Florida Atlantic University Athletics
FAU Visits Stetson, Hosts ULM This Week
4/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 16, 2007
BOCA RATON, FL - Amy Bukovich and the Florida Atlantic University softball team will warm up for the stretch run in the Sun Belt Conference much like they did in past years as a member of the Atlantic Sun. The Owls will face the Stetson Hatters, a rivalry that developed over the past few seasons as FAU won nine of the last 10 A-Sun titles.
The Owls (25-20, 6-6 SBC) defeated the Hatters in the championship round of the A-Sun tournament last season, shattering Stetson's hopes of an NCAA Regional berth, while FAU made its seventh regional appearance since 1999. In the championship game the Owls scored six runs, all after two were out, in the bottom of the sixth to capture the 2006 A-Sun title, 8-4.
Bukovich leads the Owls' offense into DeLand, FL, a place where FAU is 10-7 all-time, with a .324 batting average in her last 11 games. She has 12 hits in that span, including three doubles, and has knocked in a pair of runs. FAU is batting .254 as a team in 2007, scoring just under 3.9 runs per game.
Blair Bodenmiller leads the team with five home runs on the year, and is tied with Mandie Fishback for the team lead in RBI (24). Jenna Lopez has broken FAU's single-season and career marks for most times hit by a pitch thanks to being plunked 12 times this year.
Jen Musillo (11-10) leads the Sun Belt in ERA heading into the week. She has four solo shutouts to her credit and has struck out 160 batters in 136 2/3 innings, holding opponents to a .191 average. The Owls have a 2.07 team ERA on the year, holding opponents to a .223 average.
Stetson (34-16, 8-4 A-Sun) sits a game back of first in the A-Sun race. Sherrel Fountain leads the team in batting average at .349 and in stolen bases with 21. Andrea Migliori comes into the week batting .340 and leading the team with 11 home runs and 37 RBI. The Hatters are batting .266 on the season and average 3.83 runs/game.
Erica Demers shares the ace role with Heather Colding. Demers (13-5) has a 1.67 ERA in 117 2/3 innings, holding opponents to a .218 mark while striking out 99. Colding (10-8) has a 1.69 ERA in 115 2/3 innings, holding opponents to a .233 average while striking out 87. Opponents bat .224 off Stetson's staff, which has a 1.76 team ERA.
After the Thursday meeting with the Hatters, FAU returns home to face the ULM Warhawks (20-31, 1-14 SBC) in a three-game conference series. The Warhawks were swept last week by Western Kentucky and have lost eight-consecutive conference decisions.
Jamie Liles leads the Warhawks with a .324 batting average and seven stolen bases. Heather Williams leads the team with 10 home runs and 40 RBI. ULM is batting .265 as a team, averaging 4.3 runs per game.
Lindsay Rittenhouse (12-16) is the team's ace, with a 2.60 ERA in 188 2/3 innings. Opponents are batting .261 off her deliveries and she has fanned 196 batters. The staff has compiled a 3.42 ERA, holding opponents to a .278 batting average.
Thursday's game at Stetson is scheduled for 5 p.m. The home series against ULM starts with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m. The finale of the three-game set is scheduled for noon on Sunday.