Tampa Moves Up To No. 8 in Softball Rankings
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Coming off a series victory over then-No. 4 Barry University, the University of Tampa softball team moved up four spots to No. 8 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll.
The 28-5 Spartans are one of five South Region teams in the top-25, joined by Valdosta State (1), Barry (6), Rollins (16) and Alabama-Huntsville (21). 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 1.00 as opposing hitters are batting just .127 against the pair.
As a team, the Spartans are number-one in the nation in ERA and second in fielding percentage as the Spartans own a .980 team fielding clip. UT is also eighth with an .848 winning percentage.
Among national leaders, Cox is first in ERA (0.30), first in strikeouts per seven innings (12.2), first in hits allowed per seven innings (2.43), 12th in strikeouts (158) and fourth in shutouts (9).
Cox also currently carries a streak of 51.1 scoreless innings pitched without an earned run. She continues to approach the school record of 57.2, which was registered by Henriott in 2009.
Henriott is 15th in ERA (1.08), second in strikeouts per seven innings (11.3), 18th in wins (16), second in hits allowed per seven innings (3.3), fourth in strikeouts (230) and fourth in shutouts (9).
Offensively, third baseman Susan Jallo is 14th in the nation in triples with four. The senior also ranks 21st in the country with 0.12 triples per game.
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 in consecutive weekends from then-No. 11 Rollins and No. 4 Barry over the weekend, the Spartans will face-off against SSC rival Florida Southern for a three-game set. The series begins on Thursday with a Friday doubleheader to follow in Lakeland, Fla..
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.