May 20, 2010

Complete Game Notes

WHAT: 2010 NCAA Columbia Regional
WHEN: Friday, May 21 - Sunday, May 23
WHERE: University Field - Columbia, Mo.
LIVE STATS: MUTigers.com
LIVE VIDEO: Live video provided for free at MUTigers.tv
ADDITIONAL INFO: NCAA Tournament Central

For the 14th time in school history, and fifth time in the last six years, the Missouri Tigers softball team has been selected to participate in the 64-team NCAA Tournament, beginning with the NCAA Regionals this weekend.  The University of Missouri was selected as one of 16 regional hosts, marking the third time since 2005 that Columbia will serve as host of first round action.  The Tigers have been selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four years under head coach Ehren Earleywine.  Joining the Tigers this year are Illinois, DePaul and Creighton.  Illinois and DePaul participated in the Columbia Regional last season.  Mizzou took home the title last year.}

SCOUTING ILLINOIS
Illinois enters the Regional as the No. 2 seed after posting an impressive 43-6 record during the regular season.  They have the fifth-best team batting average in the country (.329), average 7.02 runs per game, the seventh most in all of NCAA and have the third best winning percentage in the nation (.878).

Three of Illinois' starters are hitting over .400 this season, contributing to that impressively high team batting average.  Danielle Zymkowitz, Meredith Hackett and Hope Howell have each hit over .400 this year, with Zymkowitz leading the way at .421.  Zymkowitz has also stolen 35-of-36 bases this year.  Hackett's average stands at .418, and she's blasted a team-high 15 home runs this season and has driven in 55 runs.  Her slugging percentage stands at .816, while she gets on base at a .514 mark.  Howell has posted a .416 average this year with six homers and 38 driven in.

Monica Perry gets most of the action in the circle, as she's made 28 starts this season.  Her record is 23-5, her ERA stands at 2.30, and she's completed 13 games this year.  Opponents hit .228 off her, and she's registered 163 strikeouts while allowing 60 walks.  Pepper Gay, a freshman, has started 17 times this year while appearing in 28 games.  Gay is 16-1 on the year with a 1.53 ERA.  In 105.0 innings pitched she has 105 strikeouts and 49 walks.  Opponents are batting .222 off her this season.

SCOUTING DEPAUL
A 38-16 finish while going 18-3 in Big East play to tie for first place during the regular season sent DePaul to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season and 13th time in the last 14 years. 

The offense has posted a .285 team batting average this season, while six of their regulars are hitting over .300.  Leading the way is Sean Plese, whose .356 average tops the team.  Tara Voss is the top offensive player for the Blue Demons, as she comes into the regional with a .325 batting average, nine home runs, 33 RBI, a .401 on base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage.  Voss' nine home runs lead all DePaul hitters.

The Blue Demon pitching staff is far and away their strong point, as their three pitchers have combined for a 2.07 ERA while limiting hitters to a miniscule .198 batting average.  Becca Heteniak is the ace whose record stands at 20-10 with a 1.77 ERA in 31 appearances this season.  In 177.2 innings she's struck out 204 hitters while walking only 57.  The other main Blue Demon pitcher is Bree Brown, who has put together a 2.43 ERA to go with her 16-5 record while also appearing 31 times.  In 149.2 innings, Brown has recorded 186 strikeouts with only 47 walks.  Brown and Heteniak have combined to throw 34 complete games this season.

SCOUTING CREIGHTON
The Creighton Bluejays round out the Columbia Regional after going 34-21 during the season and winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to earn the league's auto-bid.  The Jays will play in the postseason for the sixth time in the last eight years and 12th time overall.

The Bluejay offense is powered by one of the top home run threats in the country.  Renae Sinkler currently ranks fourth in the nation with 24 home runs this season.  Her .381 batting average leads all Jay hitters, while her on base percentage sits at .515 and her slugging percentage tops out at .900.  She's also driven in 58 runs and has even stolen nine bases in 10 tries.  As a team, however, the Bluejays are batting just .244, as only one other player, Amy Baker, is hitting over .300 this season.  Baker has ripped 15 home runs herself, while driving in 46 and slugging .711 on the year.

When Creighton is on the field, odds are that Tara Oltman is in the circle for them.  Oltman has appeared in 50 of the Bluejays' 58 games this year, and has amassed a 32-12 record with a 1.62 ERA.  In 268.2 innings she's walked 106 and struck out 281, while she's thrown 33 complete games and 12 shutouts this season.  Opponents are hitting just .197 off her.

MIZZOU VS. ILLINOIS
Missouri and Illinois' lone meeting came last year at the NCAA Columbia Regional in the opening round game.  The Tigers defeated the Illini by a 5-1 final.

MIZZOU VS. DEPAUL
The Tigers hold a slight 7-6 advantage over the DePaul Blue Demons.  The two teams last met in last year's NCAA Columbia Regional, as the Tigers squeaked out a 1-0 victory in the championship match to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals.

MIZZOU VS. CREIGHTON
Mizzou has faced off against Creighton 23 times, going 12-11 in those meetings.  The last time they faced off was during a game in Kansas City, Mo., in 2001, where the Tigers won by a 5-4 margin.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
►Friday
Game 1: Illinois vs. DePaul - 4 p.m.
Game 2: Missouri vs. Creighton - 6:30 p.m.

►Saturday
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - Noon
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 2:30 p.m. (Loser Game 4 eliminated)
Game 5: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 5 p.m. (Loser Game 5 eliminated)

►Sunday
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 - 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 - 3 p.m. (if necessary)

FOLLOW THE GAMES
Live stats for all of the NCAA Columbia Regional games will be provided at MUTigers.com.  Postgame notes, quotes and recaps will all be posted to the NCAA Columbia Regional Central page at the Mizzou athletics website.  Each game will be streamed on Mizzou All-Access at mutigers.tv, which is available for free.