March 23, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College softball team will open its home and its BIG EAST schedule on Saturday, March 24 against Syracuse beginning at noon. On Sunday, March 25, the Friars will battle Pittsburgh in a doubleheader starting at 10:00 a.m.

The Friars (8-7, 0-0 BIG EAST), who have not played since recording a 1-0 victory over Akron on March 11, are currently on a four-game winning streak. PC's last six games were either cancelled or postponed because of inclement weather or poor field conditions. Senior Rachel Bartholomew (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) leads the team with 17 hits, four home runs and 17 RBIs. In addition, she ranks second on the team with a .327 batting average. Freshman Katelyn Revens (Warwick, R.I.) is tops on the team with a .343 batting average. Classmate Danielle Bertolette (Temecula, Calif.) leads the pitching staff with a 3-1 record and a 2.39 earned run average.

The Orange (7-19, 0-0 BIG EAST) last played on March 18 when they fell to Cornell, 5-3, at the Stetson Tournament in Deland, Fla. Ev Anderson leads the team with a .429 batting average on 27 hits. Rachel Tilford is the team leader in home runs (4) and RBIs (18). On the pitcher's circle, Brittany Gardner is tops on the team with four wins and 74 strikeouts. Last season, the Friars and the Orange split at doubleheader at Syracuse with PC winning the first game, 4-2, and SU taking the second game, 4-1.

The Panthers (11-17, 0-0 BIG EAST) enter this weekend on a three-game winning streak, including a home doubleheader sweep (3-1, 6-2) against Saint Francis on Thursday, March 22. Sheena Hellon leads the team with a .310 batting average, two home runs, six doubles and 11 RBIs. Kayla Zinger leads the team with five wins on the pitcher's circle, while Kaitlyn Schuster is tops on the squad with a 2.25 ERA. Last season in Pittsburgh, the Friars lost the first game (2-0) of a doubleheader against the Panthers, but bounced back to capture the second game, 3-2.