesday, the Minutewomen will host Dartmouth in their first two home games of the 2012 season on Tuesday afternoon. Most recently, UMass swept Saint Louis on the road in its Atlantic 10 opener on March 25. The Mintewomen earned a pair of shutouts, 5-0 and 8-0, in the A-10 doubleheader and was led by Quianna Diaz-Patterson and Sara Plourde as they each hit two home runs. Cyndil Matthew currently leads UMass with a .408 batting average, 29 hits and 22 runs scored. Diaz Patterson also ranks first amongst the Minutewomen in RBI (19), total bases (35) and homers (3), while her .312 batting average stands second. Sara Plourde has led UMass from within the circle this year, posting a 12-8 record in 21 appearances. Plourde has compiled a team-high 2.77 ERA, 216 strikeouts, and .137 opponent batting average in 124 innings pitched.

All-Time Against UMass
The Minutewomen lead the all-time series against Quinnipiac, 5-0. The Bobcats are 0-4 against UMass on the road and 0-1 in neutral locations. In its most recent meeting, QU fell, 1-0, in eight innings at Massachusetts on May 8, 2011 in the Bobcats' final game of the 2011 regular season.

Last Time Out
In its most recent outings, the Bobcats split a Northeast Conference doubleheader at Monmouth on Sunday, March 25. Quinnipiac defeated the Hawks, 6-5, in the first game of the afternoon, but lost, 4-1, in game two of the twinbill. Overall, QU was outhit by Monmouth, 16-11. Three Bobcats batted .333 in the two-game series, but sophomore Katie Alfiere led the team with a .400 in two starts. Senior Christy Cabrera earned the win against MU, while fellow classmate Heather Schwartzburg picked up her first save of the 2012 season in game one.

Alfiere Has A Day
Sophomore Katie Alfiere led Quinnipiac with a .400 batting average against Monmouth on Sunday afternoon. Alfiere started in each game of the doubleheader. She went 2-for-5 with a RBI and one run scored. She also led the team with a .600 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage against the Hawks.

NEC Opener
On Friday, March 23 the Bobcats opened NEC action with a pair of contests at Mount St. Mary's. The Bobcats split with the Mountaineers, picking up a 1-0 loss in eight innings and a 2-0 victory in the second contest of the day. Junior Jacquie Ristow batted a team-high .400 in the two-game series as she went 2-for-5. Senior Bridget Figmic contributed a RBI, while seniors Christy Cabrera and Mina Duffy each scored a run against the Mount. Heather Schwartzburg was granted the win against Mount St. Mary's as she put together a 0.0 ERA, striking out 12 batters and allowing three hits. Despite the loss, Christy Cabrera compiled a 0.95 ERA after allowing only one hit in the match-up. Together, Schwartzburg and Cabrera held opponents to a .091 batting average on the afternoon.

A Look At The League Standings
After the first weekend of conference play, the Bobcats are 2-2 in league action, tied for fourth in the NEC standings with Monmouth, Saint Francis (Pa.) and Wagner. Fairleigh Dickinson leads the conference at 2-0, while Robert Morris and Sacred Heart each post a 3-1 mark in league games. Quinnipiac's overall win-loss percentage (.619) ranks second amongst NEC opponents.

NEC Notes
Quinnipiac currently leads the conference with a .977 fielding percentage, which ranks 11th in the NCAA standings. The Bobcats also posted game-highs amongst NEC foes in putouts (30), strikeouts (15) and innings pitched (10). All three leads in statistical categories were achieved against Miami (Ohio) on March 3.

The Stats On Schwartzburg
Senior Heather Schwartzburg continues to lead the Bobcats and the Northeast Conference with a 1.05 ERA, which ranks 23^rd in the NCAA standings, after making 13 appearances and nine starts for QU this season. Schwartzburg, now 8-2 on the year, has compiled 81 strikeouts, which rank fifth amongst NEC opponents. In 73.2 innings pitched, Schwartzburg has held opponents to a team-best .184 batting average. She recently earned her first save of 2012 in Quinnipiac's 6-5 win at Monmouth on March 25.

Alba Keeps It Up
Junior Alex Alba currently leads the Bobcats with a .407 batting average, which also stands third in the NEC rankings. Alba also ranks first for Quinnipiac and in the conference in doubles (9), while leading the team in slugging percentage (.644), total bases (38), and hits (24). She currently stands eighth in the NCAA rankings in toughest to strike out.

Count On Christy
Senior Christy Cabrera led QU over the weekend as she won two games from within the circle, while maintaining a .304 batting average. Cabrera has scored eight runs and contributed four RBI this year, while ranking second on the team in wins (3) and third in ERA (3.83).

What A Catch
Senior catcher Ashley Heiberger ranks second for Quinnipiac with eight runs scored this season. Heiberger has yet to make an error in 21 starts this season and currently has a team-high 121 putouts on the year.

RPI Rankings
The Quinnipiac Bobcats were ranked third amongst NEC opponents and 131^st overall out of 289 Division-I softball programs in the first NCAA RPI Rankings of the 2012 season, which were announced on Monday, March 26.

What's Ahead For The Bobcats
Quinnipiac is set to play its 2012 home opener against defending NEC Tournament Champions Sacred Heart on Sunday, April 1. The Bobcats will host the Pioneers in a doubleheader set for a 12 p.m. start at the QU Softball Field.

Contact: Lindsay Oliveri, lmoliveri@quinnipiac.edu