April 7, 2006

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College softball team (19-8, 4-4 BIG EAST) welcomes a pair of new BIG EAST members to Raymond Field this weekend for their inaugural match up against the Friars. On Saturday, April 8, PC will host No. 18/19 Louisville (24-5, 3-1 BIG EAST) for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. On Sunday, April 9, the Friars will host USF (34-18, 4-0 BIG EAST) for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.

In their last home game against Quinnipiac the Friars swept the Bobcats. PC has now won four consecutive games at Raymond Field dating back to last season's sweep of Rhode Island on Apr. 21.

The Friars are led by junior ace Sara Surosky (Elmira, N.Y.) who enters the weekend with 13 wins and a 2.10 ERA. She has fanned 119 batters in 110.0 innings while holding opponents to a .213 batting average. Offensively, senior Elena Romero (Chula Vista, Calif.) holds a conference-best .423 batting average. Romero also has smashed five home runs to rank third in the BIG EAST. As a team, PC enters the weekend with the second-highest team batting average in the BIG EAST at .288.

Louisville enters the weekend with a 24-5 overall record and a 3-1 conference tally. U of L is currently ranked No. 18 in the NFCA rankings and No. 19 in the USA Softball rankings, both are the highest in program history. Saturday also will mark the first BIG EAST road games for Louisville.

The Cardinals are led offensively by junior shortstop Courtney Moore's .398 batting average, 24 runs, four home runs and 21 RBIs. Senior catcher Lacy Wood carries a .368 batting average wth 10 doubles and 21 RBI. Freshman outfielder Kristi Cunningham is hitting .317 with four home runs. Senior second baseman Michelle Vasquez is right behind her with a .314 average, four home runs and 18 RBI. Junior third baseman Audrey Rendon rounds out the over .300 hitters with a .302 average, 22 runs and nine stolen bases.

Junior RHP Catherine Bishop leads the team and the league with a 16-2 record, a 0.54 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 117.1 innings. She is holding opponents to a .137 batting average. Sophomore Kady Garrick carries a 5-2 record and 1.77 ERA into the weekend while freshman Kassie Stanfill (3-1) has a 2.39 ERA.

USF enters the weekend at 34-18, 4-0 BIG EAST play, and will be looking to continue its seven-game win streak. The Bulls play a pair of games at Connecticut on Saturday. The match up on Sunday vs. the Friars will be the first-ever meeting between the new league rivals.

USF is led by Tiffany Stewart who was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week for the week ending March 12. Stewart, who was named to the Adidas Invitational All-Tournament Team on March 12, had a stellar offensive outing during the tournament for the Bulls, leading the team in batting average (.538), slugging percentage (.632), walks (5) and on-base percentage (.632).