With the Sunshine State Conference competition finally heating up, the University of Tampa’s softball team is 25-3, 9-0 SSC. Over the weekend, the Spartans swept the Saint Leo University Lions (16-17, 2-7 SSC) in a three game series.
On Friday, senior Deanna Henriott threw 16 strikeouts and allowed just one hit in seven innings.
The Spartans were equally as dominant at the plate. In the bottom of the second inning, freshman Meagan Burke hit her second homerun of the season, bringing the score to 1-0.
Burke delivered again with a triple to right field in the sixth inning. Junior Stacy Piagno scored from first base giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Katlyn Raatz then drove Burke in making the final score 3-0 in the Spartans favor. Piagno finished the game with three base hits, two RBI and two runs. Raatz finished with one base hit and one RBI.
Sophomore pitcher Kayla Cox started the first game of the double header. In seven innings, she had 16 strikeouts while allowing one hit. Her scoreless innings streak is now at 37.1, lowering her ERA to 0.46, making her the national leader in ERA among division II pitchers. Her record is now at 10-1 for the season.
Burke, freshman Kayleen Boatwright and senior Becky Vyzas each had one RBI. Vyzas, senior Susan Jallo and junior Brie Walton scored giving the Spartans another 3-0 victory over the Lions.
Henriott earned the win for the Spartans in the second game of the day, improving her record to 14-2 for the season. She had 10 strikeouts in seven innings.
The pitcher’s 51.0 scoreless innings streak was broken when the Lion’s Ali Lamb knocked in Alex Garris early in the seventh inning. This 51.0 scoreless innings streak, however, now stands as the program record, which previously stood at 44. 2 innings.
The run also ended the 83.0 scoreless innings streak for the team. This became the NCAA Division II record and the University of Tampa record.
Vyzas and freshman Taylor Storey each had two base hits and one RBI. Jallo and freshman Kayla Lamphier drove in one run and had one base hit each.
The Spartans will take on rival Rollins College (23-4, 6-0 SSC) this weekend in a three game series at home. Although the Tars and the Spartans were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the SSC preseason poll, the ranking is currently switched, with the Spartans in the No.1 spot in the conference.
To Head Coach Leslie Kanter, ranking is not important going into this series. “We’ve been playing great, but I think the ranking is just because we’ve played more SSC games.”
“While being ranked number one is great at the moment,” added Henriott, “we still have a lot of tough games ahead of us.”
The Spartans will head into the series against Rollins like it was any other team. “We will bust our butts everyday like any other week,” Henriott stated matter-of-factly. She did add that because Rollins scouts the team at almost every game, the team is focusing on some of their individual weak spots.
At the beginning of the season, Kanter believed that hitting was the team’s main weakness. In preparation for the SSC play, Henriott said, “A lot of our girls come out before and stay after practice to work on their hitting.”
The upcoming games are important to Henriott. She is working her way to 1,000 career strikeouts, and is currently at 975. If this occurs, She will be the 26th pitcher to do so in NCAA Division II history.
Henriott threw her second career perfect game and eighth no-hitter against Georgian Court University on March 6. Of the program’s three perfect games, Henriott has two.
She believes that her team is one of the main reasons for her incredible statistics. “When I am struggling on the mound, the cheers from the defense and dugout really help me through each pitch.”
UT will take on Rollins at home on Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday in a doubleheader.