For Immediate Release April 5, 2000
Maroons Ranked Ninth in the Nation
27-2 Roanoke Jumps Up from #18 Preseason Ranking
SALEM, VA--The Roanoke College softball team, in just its fourth year of varsity competition, is ranked ninth in the nation at the Division III level in the April 5th National FastPitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll. The Maroons are 27-2 this season and vault into the ninth spot after earning a number-18 preseason ranking in the same poll. The Maroons earned 135 points in this week’s poll, 62 off the pace of the nation’s top ranked squad, Pacific Lutheran. Heading into an Old Dominion Athletic Conference double-header against Lynchburg College next Tuesday (April 11th), the Maroons have won 12 consecutive games, one off the record setting number the team established last season. The team is looking to repeat as conference champions and return to the NCAA tournament for the second season in a row.
On the offensive side, the Maroons are led by senior thirdbaseman Kari Whitney (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) who leads the team in batting average (.576), hits (53), doubles (14), homeruns (5), and RBIs (47). Junior catcher/outfielder Holly Morris (Barrington, RI/Barrington) is pushing Whitney in most offensive categories. She is hitting .523 for the season, has belted a team-high three triples, and has driven in 30 baserunners.
Perhaps more impressive than the RC offensive numbers is its pitching stats. In 178 innings of work this season, the Maroon pitchers have a minuscule 0.82 earned run average. Batters are hitting just .217 against the RC hurlers this year and have struck out 105 times. Sophomore Meaghan Cookston (Roanoke, VA/Salem) has developed into one of Roanoke’s primary pitchers. Sporting a perfect 7-0 record, Cookston leads the team in ERA (0.55), allowing just four earned runs all year.
The Maroons have been off since sweeping a double-header from Emory & Henry College last Tuesday to improve to 4-0 in the conference. Of RC’s two losses this season, one came to a team currently in the nation’s top 25 (#18 Ursinus). Against others in this week’s poll, RC owns a 3-0 record, beating #16 Rowan and taking two from North Carolina Wesleyan, which is those receiving votes.