MAY 5, 2011
KING'S SET TO HOST 2011 FREEDOM CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, LIVESTATS TO BE USED FOR ALL TOURNAMENT GAMES
WILKES-BARRE – An automatic berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament will be at stake when King's College serves as host of the 2011 Freedom Conference Championships set for Friday and Saturday at the Robert L. Betzler Athletic Complex.
The double-elimination tournament begins Friday at 11:00 a.m. when top-seeded DeSales University faces fourth seeded Manhattanville College. Second-seeded FDU-Florham will then meet third-seeded King's in the next game at 1:00 p.m. The two first-round winners will then play in the final game of the day at 3:00 p.m. with the victor advancing to Saturday's championship round.
The tournament continues Saturday at 9:00 a.m. with an elimination game, while another elimination contest follows at 11:00 a.m. The title game will then be played at 1:00 p.m. The winner of the tournament will receive an NCAA national tournament bid.
LiveStats will be provided for all games at:
http://www.sidearmstats.com/kings/softball/index.htm
Per-day tickets are set at $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for students. All-session tickets are also available at $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for students.
The Freedom Conference Tournament web site can be found at: http://kingscollegeathletics.com/sports/2011/4/14/SB_04_14_11_Freedom_Softball_Championships.aspx
DeSales University finished the regular-season with a 21-11overall record and a 9-5 Freedom Conference mark. The Bulldogs earned the top seed by virtue of a pre-determined conference tiebreaking criterion over FDU-Florham. DeSales is making its seventh appearance in the MAC/Freedom Conference Playoffs since joining the Conference in 1997-98. The Bulldogs, who won the 2008 conference crown, owns an 8-11 overall record in its previous six appearances.
Senior shortstop Kate Steiner was named the Freedom Conference "Player of the Year" on Monday after batting .464 (51-110) with nine doubles, six triples, 12 RBI, and 35 runs scored. Senior pitcher/first-baseman Jen Lococo follows at .426 (43-101) with six home runs, 16 doubles, and 31 RBI. Sophomore third-baseman Courtney McKenna stands at .317 (19-60) while freshman shortstop Cassie Wagaman bats .315 (23-73) with five home runs, six doubles and 13 RBI. Junior outfielder Christine Petrilla chips in with a .308 (28-91) average with two doubles and nine RBI.
Lococo, a first-team All-Freedom pick, tops the DeSales pitching staff with a 9-5 record and a 2.21 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 88.2 innings. Junior Katie Morrissey, a second-team choice, follows at 7-4 with a 2.27 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 74 innings.
FDU-Florham enters the post-season with a 14-17 overall record and a 9-5 Freedom Conference ledger. The Devils are making their ninth Freedom Conference Tournament appearance and first since 2008. The Devils won the 1998 Freedom title. In his 12th year, Dante Fedeli was named Freedom Conference "Coach of the Year" on Monday while senior hurler Megan McInaw was named the conference "Pitcher of the Year". In addition, freshman catcher Sarah Lima was honored as the conference "Rookie of the Year".
McInaw owns a .352 (32-91) average with two home runs, seven doubles, and 19 RBI. As a pitcher, she is 10-6 with a 1.80 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 101 innings. Lima hit .382 (39-102) with four home runs, five doubles, and 24 RBI. Freshman outfielder Brittni Wurst stands at .362 (34-94) with 20 runs and eight RBI. Sophomore first-baseman Elizabeth Spiller bats .322 (28-87) with four doubles and nine RBI
Joining McInaw in the circle is sophomore Karla Babb who is 3-5 with a 2.73 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 51.1 innings.
Two-time defending champion King's College enters the tournament with a 15-11 overall record and 8-6 in the Freedom Conference. The Lady Monarchs were seeded third via a conference tie-breaking criteria over Manhattanville. The Monarchs are making their 12th overall and 12th straight appearance in the Freedom Conference Tournament. Under the guidance of head coach Lisa Gigliello, King's has won nine of the last 11 Freedom Conference titles while also earning a NCAA Division III National Tournament berth in 10 of the past 11 seasons.
Sophomore Brittny Baynes, a second-team All-Freedom choice at designated player, owns a team-best .470 (31-66 batting average with five home runs, three doubles, 22 RBI, and scored 20 runs. Freshman catcher Amanda Cardone, a second-team all-conference pick, follows with a .456 (31-68) mark with five home runs, five doubles, 29 RBI, and 18 runs scored. Rookie shortstop Jenn Harnischfeger, another second-team all-league selection, stands at .420 (37-88) with six doubles, three triples, one home run, 15 RBI, and 24 runs scored. Sophomore second-baseman Kayla Rutkoski is batting .339 (19-56) with two home runs, three doubles and nine RBI. Freshman first-baseman Rebecca Taylor chips in with a .314 (16-51) mark, including one home run, four doubles, and six RBI.
King's pitching staff is paced by freshman Brittany Haight and sophomore Annie Erndl. Haight sports a 9-4 record with a 1.37 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 71.1 innings of work. Erndl stands at 6-6 with a 4.05 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 91.2 innings.
Manhattanville College is the fourth seed and stands at 14-16 overall and as 8-6 in the Freedom Conference. The Valiants are making their second appearance in the Freedom Conference Tournament (2010 and 2011) since joining the league in 2008. The Valiants are 0-2 all-time after falling in both games in their tournament debut last year. Manhattanville won three Skyline Conference Tournament titles in 2002, 2005 and 2007 prior to its arrival in the Freedom Conference.
Senior outfielder Lindsay Zekus, a first-team all-Freedom Conference selection, tops the team with a .390 (39-100) batting average, including three home runs, 12 doubles, 11 RBI, and scored 22 runs. Sophomore first-baseman Jessica Van Galen follows at .343 (34-99) with four home runs, seven doubles, 20 RBI, and 14 runs. Sophomore third-baseman Brianna Scapperotti stands at .282 (22-78) with five doubles, five RBI, and 13 runs scored. Sophomore outfielder Linsey Schill bats .272 (22-81) with six doubles and nine RBI.
In the circle, senior workhorse Samantha Howe, a second-team all-Freedom choice, who is 12-11 with a 1.68 ERA and 128 strikeouts, paces the Valiants' pitching staff. Howe has pitched in 158.1 of the team's 208 innings. Schill is 2-2 with a 5.89 ERA and eight strikeouts in 26.2 innings
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, May 6, 2011
Game 1: #1 DeSales vs. #4 Manhattanville, 11:00 a.m.
Game 2: #2 FDU-Florham vs. #3 King's, 1:00 p.m.
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 9:00 a.m. (Loser is eliminated)
Game 5: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 11:00 a.m. (Loser is eliminated)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Freedom Conference Championship
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1:00 p.m.
Game 7: Same Teams as Game 6 if necessary, 3:00 p.m.*
*Note: Game 5 winner must beat Game 3 winner twice
