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No. 2 Quinnipiac Faces No. 3 LIU Brooklyn At 2012 NEC Softball Championships
2012
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2012 Northeast Conference Softball Championships
hosted by Robert Morris University
North Athletic Complex – Moon Township, Pa. – May
10-12, 2012
No. 1 Robert Morris University Colonials (34-20, 15-5
NEC)
No. 2 Quinnipiac University Bobcats (30-16, 13-7 NEC)
No. 3 LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (22-33, 13-7 NEC)
No. 4 Monmouth University Hawks (24-18, 12-8 NEC)
Game 1
No. 2 Quinnipiac University Bobcats (30-16, 13-7 NEC) vs.
No. 3 LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (22-33, 13-7 NEC)
Thursday, May 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Tournament Time
The second seeded Quinnipiac University softball team
(30-16, 13-7 NEC) travels to Moon Township, Pa. to play in its
third consecutive Northeast Conference Softball Championships this
weekend. The Bobcats will first play No. 3 LIU Brooklyn (22-33,
13-7 NEC) on Thursday, May 10 at 11:30 a.m. at the North Athletic
Complex.
Multimedia
Live stats and video for the 2012 NEC Softball Tournament
will be made available by clicking on the appropriate links on the
Quinnipiac softball schedule on the Official Website of Quinnipiac
Athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.
Fans can listen and watch all of this weekend’s games by
visiting northeastconference.tv. Craig D’Amico and Danny
Breslauer have the call for the NEC webcasts.
Tournament Participants
In addition to Quinnipiac and LIU Brooklyn, this
year’s NEC Softball Championships will feature the top-seeded
Robert Morris University Colonials (34-20, 15-5 NEC) and the No. 4
Monmouth University Hawks (24-18, 12-8 NEC). The Colonials and
Hawks will square off in the first round of tournament play on
Thursday, May 10, following the Bobcats against the Blackbirds.
The Format
The championship will consist of a four-team,
double-elimination tournament comprised of six or seven games, if
necessary, over three days, May 10-12. The top four teams
based on regular season conference winning percentage have
qualified for the NEC Tournament. This weekend’s NEC champion
will go on to compete at NCAA regionals.
Scouting LIU Brooklyn
The Blackbirds enter the weekend as the number-three seed
at 13-7 in league play. In its most recent contests, LIU split a
league doubleheader against Mount St. Mary’s on May 5. The
Blackbirds earned a 5-4 win in game one, but fell, 4-3, in the
second outing. LIU Brooklyn’s Karina Cervantes leads the team
with 44 hits and 29 runs scored, while junior Nichole Toven posts a
team-leading batting average (.319), slugging percentage (.507) and
on-base percentage (.434). Freshman infielder Paris Shipp paces the
Blackbirds with 35 RBI. LIU has pitched three different Blackbirds
throughout its 2012 campaign, including junior Megan Sheaf, who
leads the team with a .314 ERA and .248 opponent batting average.
Veteran Sarah Reynolds has made 30 starts this season and pitched
18 complete games, while leading the Blackbirds
with 102 strikeouts. Red-shirt sophomore Cassie Vondrak has
recorded a team-best nine wins from within the circle.
This Season Against The Blackbirds
Earlier this year, the Bobcats split a two-game set at LIU
Brooklyn. The Bobcats were dealt a 5-4 loss in their first
match-up, but came back to win, 13-4, in game two. Overall, the
Bobcats outhit the Blackbirds, 18-13, while compiling three stolen
bases. QU freshman Nikki Barba led the team as she went 4-for-8
with three RBI and two runs scored on the afternoon. Senior Mina
Duffy also contributed three RBI, went 3-for-8 while scoring three
runs. Senior Heather Schwartzburg pitched seven innings for the QU
victory, fanning six batters along the way.
All-Time Against LIU
Quinnipiac holds an all-time Division I record of 4-31
against LIU Brooklyn, dating back to the 1999 season. Prior to
earning a league split with LIU this season, the Bobcats dropped
both games of a NEC doubleheader against the Blackbirds at the QU
Softball Field last year. QU was shut out, 1-0, in game one and
fell, 11-6, in the second outing of the day on April 16, 2011.
