May 18, 2004
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2004 NCAA Region VI Tournament
Alumni Field * Ann Arbor, Mich.
Thursday, May 20
Game One: #3 Oregon State (40-26) vs. #6 Bowling Green (34-28), 10 a.m.
Game Two: #7 Illinois-Chicago (38-21) vs. #2 Tennessee (53-14), 12:30 p.m.
Game Three: #4 Notre Dame (48-18) vs. #5 DePaul (29-29-1), 3 p.m.
Game Four: #1 Michigan (50-10) vs. #8 Canisius (23-38), 5:30 p.m.
Friday, May 21
A Notre Dame victory = Winner of Game Four, 3 p.m.
A Notre Dame loss = Loser of Game Four, 10 a.m.
Rest of double elimination tournament TBA
Irish Quick Facts:
* Notre Dame is making its sixth consecutive NCAA appearance this weekend.
* The Irish have qualified for the NCAA Championship nine times in school history and have appeared in Ann Arbor, Mich., six times (including this weekend).
Second season officially begins in the NCAA Regional this weekend:
The University of Notre Dame softball team (48-18) returns to a familiar setting (Michigan’s Alumni Field) with a familiar goal in mind – advancing to the NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., for the first time in school history. Notre Dame has appeared in the NCAA Championship nine times, making it to the final day of the regional tournament three times (1995, 2001, 2002).
A familiar tone continues for Notre Dame with the Region VI participants. Notre Dame has already faced Illinois Chicago (split doubleheader), DePaul (split doubleheader) and Michigan (loss at Florida State) this season. The Irish were also set to face Tennessee at the Palm Springs Classic, but rain forced cancellation of the contest.
Notre Dame softball NCAA history:
Notre Dame will be making its ninth trip to the NCAA Championship and its sixth-straight appearance this weekend … the Irish are 7-16 all-time in NCAA regional competition … Notre Dame is 3-1 in extra-innings in NCAA play (3-1, 12 innings vs. IU in ’94, 8-5, nine innings, vs. UIC in ’95, 3-4, eight innings vs. Nebraska, ’99, 4-3, eight innings, vs. Missouri, ’04) … ND has won at least two games in each of its last three visits to the NCAA regional, advancing to the last day of competition in ’01 and ’02 … of the seven opposing teams in the 2004 NCAA Region VI tournament, Notre Dame has met four of the squads in previous NCAA competition.
Quick recap of Notre Dame’s results in the NCAA Championship:
1994: vs. Indiana, W, 3-1 (12) *vs. Indiana, L, 0-8 *vs. UIC, L, 0-1
1995: vs. UIC, W, 5-2 *vs. Michigan, L, 0-2 *vs. UIC, W, 8-5 (9) * vs. Michigan, L, 6-15
1996: vs. South Carolina, L, 0-3 * vs. Central Michigan, L, 3-9
1999: vs. Nebraska, L, 0-2 * vs. Michigan, W, 1-0 *vs. Nebraska, L, 3-4 (8)
2000: vs. UIC, W, 2-0 *vs. DePaul, L, 0-1 *vs. Central Michigan, L, 1-2
2001: vs. W. Illinois, W, 8-0 (5) *vs. Illinois State, W, 2-1 *vs. Iowa, L, 0-6 *vs. DePaul, W, 8-1 *vs. Iowa, L, 2-6
2002: vs. Iowa, W, 3-2 *vs. Oregon State, L, 0-2 *vs. Oregon State, W, 2-0 *vs. Nebraska, L, 3-5
2003: vs. Missouri, W, 4-3 (8) *vs. DePaul, L, 3-4 * vs. Oakland, W, 5-0 *vs. Michigan, L, 3-5
Notre Dame against the entire NCAA Championship field:
During the 2004 season, Notre Dame faced 16 teams who earned bids to the NCAA Championship. In the match ups with those 16 teams, Notre Dame finished with a 9-15 record (.375), claiming victories over Utah (4-3), Nebraska (6-4, 1-0, 2-0), Georgia Tech (2-1), North Carolina (2-0), Florida Atlantic (2-0), UIC (8-0) and DePaul (2-1).
Live coverage of the NCAA Region VI Tournament:
Live statistics for each game of the 2004 NCAA Region VI Tournament will be available both on www.und.com and www.mgoblue.com. Live audio links for selected games can be accessed by www.mgoblue.com or other participating team’s websites.
