Softball Weekly Release #3

Feb. 28, 2006

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Player of the Week

Nicole Shepard, UIC
IF/OF * Senior * Diamond Bar, Calif.
After missing the opening weekend of the Flames 2006 season due to injury, the senior made her 2006 debut at the Palm Springs Classic last weekend. Shepard lit up the bats at the five-game event, with a .778 batting average. She had a total of 7 hits and three RBI for UIC. Versus #11 Oregon State the senior went 3-for-3 and knocked in two and against Maryland, Shepard was 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Pitcher of the Week

Jamie Wonderly, Butler
RHP * Junior * Helena, Ohio
Junior Jamie Wonderly got the start in the Bulldogs' opener and didn't disappoint, posting a shutout while allowing just two hits to the University of Indianapolis. Wonderly went the distance in the circle and struck out two batters.

Other Top Performances for the Week of February 26

Amy Hyerczyk, Butler - 1B
Sophomore * Palos Park, Ill.
Hyerczyk broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning of the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the University of Indianapolis with a two-run home run. It was Hyerczyk's first career round-tripper.

Kat Krause, Loyola - 1B/C
Sophomore * Arlington Heights, Ill.
Krause batted .300 with two home runs and eight RBI in four games last weekend. The sophomore homered in each of her first two at-bats of the year in a 5-3 loss at Lipscomb, going 2-for-3 with three RBI in that contest. She drove home a run in a loss to Syracuse and then recorded four RBI in a 7-3 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Feb. 26. Krause already has six career home runs in a little over a year of play.

Jacqueline Macy, Wright State - IF
Sophomore * Middletown, Ohio
Macy hit safely in four of five games at Louisville Slugger Desert Classic. She collected three hits (including two doubles) against UTEP, drove in a run and scored once. Macy also picked up two hits, including a double, against Purdue with a run scored.

Laura DeLeon, Loyola - RHP
Freshman * Chesterton, Ind.
DeLeon threw 8.2 innings of scoreless relief, spanning three appearances last weekend at the Middle Tennessee Breast Cancer Strikeout Classic. In her first collegiate appearance, the right-hander tossed 3.1 innings of three-hit relief versus Lipscomb. In a 7-3 victory over Middle Tennessee, DeLeon picked up her first career win, hurling 1.2 shutout innings of relief with one strikeout.

Kelly Cross, UIC - RHP
Freshman * Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Cross was 0-2 at the Palm Springs Classic, but the freshman pitcher ended the weekend with a 2.20 ERA. In a close 4-2 loss to Pacific, Cross pitched over six innings, allowing only five hits and one run, while striking out seven batters. The freshman pitched a total of 16.1 innings and registered 17 strikeouts. On the season, Cross leads the Flames with a 3.60 ERA.

Horizon League News and Notes

Bulldogs shutout Greyhounds in both ends of doubleheader
Butler started the 2006 season in style as the Bulldogs held University of Indianapolis scoreless in both games of a doubleheader on Friday.

It took only two pitchers to work through the 14 innings with Jamie Wonderly working all seven in the opener (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 2 SO) and Meghan Howard (7.0 IP, 3 H, 5 BB, 3 SO) finishing off with a complete game in the nightcap.

The Bulldogs' offense was led by Amy Hyerczyk's two-run homer in the fifth inning of the first game. Freshman Annie Dolan paced the club in the second game with a 3-for-4 performance that included the game's only run.

Ramblers pick up lone victory at Middle Tennessee Tournament
Loyola went 1-3 at the Middle Tennessee Breast Cancer Strikeout Classic in its first action of the season last weekend.

Kat Krause got her season off to a solid start, going 3-for-10 with two home runs and eight RBI during the weekend. Lead-off batter Tara Miller also found success in the dish, hitting safely in all four games and finishing the weekend with a .429 (6-for-14) batting average.

In the circle, freshman Laura DeLeon started her collegiate career with a bang. She didn't allow a run in 8.2 innings pitched, while striking out two and walking two.

Flames return to action, face tough competition in California
UIC dropped all five contests last weekend, but went up against some of the nation's top competition, facing No. 6 Stanford and No. 11 Oregon State in last weekend's Palm Spring Classic.

The weekend did have its bright spots for the Flames. Nicole Shepard finished the tournament with a .778 (7-for-9) batting average, knocking in three runs. Kelly Cross enjoyed a solid weekend on the rubber, finishing with a 2.20 ERA in four appearances. Cross struck out 17 in 16.1 innings pitched, while surrendering 15 hits and eight walks.

Full slate for this weekend
This weekend features a 20-game schedule as five teams head to different locations to participate in pre-conference tournaments. Cleveland State will take part in the Comfort Suites Invitational in Richmond, Ky., UIC heads to Carbondale, Ill. to participate in the Kay Brechtelsbauer Southern Classic, Wright State will be in the Courtyard Marriott Red & Black Classic in Louisville, Ky., Loyola will go to the CSUF Tournament in Fullerton, Calif. and Youngstown will go to Lexington, Ky. to be in the Frostbite Classic.