A Look At The League Leader
Top-seeded Robert Morris hosts its second straight NEC
Softball Tournament after leading the conference with a 15-5 mark
during the 2012 regular season. The Colonials have won their last
three contests. The team is led by Nicole Sleith, as she’s
pitched over 200 innings in her rookie campaign. The freshman has
made 30 starts, pitching 25 complete games, while leading the team
in ERA (1.60) and strikeouts (227) this year. Sarah Capp ranks
first for Robert Morris with a .362 batting average, 59 hits and 42
RBI, while Jaci Timko has scored a team-leading 33 runs. Timko also
paces RMU with seven stolen bases. Earlier this season, the Bobcats
split a doubleheader with the Colonials at home.
What’s Happening With The Hawks
Monmouth has clinched the No. 4 seed in postseason play at
12-8 in the conference standings. The Hawks are on a seven-game win
streak, five of which were NEC contests. Kaitie Schumacher
leads the team with a .391 batting average, .687 slugging
percentage and .470 on-base percentage. Schumacher also paces the
Hawks with 34 RBI, while Christine Scheer has recorded a team-best
49 hits, 91 total bases and 32 runs scored. Together, Schumacher
and Scheer have compiled 19 homeruns. MU’s Lauren Sulick
posts a team-leading .266 ERA and 13 wins from within the circle,
while Alissa Schoelkopf has struck out 73 opponents. Earlier this
year, Quinnipiac split a pair of games at Monmouth in March,
recording a 6-5 win and 4-1 loss in the NEC series.
Tournament History
The Bobcats hold a 6-11 record in the NEC Softball
Tournament. Last season, Quinnipiac went 2-1 in the Championships
to compete in the final round. However, the game was unable to be
played in its entirety due to poor weather conditions. As a result,
Sacred Heart was crowned the 2011 NEC Softball Champion based on
its undefeated 2-0 record in tournament play. The Bobcats are 1-6
all-time in tournament history against their first opponent this
weekend, LIU Brooklyn. QU also holds a 1-2 mark against Robert
Morris and 2-1 record against Monmouth in the NEC Softball
Championships.
Last Time Out
In its most recent outings, Quinnipiac secured the number
two seed in this year’s NEC Tournament as it split a pair of
league games with Saint Francis (Pa.) on May 5 at the QU Softball
Field. After falling, 3-0, in game one, the Bobcats came back to
win, 4-0, over the Red Flash. The Bobcats out-hit the Red Flash,
17-to-9, and were led by senior Christy Cabrera as she went 4-for-7
in the two-game set. Freshman Nikki Barba and senior Mina Duffy
each contributed three hits, while junior Alex Alba recorded her
seventh homerun of the season. Senior Heather Schwartzburg picked
up her 18th win of the season as she saw seven innings
from within the circle. The starting pitcher also matched a
season-best 12 strikeouts against Saint Francis (Pa.).
What A Year
Senior Heather Schwartzburg was recently recognized as
Quinnipiac’s Female Athlete of the Year at the 2011-12
Quinnipiac University Athletics and Recreation Awards program at
the TD Bank Sports Center on Wednesday, May 2. Schwartzburg will go
down as one of the most dominant pitchers in Quinnipiac and
Northeast Conference softball history as she ranks first all-time
at QU in career wins, innings pitched and strikeouts. Schwartzburg
flourished last year in her junior campaign which led to a 2011 NEC
Pitcher of the Year selection. The season included 23 wins and 296
strikeouts, figures that place her first all-time in the two
single-season categories. Schwartzburg turned around and replicated
a stellar 2011 campaign with a similar season in 2012. With the NEC
Tournament left to play, she has a team-leading 190 strikeouts, 18
wins, a 1.47 earned run average, and .164 opponent batting
average.