The NCAA Region VI Tournament field:
#1 Michigan – The Wolverines, ranked sixth in the most recent national polls, are hosting their 10th softball regional tournament. Michigan is 50-10 this season and earned the sixth overall seed in the entire NCAA Championship. They will face Canisius at 5:30 p.m. Thursday to begin their portion of the tournament.
#2 Tennessee – Tennessee, ranked 10th in the nation, is making its first NCAA appearance since 1999. The Lady Volunteers are 53-14 in 2004 and won the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division title this season. The bid is just the second in Tennessee softball history and the Lady Volunteers will begin action at 12:30 p.m. Thursday against Illinois-Chicago.
#3 Oregon State – Oregon State (40-26) is making its sixth straight NCAA appearance out of the Pac-10 Conference. The Beavers are the #3 seed in the tournament and will face Bowling Green at 10 a.m. on Thursday to begin the competition. Notre Dame eliminated Oregon State with a 2-0 victory at the 2002 Region VII tournament in Iowa City, Iowa.
#5 DePaul – The Blue Demons are a familiar post season opponent for the Irish. The future BIG EAST Conference member (for the 2006 season), DePaul is 29-29-1 this season and received an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship by winning the Conference USA tournament. Notre Dame and DePaul split a doubleheader at Ivy Field on Tuesday, April 27, with the Blue Demons winning game one 3-1 and the Irish taking game two 2-1.
#6 Bowling Green – The 2004 MAC Champion, Bowling Green is making its fourth NCAA appearance and first in 11 years. Bowling Green finished the season with a 34-28 record and is a frequent opponent of the Irish, as the two teams have met 14 times (Notre Dame leads the all-time series 8-6).
#7 Illinois-Chicago – Another familiar postseason opponent for Notre Dame, the Irish and Flames have met four times in NCAA regional competition, the last meeting in 2000 (a 2-0 Irish victory). The Flames are 39-21 this season and won the Horizon League regular season and tournament championships. Notre Dame met UIC twice this season, losing 4-3 in 10 innings at Ivy Field on April 15, but coming back to get a 8-0 victory seven days later in Chicago. Notre Dame is 3-1 against Illinois-Chicago in regional competition.
#8 Canisius – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion with a 23-38 record, the Golden Griffins are heading to the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years. Canisius defeated MAAC regular-season champion Rider twice in the league’s postseason tournament for the automatic berth to the NCAA Championship.
Notre Dame sets a school record for games played in a single season:
With a 48-18 record entering the NCAA Region VI Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend, Notre Dame has already set the school record for games played in a season with 66.
The previous season high for games played came in 1992, when the Irish ended up 34-30-1 and competed in the National Invitational Classic in Macomb, Ill.
Meagan Ruthrauff, Nicole deFau, Stephanie Brown and Sara Schoonaert have started and played each game this season and will go down in the record books as holding the record for games played in a single season.
48 wins match the ’96 team for the second-best in a single season:
Notre Dame has won 48 games so far this season and that mark puts them in second place all-time at Notre Dame for victories in a single year. The 1996 team ended up 48-16. A victory in this weekend’s NCAA Region VI Tournament would give the ’04 team the second-best win total in school history, behind the 54 games won in 2001.
Irish match school record with seven first team all-BIG EAST selections:
The 2004 edition of the Notre Dame softball team matched the 2001 and 2002 squads by landing seven players on the all-BIG EAST first team. Player of the Year junior Megan Ciolli and Pitcher of the Year junior Steffany Stenglein led the way, joined by sophomore C Mallorie Lenn (Ciolli, Lenn and Stenglein were all unanimous selections), junior 3B Liz Hartmann, freshman 2B Stephanie Brown, senior OF Nicole deFau and sophomore RHP Heather Booth.
In 2001, Andrea Loman, Lisa Mattison, Jenny Kriech, Melanie Alkire, Lizzy Lemire, Jennifer Sharron and Kristin Schmidt were first-team all-conference selections. In 2002, the Irish were represented by Andria Bledsoe, Megan Ciolli, Andrea Loman, Lisa Mattison, Steffany Stenglein, Jarrah Myers and Jenny Kriech.
Ciolli named BIG EAST Player of the Year:
Junior Megan Ciolli led the BIG EAST Conference in hitting with a .491 average (conference awards are based on BIG EAST games only), scored 13 runs, drove in nine and stole four bases. She also led the league in on-base percentage (.542) and was fourth in total hits.
A three-time first-team all-BIG EAST selection, Ciolli was named BIG EAST Player of the Week on April 19.
Stenglein’s comeback complete with BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year trophy:
Junior Steffany Stenglein, who worked through recovery from offseason surgery during her sophomore year, completed her return to top form by earning the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year award this season.
