ODAC
Softball Tourney Returns to Salem
Moyer Complex Plays
Host to Six-Team Tourney
April 19, 2007
SALEM, Va.
--- The 2007 Old Dominion Athletic
Conference Softball Tournament makes a return
trip to "Virginia's Championship City" this
weekend, as the top six teams from the ODAC
regular season will take to the James I. Moyer
Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.
Action is slated to
beging late Friday afternoon with a pair of
contests at 5:00 p.m. Those games will be
followed by two more seven-inning affairs at
7:00 p.m. Saturday's action opens with two more
games at 12:00 p.m. before single match
competition follows at 2:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and
8:00 p.m. Sunday's championship game is set for
1:00 p.m. with the second championship scheduled
for 3:00 p.m. should the tournament's
double-elimination format warrant an extra tilt.
The top three seeds
in this year's tournament have all spent time in
the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)
Top 25 this season. Top-seeded Bridgewater
(34-4 overall, 17-1 ODAC) was ranked 24th a week
ago before falling out of the ranks in the most
recent survey. The Eagles get it done both in
the dirt and at the dish as they boast a trio of
quality arms and the nations most potent offense
at better than 9.5 runs per game. Jennifer Hall
(nine), Caity Butler (eight) and Kaitlyn Bowman
(eight) account for 25 of the teams 38 home
runs, with all three batting above .360. Lisa
Rhodes (15-1, 0.93 era) and Lindsay Lam (13-2,
1.74) start the majority of BC's games in the
circle, but Ashley Gillis (6-1, 1.53) provides a
solid option in relief should either falter.
Roanoke College, the
field's #2 seed, peaked at #17 in week four of
the NFCA poll. Hillary Hudgins puts the Maroon
offense (6.61 runs per game) into motion,
boasting the nation's 30th best batting average
at a .489 clip. If there's ever a day the
offense hits a cold spell, Roanoke rarely gives
its opponents any extra opportunities evidenced
by the country's sixth-best fielding percentage
at .974. Amy Gillis (10-2, 1.64) and Lyndsi
Craig (11-2, 2.16) are joined by Kelsey
Ruitenberg (8-3, 1.57) to form another strong
pitching trio.
Lynchburg College,
once appearing as high as #13 by the NFCA, is
powered by one of the most electric offensive
players in the country in rightfielder Caroline
Cubbage. The senior standout has clubbed an
ODAC-best 12 homers while still collecting the
nation's third-best batting average at .541.
Her production is even more impressive when you
consider she draws an average of one walk per
game, the second-best mark in NCAA D-III. The
Hornets have hammered 42 homers on the season,
good for 1.15 per game and fourth in the
country. Ali Manns (12-3, 2.67) and Barbie
Miles (11-2, 2.54) are Lynchburg's top two
options in the circle.
2007 ODAC
First Round Tournament
Friday, April 20
Game 1: #4 Emory &
Henry vs. #5 Eastern Mennonite - 5:00 p.m.
Game 2: #3 Lynchburg vs. #6
Randolph-Macon - 5:00 p.m.
Game 3: #1
Bridgewater vs. Winner Game 1 - 7:00 p.m.
Game 4: #2 Roanoke
vs. Winner Game 2 - 7:00 p.m.
