Spartans Continue to Rise in National Softball Rankings
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Currently riding a school-record 16-game winning streak, the University of Tampa softball team moved up two spots to No. 17 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll.
The 24-3 Spartans are one of five South Region teams in the top-25, joined by Valdosta State (2), Barry (6), Alabama-Huntsville (10) and Rollins (11).
Pitching has been dominant for the Spartans, who are also off to its best Sunshine State Conference start in program history at 9-0. UT's pitching duo of Deanna Henriott and Kayla Cox has a combined ERA of 0.82 as opposing hitters are batting just .109 against the pair.
As a team, the Spartans are number-one in the nation in ERA and fielding percentage as the Spartans own a .980 team fielding clip. UT is also seventh with an .889 winning percentage.
Among national leaders, Cox is first in ERA (0.36), first in strikeouts per seven innings (12.1), first in hits allowed per seven innings (2.33), seventh in strikeouts (135) and first in shutouts (8). Henriott is seventh in ERA (0.83), third in strikeouts per seven innings (11.8), sixth in wins (14), second in hits allowed per seven innings (2.63), third in strikeouts (183) and first in shutouts (8).
Offensively, third baseman Susan Jallo is fifth 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 18 consecutive weeks in the national rankings, marking a program record.
Tampa will meet No. 11 Rollins College for a pivotal Sunshine State Conference series, beginning Friday at 7 p.m., at the Vince Naimoli Softball Field.
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.