Stenglein dominated in BIG EAST competition, leading the league with a 0.49 ERA and posting a 9-1 record. She allowed just four earned runs (six runs total), 29 hits and tossed three shutouts.
A first-team all-BIG EAST selection as a freshman, Stenglein dropped from a 27-12, 1.93 ERA in 2002 to a 10-4, 3.76 during her sophomore season. Back to full strength in 2004, Stenglein has reestablished herself as one of the top pitchers in the country, compiling a 21-9 record, 1.39 ERA and 186 strikeouts.
Head coach Deanna Gumpf and her staff earns BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year accolade:
Irish head coach Deanna Gumpf, who has led the team to 130 victories in less than three seasons (43.3 per year), and her staff were named the 2004 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year last week.
Gumpf, along with assistant coaches Charmelle Green and Kris Ganeff (with volunteer assistant Bill Roggeman), helped the Irish finish 18-2 in league play, land seven players on the all-conference first team and lead the BIG EAST in team batting (.345 average), ERA (0.89), runs (118), hits (174), RBI (103) and stolen bases (26).
The coaching staff of the year award is the second for Gumpf and her assistants. The group landed the same award in 2002.
Notre Dame posts 18 league wins for the third time:
With two wins over St. John’s on Sunday, May 9, Notre Dame posted at least 18 wins in BIG EAST Conference play for the third time.
Notre Dame is the only team to ever post 18 wins in a conference season, accomplishing the feat in 2001 and 2002. The ’01 squad was a perfect 20-0 in BIG EAST play.
Notre Dame’s BIG EAST regular season title is its ninth straight since entering the league:
The Irish claimed their sixth straight overall BIG EAST regular season crown over the weekend, but Notre Dame has earned a share of a regular season title each season it has been in the BIG EAST Conference. In 1996, ’97 and ’98, the BIG EAST was split into a north and south division – with the Irish winning south division titles all three seasons. That gives the Irish nine-straight BIG EAST regular season titles.
Notre Dame reaches the 40-win plateau for the fifth time in the last six seasons:
With Notre Dame’s victory in game two of the doubleheader with DePaul, the Irish reached the 40-win mark for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Notre Dame has achieved the 40-win mark eight times in the program’s history and have appeared in the NCAA Championship each season that has occurred.
Notre Dame has nine 10-plus RBI producers:
The 2004 Irish have nine players who have driven in at least 10 runs this season – which ties the 2001 season for second place all-time. The 1994 season saw 10 Irish players drive in at least 10 runs.
So far in ’04, Meagan Ruthrauff has posted 54 RBI, followed by Liz Hartmann (31), Stephanie Brown (28), Mallorie Lenn (28), Megan Ciolli (21), Nicole Wicks (14), Nicole deFau (17), Sara Schoonaert (15) and Carissa Jaquish (13).
Ruthrauff posting one of the top offensive campaigns in school history: Sophomore Meagan Ruthrauff, who leads the Irish in home runs (11) and RBI (54) is compiling one of the top single-season offensive performances in Notre Dame softball history. Entering NCAA postseason play, she has already put her name on three of the top five lists for single season offensive numbers.
Jarrah Myers is the single-season home run leader with 13 – Ruthrauff currently has 11, which is good for third all-time (Myers and Andrea Loman are second with 12).
Melanie Alkire is the single-season RBI leader with 64 – a mighty number that will be hard to match, but Ruthrauff is currently second on the all-time list with 54. She is just the second Irish player to drive in 50 runs in a single season.
Ruthrauff already has set the single season record for walks, as she has been issued a free pass 36 times this season.
Brown ties the freshman home run record in dramatic fashion:
Rookie second basemen Stephanie Brown blasted a first-pitch home run in the bottom of the seventh with two outs to force the BIG EAST Championship game into extra innings (Seton Hall eventually won the game 5-3). With her dramatic shot, Brown tied the freshman record for home runs in a season with seven. Junior Liz Hartmann slammed seven home runs during her rookie season in 2002 to set the school mark.
Booth – Stenglein hoping to become the second tandem to reach the 200-strikeout barrier:
Sophomore Heather Booth (221) and junior Steffany Stenglein (186) are in the running to become just the second set of Irish pitchers to post 200 strikeouts in the same season. Kristin Schmidt (247) and Jennifer Sharron (224) accomplished the feat in 2001.
Booth and Stenglein join Schmidt and Sharron as the only duo to each post 150 strikeouts in the same season.
