Spartans Skyrocket to School Record No. 4 Ranking
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Tampa softball team has moved up six spots to No. 4 in the NFCA Division II Poll that was released by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Wednesday. Coach Leslie Kanter's team is now tied for its highest ranking ever since being ranked No. 4 for one week in 2002.
Fellow NCAA South Region foe Alabama-Huntsville (21-5) dropped to No. 8 in the poll. South Regional opponents Valdosta State (27-8) and Palm Beach Atlantic (21-6) sit at No. 18 and No. 22 respectively. Previously ranked North Alabama (28-8) is listed as receiving votes. The Spartans are the lone representative in the poll from the Sunshine State Conference.
Tampa (24-3, 12-3 SSC) is led by a dynamic pitching duo of Julia Morrow and Kayla Cox. Morrow has been nearly unhittable as the junior is now 13-1 with 152 strikeouts while sporting a 0.24 ERA in 88.2 innings. The junior tossed a complete game two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts Tuesday against Concordia, Mich. Cox sports an equally impressive 11-3 record with 153 strikeouts in 108.0 innings and an ERA of 0.78. The senior is coming off a 16 strikeout performance in a complete game 5-1 victory over Northwestern Ohio.
Offensively, Meagan Burke and Lindsay Dring are leading the way, hitting .366 and .348 respectively. Burke sports team-highs in homeruns (4), RBI (15), and hits (30), while Dring has 24 hits and seven RBI. Kayleen Boatwright and Jenna Halper sport batting averages over .300 with 29 and 22 hits respectively.
Tampa has now been ranked for a school-record 46 consecutive weeks and is currently riding a seven game winning streak upon reaching its highest ranking in school history.
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.
Tampa returns to action against Eckerd at Naimoli Family Field on Friday at 6 p.m. The weekend series will conclude with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
Live stats as well as a video webcast will be available through www.tampaspartans.tv.
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