Alba’s Athlete Of The Month Accolade
Junior Alex Alba was named Quinnipiac Female Athlete of
the Month for April. The Bobcats’ starting shortstop posted a
.333 batting average as she matched a team-leading 23 hits. Alba
started in all 21 contests during the month, also leading
Quinnipiac with 43 total bases and 20 RBI, while contributing 15
runs scored. The Sylmar, Calif. native recorded a team-high five
home runs and five doubles throughout April. She also was
successful on three steal attempts, while recording a .387 on base
percentage and pacing the Bobcats with a .623 slugging percentage.
Alba only made two errors as she made 37 putouts and 46 assists
from the infield.
NEC Weekly Honors
Sophomore Katie Alfiere was named NEC Pitcher of the Week, as
announced by the league office on Monday, May 7. Alfiere made two
appearances and one start last week, recoding a 1-0 record from
within the circle. She pitched a team-leading 13 2/3 scoreless
innings. Alfiere scattered nine hits and earned four strikeouts
while holding opponent batters to .191 from the plate. The
sophomore also contributed two hits, one run and one RBI as the
designated player in two outings. Alfiere now stands at 7-2 on the
season and posts the team’s second best ERA (2.07).
Bobcats In The NCAA Record Books
Earlier this season, Quinnipiac matched a NCAA record in
consecutive home runs as the Bobcats hit four straight homers in
the first game of a NEC doubleheader against Sacred Heart on April
1. The Bobcats’ Alex Alba started it off with a three-run
homer, followed by three straight home runs by Mina Duffy, Katie
Alfiere, and Nikki Barba, all in the first inning of play. QU went
on to win, 12-7.
RPI Rankings
As of May 17, the Bobcats held the second-best position
amongst their NEC competitors, 112th, in the NCAA
Division I Softball RPI Rankings.
Stealing Stats
Quinnipiac leads the conference with a combined 41 stolen
bases on the year. The team’s 52 steal attempts are also tied
for second in the league standings. Senior Ashley Heiberger and
junior Lauren Salgado have each collected a team-high seven stolen
bases this season.
Dangerous Defense
The Bobcats’ .971 fielding percentage paces the
conference and ranks in the top-35 of the NCAA standings.
Quinnipiac has only made 39 errors, while its opponents have
recorded 65 errors this season. Additionally, QU leads the NEC in
fewest hits allowed (245) and fewest runs allowed (125).
Perfect Pitching
Quinnipiac leads the NEC in several pitching categories,
including team earned run average (2.39) and opponent batting
average (.216). The Bobcats also rank fourth amongst their league
opponents in strikeouts (261).
A Stellar Season
Quinnipiac softball is one of four NEC teams to have
reached 30 wins this year. The Bobcats stand behind Robert Morris,
who recorded a league-leading 34 wins.
A Trio Of Captains
Quinnipiac has been led by each of its three senior
captains this year, including Heather Schwartzburg, Christy Cabrera
and Ashley Heiberger.
Leading Lady
QU’s starting shortstop Alex Alba has been one of the
Bobcats’ most consistent players from the plate this season.
She currently leads the team with a .343 batting average (48-140),
while ranking first in total bases (85), doubles (14) and slugging
percentage (.604). Alba also shares a team-best 28 RBI with senior
Mina Duffy, while she stands second with 21 runs scored.
Close To 1,000
Veteran pitcher Heather Schwartzburg, Quinnipiac’s
all-time career and single-season leader in strikeouts has compiled
947 career strikeouts. Last year, Schwartzburg broke the program
and NEC record for single-season strikeouts with 296 during the
2011 season.
QU’s Catcher Is A Keeper
Senior Ashley Heiberger has helped Quinnipiac rank second
in the conference in ‘caught stealing by’ (20) as
she’s caught a league-leading 19 opponents stealing this
season. She’s also proven herself to be one of the toughest
members of the QU club as she’s been hit by a pitch 23 times
in 2012, the most of all NEC players.
Facts From The Plate
Quinnipiac has outhit its opponents, 303-to-245, in its
2012 campaign. Senior Christy Cabrera and junior Alex Alba have
each contributed 48 hits this year, while Alba and senior Mina
Duffy have each recorded a team-high 28 RBI and seven homeruns.
Cabrera’s 27 runs scored also pace the Bobcats.
Contact: Lindsay Oliveri, lmoliveri@quinnipiac.edu