Hartmann continues trek up the all-time home run list:
Junior Liz Hartmann, who still has one full year of eligibility left, has the Notre Dame all-time home run record in reach. She has 24 entering this weekend’s action (seven as a freshman, nine as a sophomore, eight currently as a junior) and sits in fifth place on the all-time top five for home runs at Notre Dame. The top five:
1. Jarrah Myers (1999-2002), 36
2. Andrea Loman (2000-03), 31
3. Melanie Alkire (1998-2001), 30
4. Sara Hayes (1992-95), 26
5. Liz Hartmann (2002-current), 24
Many of Hartmann’s home runs have come in dramatic fashion – see the “Homers in the clutch” note later in this package.
Irish hit 40 games on April 6 for the second time in school history:
Notre Dame completed its 40th game on April 6 vs. Purdue, matching the 1996 team as the fastest to reach the 40-games played mark.
Notre Dame’s 29-11 record matches the ’03 team as the fourth-best in school history over the first 40 games of the year:
1996: 30-10
2000: 31-9
2001: 37-3
2003: 29-11
2004: 29-11
Homers in the clutch:
The Deanna Gumpf era at Notre Dame has provided some of the most memorable clutch home runs in Irish history. Over the past three seasons, Notre Dame has claimed an upset victory on the road (vs. #4 Nebraska, 2002), an amazing comeback victory on the road (vs. La.-Lafayette, 2003), a BIG EAST Championship (vs. Villanova, 2003) and two first-weekend come-from-behind victories (at the UNLV Classic this season) via dramatic home runs.
Liz Hartmann has played a role in three of the memorable moments. In 2002, her three-run blast in the top of the seventh pushed Notre Dame to a 3-2 victory over #4 Nebraska at the Cornhuskers’ dedication of their new field in Lincoln. Last season, Hartmann tied the school record for home runs in a single game with two shots vs. La.-Lafayette. Her first against the Lady Cajuns tied up the game in the seventh inning (after Notre Dame had rallied from a 5-1 deficit) and then ended the game in the ninth inning on a three-run round tripper.
Hartmann hit yet another game winning home run vs. Saint Louis at the Hoosier Invitational, launching a solo shot in the sixth inning to provide the winning margin (4-3 victory).
The 2003 BIG EAST Championship was claimed on a walk off home run by ’03 graduate Andrea Loman, who smashed a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth.
During the UNLV Classic on the first weekend of competition for the Irish this season, the team utilized four clutch home runs to secure two victories. Sophomore Kellie Middleton launched a two-run shot to complete Notre Dame’s rally from a 7-4 deficit to defeat Hawaii 8-7. The next day, freshman Stephanie Brown completed another Irish rally with a two-run shot in the top of the seventh vs. #8/8 Nebraska – followed by another two-run shot by Hartmann to claim the winning margin. Hartmann had previously cut the Cornhusker lead down to 4-2 with a two-run homer in the fifth.
Brown also hit a dramatic homer in the BIG EAST Championship game. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brown stepped in and hit her seventh home run of the season (tieing the Irish freshman record) to send the game into extra innings.
Notre Dame has faced loaded schedule:
The University of Notre Dame softball team prides itself on taking on the best in the nation. During the first five weeks of the season, the Irish travel around the country, taking part in several of the top tournaments. So far in 2004, according to the latest national polls (May 4), Notre Dame has faced several ranked teams – with 10 currently ranked teams combined with some that have been in and out of the top 25.
* #2/3 California (L, 1-2) – now ranked #5/4
* #6/6 Georgia, (L, 1-7) – now ranked #12/10
* #11/12 Michigan (L, 0-3) – now ranked #7/8
* #8/8 Nebraska (W, 6-4), now ranked #14/13
* #14/14 Nebraska (W, 1-0), now ranked #14/13
* #8/8 Stanford (L, 2-4), now ranked #6/7
*#24/24 CS Fullerton (W, 5-4), now unranked
* #4/6 Florida State (L, 3-4 – 10 innings), now ranked #2/2
* NR Pacific (L, 1-12), was ranked in the top 25 until last week
* NR Georgia Tech (W, 2-1), now ranked #22/25
* NR Texas A&M, now ranked #24/#23
* #18/18 Nebraska (L, 0-1), now ranked #14/13
* #18/18 Nebraska (W, 2-0), now ranked #14/13
The Irish also have faced DePaul, Florida Atlantic, Hawaii and Massachusetts who have all appeared in the top 25 (or received votes) at some point this season.
