April 20, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College softball team will play two crucial BIG EAST Conference doubleheaders this weekend at PC's Raymond Field. On Saturday, April 21, the Friars will host Rutgers at noon. The following day, PC will play Villanova at noon.

PC Updated Stats in PDF Format
Providence (18-15, 4-8 BIG EAST) enters the weekend on a four-game winning streak. Most recently, the Friars posted a 3-1 victory over Holy Cross on Thursday, April 19. PC scored all of its runs in the third inning when sophomore Gina Rossi (Bakersfield, Calif.) hit a solo home run and freshman Danielle Bertolette (Temecula, Calif.) added a two-run home run to give the Friars a 3-0 lead. Senior Sara Surosky (Elmira, N.Y.) pitched the first four innings and allowed no runs on two hits and struck out five batters to improve to 9-9 on the season. Sophomore Jennifer Maccio (Huntington Station, N.Y.), who was named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on Monday, earned her first career save as she pitched three innings and allowed one run on three hits. Senior Rachel Bartholomew (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) leads the team in batting average (.404), hits (44), home runs (8) and RBIs (35). Surosky leads the pitching staff with nine wins, a 2.98 ERA and 92 strikeouts.

Rutgers (17-22, 6-4 BIG EAST) is coming off a doubleheader split (5-0, 4-9) against Seton Hall on Wednesday, April 18. Rutgers posted a 5-0 win in the first game as pitchers Nicole Lindley and Chrissy Yard combined to hold the Pirates scoreless on 10 hits. Mallory Miller drove in the only run that the Scarlet Knights would need when she led off the second inning with a home run. Sarah Kalka leads the team batting average (.400), home runs (6) and RBIs (29). Mallory is second on the squad with a .305 batting average, 26 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with six home runs. Yard is tops on the Rutgers pitching staff in wins (9), appearances (30) and strikeouts (50). Last season, the Friars and the Scarlet Knights split a doubleheader in Piscataway, N.J. PC won the first game, 11-1, but Rutgers rebounded to post a 5-1 victory in the second contest.

Prior to facing Providence on Sunday, Villanova (19-19-1, 1-7 BIG EAST) will play Connecticut on Saturday. The Wildcats swept Princeton in a doubleheader on Thursday, April 19, winning the first game, 6-5, in nine innings and recording a 5-3 triumph in the second game. Cassie Koenig led the way in the two games as she recorded four hits, including her fifth home run of the season in the second contest. Koenig also added three runs and two RBIs. Jessica Curtis leads the Wildcats with a .393 batting average, while Jessica Donley (.373) is second. Koenig is tops on the team in hits (46) and RBIs (22). Last season, the Friars defeated Villanova, 7-2 and 4-2, in Villanova, Pa.