Surging Spartans Continue to Impress in National Rankings
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Winners of 18 of its last 19 games, the University of Tampa softball team moved up to No. 12 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll. The Spartans were No. 17 in last week's installment
The 26-4 Spartans are one of five South Region teams in the top-25, joined by Valdosta State (1), Barry (4), Alabama-Huntsville (13) and Rollins (17). Another team, Florida Southern, received votes.
Pitching has been dominant for the Spartans, who won their first 11 Sunshine State Conference games for the program's best start in league play. UT's pitching duo of Deanna Henriott and Kayla Cox has a combined ERA of 0.89 as opposing hitters are batting just .117 against the pair.
As a team, the Spartans are number-one in the nation in ERA and fourth in fielding percentage as the Spartans own a .979 team fielding clip. UT is also sixth with a .867 winning percentage.
Among national leaders, Cox is first in ERA (0.33), first in strikeouts per seven innings (12.2), first in hits allowed per seven innings (2.47), ninth in strikeouts (148) and fifth in shutouts (8).
Henriott is ninth in ERA (0.94), second in strikeouts per seven innings (11.6), ninth in wins (15), second in hits allowed per seven innings (2.87), third in strikeouts (211) and second in shutouts (9).
Offensively, third baseman Susan Jallo is 10th in the nation in triples with four.
Tampa has now been ranked in every poll throughout the 2012 season and holds a current streak of 19 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, marking a program record.
After taking two of three games from then-No. 11 Rollins over the weekend, the Spartans will face-off against another nationally ranked foe as it travels to Miami Shores, Fla., to meet No. 4 Barry for a three-game set. The series begins on Friday with a Saturday doubleheader to follow.
The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches, two representing each of the eight NCAA regions.