Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Softball to Open Play at Florida State Seminole Invitational
03/07/2002 | 12:00:00 | Softball
March 7, 2002
Tallahassee, Fla. - Currently on a two-game winning streak, Southern Illinois (8-4) heads into the first day of the Florida State University Seminole Classic tomorrow afternoon when it faces Providence at 3 p.m., and Massachussetts at 5 p.m.
SIU is one of 16 teams competing in the 2002 Seminole Invitational. The tournament, which is made up of four, four-team pools, will feature three top-25 powerhouses and one national vote-getter. No. 4 Nebraska appears to be this year's favorite, while No. 8 Michigan and No. 22 Florida State follow to round out the trio, respectively. Minnesota then stands right outside the top-25 after recently earning 33 votes.
Recently coming off a two-game sweep of Southeast Missouri State earlier this week (3/5), the Salukis are led by senior Elissa Hopkins who leads the team in seven offensive categories, including batting average (.308), doubles (2), triples (2), home runs (1), RBI (6) and slugging percentage (.654). Hopkins, however, will miss the next month due to a spiral fracture in her left pinky finger that was sustained in game two against the Otahkians. Following Hopkins are freshmen Katie Jordan (.296), Maria Damico (.290) and Kelly Creek (.278).
The Salukis are no stranger to the Florida State Seminole Invitational as it returns to the tournament for the first time since 1998. Prior to the 1998 campaign, however, SIU competed in the Seminole Invitational for 10 straight seasons, but never won a tournament title. The closest the Dawgs came to clinching a Seminole Invitational crown was in 1993 when they won six consecutive games before losing to Florida State (1-0) in the semi-finals on March 21.
Also competing in this year's Seminole Invitational are Iowa State, Auburn, Middle Tennessee, UMKC, Ball State, Winthrop, Florida A&M, Pittsburgh and Southeast Louisiana.
Preview of SIU's Pool Opponents:
UMASS . . . . Massachussetts has won three of its last four games, and as a result, enters the Seminole Invitational with an overall record of 6-5. Batting .216 as a team, the Minutewomen are led by senior centerfielder Teri Rooney who boasts a .344 average at the plate. Scattering a team-high 11 hits in 32 at-bats, Rooney also sports a second-best on-base percentage of .417. Junior catcher/designated player Jessica Bartlett then follows with an average of .333. Kaila Holtz (3-2) and Jennifer Hadley (2-3), who have each appeared in five games this season, lead the UMASS pitching attack
Providence . . . . Pitching has been a cause for concern for Providence who is 1-6 on the young 2002 season. Sporting a 8.45 ERA as a team, the Friar hurlers have been touched for 66 hits which equal out to be an average of 9.4 per game. Nicole Bartholome, who is 1-3 on the mound this season, is the team's leading thrower with a team-low 4.62 earned run average. In 25.1 innings pitched, Bartholome has struck out 25 batters, while allowing 30 hits. Melissa Peterson (0-2) and Cori Van Dusen (0-1) then round out the Friar staff as each have struggled towards shocking ERAs. Peterson (10.06 ERA) has been touched for 19 earned runs and 31 hits in just 17.0 innings of work, while Van Dusen (60.75 ERA) has allowed five hits and nine runs in just 1.1 innings.
Southeast Louisiana . . . . Southeast Louisiana, who has won three of its last four games, is 11-12 after recently coming off a 2-3, 8-0 split in a doubleheader against Louisiana Tech (3/5). With six players batting .304 or better, the Lions have combined to scatter an impressive 206 hits for an average of .316. Outscoring its opponents 126-77, Southeast Louisiana has also hit 10 homers, 28 doubles and seven triples to go along with 114 RBI. Although senior shortstop Brandy Neal stands atop the Lions batting .419 with three triples and 16 RBI, senior infielder Kristy Menke is off to a sizzling start as well. Hitting .304, Menke has smacked six doubles, three triples and four home runs. In addition, she leads the team with 25 runs batted in.