Head coach Deanna Gumpf:
The 2004 season marks Notre Dame head coach Deanna Gumpf’s third at the helm of the Irish softball program. Her 82 wins over the first two seasons are the most in school history (Liz Miller had 77 while Brian Boulac posted 61) and she has guided the team to set school records for home runs, RBI and fielding percentage while claiming two BIG EAST Championships and three league regular-season titles over the past three seasons.
Gumpf’s record at Notre Dame stands at 130-52 (.714) entering this weekend’s action and her teams have captured back-to-back BIG EAST titles and NCAA regional appearances.
The 2004 season will feature Gumpf’s distinctive stamp on the program. The graduation of four starters in the infield gives the opportunity for the Irish starting lineup to feature five players from Gumpf’s first two recruiting classes at Notre Dame.
Keeping up with the Irish on the road:
A complete recap, plus game boxscore, will be posted on www.und.com as soon as possible upon completion of Notre Dame’s scheduled games for the day (although during preseason tournament action, the schedule might allow for game-by-game updates). The Notre Dame softball hotline will also be updated as soon as possible after each game, that line can be reached by calling (574) 631-3000, press 4, then 2.
2004 Notre Dame Softball Bio Updates –
#1 Steffany Stenglein * 5-10 * Junior * P *R/R *Huntington Beach, CA (Marina)
* 2004 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
* 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST
* BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (4-26)
* BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (4-5)
* BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (3-29)
Career notes – Named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year in 2004, leading the conference in ERA … just the second Irish pitcher to receive the league’s highest pitching honor (Jennifer Sharron won it four times from 1998-2001) … recovered from a sub-par second season to win three BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week awards in ’04 … has surpassed her win, innings pitched, strike outs and complete game totals from her freshman season … her 21 complete games this season are a career-high, surpassing her 13 in 2002 … posted second career perfect game at Valparaiso on March 23, striking out a career-best 14 batters in the six-inning victory and not allowing a single ball out of the infield … other perfect game came vs. Virginia Tech on April 20, 2002 … combined with teammate Carrie Wisen for a no-hitter vs. Valparaiso in 2002, giving her three career no-hit performances … posted a nine-game pitching win streak during the 2004 season (04-06-04 to 05-08-04).
2004 – Saw her nine game win streak end with a 1-0 loss at Seton Hall (the Pirates scored an unearned run in the contest) … last pitching loss occurred in game two vs. Purdue (4-6-04), an eight-inning set back … worked the first three innings of Notre Dame’s 9-0, five-inning victory over Pittsburgh … earned her 20th victory of the year, reaching that plateau for the second time in her career … allowed four hits and struck out five in five innings of work vs. Virginia Tech … named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week for the third time in 2004 on Monday, April 26, after going 3-0 during the week, collecting two conference wins (to move to 6-0 in the BIG EAST) and striking out 24 batters in 20 innings … tossed a seven-inning gem at Villanova, giving up four hits and striking out seven (2-0 Irish victory) … allowed six hits and two runs at Rutgers, but also struck out nine in Notre Dame’s 4-2 victory … won her fourth straight game at UIC, working six innings, giving up three hits and striking out eight … moved to 4-0 in the BIG EAST with a 6.0 IP effort in game two vs. Providence, giving up one run (her first in BIG EAST play in ’04), striking out nine and issuing just one walk … picked up the victory at #18 Nebraska, working 5.1 innings, giving up four hits, striking out two and walking four … earned her third conference victory of the season in as many starts with a four-inning, two-hit, three-strikeout performance vs. Syracuse (8-0 Irish victory in five innings) … shut down the Connecticut offense in game two of a doubleheader, giving up just two hits and striking out five in a five-inning, 10-0 Irish victory … repeated as the conference pitcher of the week on April 5, picking up three victories during the week – including two BIG EAST Conference wins … earned a complete game victory at Western Michigan in game two, allowing four hits, on earned run and striking out six … named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week for the first time in 2004 (and third of her career) on March 29 after going 2-0 with a spotless ERA and posting 22 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched in two victories, including the perfect game at Valparaiso … threw seven scoreless innings vs. Saint Louis at the Hoosier Invitational to pick up eighth victory of the year (4-3 Irish victory) … earned her second career perfect game and third no-hitter in Notre Dame’s 9-0 six-inning victory at Valparaiso … struck out 14 of the 18 batters she faced and the Crusaders failed to get a ball out of the infield … previous no-hitter included a combined against Valparaiso in 2002 and a perfect game vs. Virginia Tech in ’02 … the 14 strikeouts were a career-best … tossed second complete game in three outings vs. North Carolina (2-0 Irish victory), allowing three hits, two walks and striking out six … posted a complete-game victory vs. Georgia Tech in the NFCA Leadoff Classic Silver Bracket Championship game, giving up just five hits, one run and striking out eight … held the U.S. Olympic Team to one run on four hits over three innings of work in Notre Dame’s 10-0 exhibition loss to Team USA … earned first victory of the season vs. UNLV with a complete-game performance, striking out 10 and giving up one run and five hits … the 10 strikeouts marked the third 10-strikeout performance of her career and first since she sat down 10 vs. Seton Hall in 2002 … surrendered just four hits and two runs in her season opening appearance vs. #2/3 California (a 2-1 Irish loss).
