UT Remains No. 5 in Latest Softball Poll
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Coming off a bye week and a previous sweep over Eckerd College, the University of Tampa softball team is still No. 5 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll.
Tampa is also ranked No. 2 in the NCAA South Region rankings, which are the official determination for the NCAA Division II tournament following the regular season. A total of eight teams from the South Region will earn a bid to postseason play. The top two teams in the region also have an advantage in receiving a bid to host a four-team South Regional.
The 34-5 Spartans are one of five South Region teams in the top-25, joined by Valdosta State (1), Barry (13), Rollins (14) and Alabama-Huntsville (23).
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 0.69 as opposing hitters are batting just .127 against the pair. Tampa now has 23 shutouts in 2012.
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 fourth with an .872 winning percentage and 16th in triples per game at 0.36.
Among national leaders, Cox is first in ERA (0.26), first in strikeouts per seven innings (12.2), first in hits allowed per seven innings (2.38), 27th in strikeouts (185) and seventh in shutouts (11).
Cox also currently carries a streak of 65.1 scoreless innings pitched without an earned run, which represents a school record for the sophomore from Riverview, Fla.
Henriott, who notched her 1,000th career strikeout earlier in the season, is ninth in ERA (0.95), second in strikeouts per seven innings (11.3), 31st in wins (20), second in hits allowed per seven innings (3.34), sixth in strikeouts (274) and sixth in shutouts (12).
Additionally, third baseman Susan Jallo is ranked 40th 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 22 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, marking a program record.
The Spartans will open a three-game set at Nova Southeastern University on Friday. A Saturday doubleheader will conclude the regular season.
The NCAA South Regional is scheduled from May 4-6 at campus sites to be announced.
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.