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MWinners of 19 straight Association contest, Washington has used a dominant pitching personnel in claiming their last two titles – registering 48 strikeouts and six shutouts en route to a tournament record 0.13 earned run average in 2004, and nearly repeating the performance last year, fanning 45 batters and posting shutouts in six games for a 0.15 ERA.
MJunior Laurel Sagartz, the two-time UAA Player of the Year, returns as one of the key mainstays on a unit that led NCAA Division III in earned run average. In eight Association games (46.1 innings), Sagartz has allowed 20 hits, five walks and one unearned run, while striking out 58 batters.
MSeniors Amanda Roberts and Monica Hanono join sophomore Amy Vukovich to highlight an aggressive Bears offensive attack, which put together a .382 batting average with 19 extra-base hits (10 doubles, seven home runs), 60 runs batted in, and 23 stolen bases. Roberts was the tournament leader last year with a .556 batting average and eight stolen bases. Hanono, who batted .524 with 10 RBI and four stolen bases, is looking to become only the second player in Association history to garner All-UAA accolades four consecutive seasons.
MEmory, runner-up to Washington in the past two championships, has four first team All-UAA players among its 10 returning veterans. Senior Emily Sunshine, a two-time All Association honoree (first team in 2005, second team in ’04) and sophomore Ali Braverman, last year’s Association Rookie of the Year, will spearhead a squad that registered an Association-leading .387 batting average (82-for-212) with 17 extra-base hits and 15 RBI. The duo batted .440 and .435, respectively, registering one-third of the Eagles’ offense by scoring 11 runs apiece. |
MJunior Sarah Morse drove in 11 runs en route to posting a .400 batting average, while classmate Betsy Bruinsma, the UAA Rookie of the Year and first team pick in 2004, hit .300 in only four games played.
MBrandeis University will look to make some noise of their own this week with the help of seniors Elissa Glucksman, Mari Levine, and Brianne Smith. Making their final tournament appearance, the trio each garnered All-Association second team accolades a year ago. Levine was the team’s top offensive performer, hitting safely in six of eight games in posting a .474 batting average (9-for-19) with two RBI. Smith batted .391, hitting safely in seven of eight UAA contests, while Glucksman hit .364 with three multiple-hit performances.
MSophomores Amanda Bell and Lauren Seeds highlight the youth movement for Case, which has only two seniors on their roster. Bell claimed All-UAA second team accolades in her rookie season with the Spartans, posting a 3-2 record and a 4.01 ERA in 22.2 innings on the mound, striking out 19 batters. At the plate, she hit .208 with two extra-base hits (double, home run) and five RBI. Seeds hit .357 (10-for-28) and registered a .357 on-base percentage in eight games.
MThe University of Rochester and first-year coach Michelle Burrell hope 13 returnees and six newcomers can bring the Yellowjackets their best UAA finish since a runner-up performance in 1999. Sophomores Alicia Citro (.398 batting average, two home runs, four RBI) and Jessica Sorrentino (.400 batting average, four stolen bases) each earned first team All-UAA recognition, and join juniors Jena Robertson and Samantha Carr to provide a formidable quartet at the plate and on the mound. |
