St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Takes On Rutgers In BIG EAST Action
4/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2009
QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's softball team (14-14, 4-4) travels to Piscataway, N.J. this Saturday, to take on BIG EAST rival Rutgers (12-19, 2-6) in a doubleheader at the RU Softball Complex on Saturday.
• Live stats will be available for the game at www.scarletknights.com.
• Rutgers leads the all-time series, 28-18-1. The two teams last split its doubleheader last year in Queens, as STJ shut out Rutgers, 5-0, but were topped, 6-4, in game two.
• Senior slugger Roxy Struble continues to lead the Red Storm offense and was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll for the fourth time this season.
• St. John's lost a close contest to Fordham, 4-2, in its last game on Wednesday.
• The Red Storm went 5-1 last week and 3-1 in conference play. STJ swept doubleheaders vs. local rival Rider and BIG EAST-foe Pittsburgh. The weekend was highlighted by a 5-4 victory over then-No. 14/16 Louisville.
STORM FRONT
• Struble continues to lead the Red Storm offense, pacing the team in batting average (.407), hits (35), home runs (6), RBI (23), total bases (59) and slugging percentage (.711). Struble switched to shortstop after playing both corner infield spots to start the season.
• Sophomore Linzee Sumrall has a 2.25 ERA on the season with 132 strikeouts in 96.1 innings this season. Sumrall picked up her first career save vs. Rider with a perfect seventh inning and her second just three days later vs. Louisville. Sumrall is ranked 14th in the nation with a 10.0 strikeouts per game.
• Starter Kat Lawrence has kept up in the K department, striking out 104 batters in 88.2 innings in 16 appearances this year. Lawrence is now 7-7 on the season with nine complete games.
• Sophomore leadoff hitter Chelsea Durning continues to be the sparkplug for the Red Storm offense. She leads St. John's in runs (20), doubles (8), triples (1), walks (6) and HBP (6), and is second on the squad in batting average (.349) hits (30), and on-base percentage (.429).
• Since transitioning to catcher after playing most of last season at the hot corner, Kacee Cox is beginning to pick up where she left off last season. Cox, who was the team's offensive leader a season ago, has 10 runs, five doubles, five home runs and 11 RBI this season. The Simi Valley, Calif., native has also managed the pitching staff to a 2.68 ERA and 240 strikeouts in just 188.0 innings.
• Junior transfer Stacia Dopudja has recently moved into the cleanup spot in the Red Storm lineup and is now third on the squad with a .316 batting average. The Southeast Missouri State transfer leads the team in doubles (8) and is second on the team in slugging percentage (.539). Dopudja, who has also become the team's full-time first baseman, is third in home runs (3) and RBI (11).
• Freshman Kristi Cady is proving to be a fixture in the Red Storm lineup and in center, playing in every game for St. John's this year. Cady's six walks lead the team and her six stolen bases are second on the squad. Her seven doubles are third while she is also fourth on the team with eight runs.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
• The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 12-19 on the season and 2-6 in the BIG EAST after going 23-32, 7-5.
• Rutgers is led by head coach Jay Nelson who is 43-66 in two seasons with RU. • The Scarlet Knights are 4-0 at home this season and have a team batting average .246. RU also has a 3.59 ERA.
• Senior outfielder Amanda Heller leads Rutgers with a .365 batting average, 14 runs and 27 hits.
• Sophomore first baseman is third on the team with a .278 a batting average and 11 RBI.
• Senior infielder Sarah Kalka leads the Scarlet Knights with eight doubles and 16 RBI and is tied for third on the team with a .278 batting average.
• Junior starter Nicole Lindley paces RU with a 2.64 ERA and an 8-6 record in 16 appearances. She also has seven complete games, a shutout, 79.2 innings pitched and 159 strikeouts.
• Freshman Holly Johnson has a 3.73 ERA over 15 appearances and nine starts. Johnson has a 2-4 record over 56.1 innings and 38 strikeouts.
ON DECK
St. John's returns home to continue BIG EAST action when the team takes on Syracuse in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
If you would like to receive the most up-to-date information on the 2008-09 St. John's softball team, please send your e-mail address to michael.gambardella03@stjohns.edu.