#4 Carrie Wisen *5-7 * Junior * P/DP * R/R * Fullerton, CA (Sonora)
2004 – Made her first career start at a position other than pitcher in the doubleheader at St. John’s, playing rightfield in both games for the Irish … went three for four in game one vs. the Red Storm (8-1 Irish victory) with two RBI singles … hit a two-run walk off double in game one vs. Pittsburgh – accouting for Notre Dame’s last two runs in an 8-0, six-inning victory … posted first hit of the season in a two for two performance with a double in game two vs. DePaul (breaking up an 0-15 slump to begin the season) … earned her first save of the year at Nebraska, pitching the last 1.2 innings, giving up one hit and striking out two … escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the bottom of the sixth vs. the Huskers … posted her most impressive outing of the season in relief against Georgia State, throwing 5.2 innings without a hit, striking out nine of the 18 batters she faced … entered the Massachusetts game in relief, throwing three innings with two hits allowed and five strikeouts … threw two scoreless innings vs. Princeton (10-1 Irish win) … earned first victory of the season with 2.2 innings of relief vs. #8/9 Nebraska at the UNLV Classic (a 6-4 Irish victory) … started at DP vs. #24/24 CS Fullerton.
#5 Kenya Fuemmeler * 5-7 * Freshman *P/UT * R/R * Salisbury, MO (Salisbury)
2004 – Scored her first career run in first appearance with the Irish vs. Hawaii … made first career pitching appearance vs. Pacific (12-1 Irish loss), working 0.2 innings with three hits and two runs.
#8 Liz Hartmann * 5-9 *Junior *3B * R/R *Novato, CA (San Marin)
* 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST
Career notes – Continues climb up the all-time home run list with 24 – good for fourth on the all-time list (Jarrah Myers, 99–02 is the leader with 36) … she is two behind Sara Hayes for third place … has hit four game-winning home runs in the sixth inning or later during her career, including two vs. nationally-ranked Nebraska (’02 and ’04), along with one at La.-Lafayette in 2003 and her solo shot vs. Saint Louis at the Hoosier Invitational this season … joined Jarrah Myers earlier this season as the only Notre Dame players to hit two home runs in a single game three times during their careers … currently boasts career bests for batting average (.272), doubles (11) and slugging percentage (.462) in ’04 … has hit at least seven home runs in each of her three seasons with the Irish.
2004 – Three for three with three singles and a run scored in the BIG EAST Championship game vs. Seton Hall … two for three with a double and two-run home run in game one vs. Virginia Tech (5-0 Irish victory) … three for four with two RBI and one home run in game one at Rutgers … walked and scored the game-winning run in game one vs. Providence (1-0 Irish victory) … posted second double of the doubleheader vs. Syracuse, going one for three at the plate … two for two with a double and run scored in game one vs. Syracuse … two for three with a two-RBI double in game two vs. UConn (10-0 Irish victory) … three for three in game one against Connecticut (9-1 Irish victory) … two for three with a double and solo home run in game two at Western Michigan … blasted the game-winning home run in the bottom of the seventh vs. Saint Louis in the Hoosier Invitational (4-3 Irish victory) … three for four with a double and two singles at Valparaiso … one for four with a two-run home run in game two vs. Eastern Michigan (9-0 Irish victory) … posted a fielder’s choice RBI in game one vs. Eastern Michigan, giving the Irish an important insurance run in a 2-0 victory … two for three with three RBI, including a two-RBI single vs. Maryland … shook off the effects of a flu virus vs. North Carolina, going two for three with the lone RBI of the game (2-0 Irish victory) … one for four with two RBI vs. Princeton … hit her third home run of the UNLV Classic vs. Portland State (a 4-1 Irish victory ) … tied her own school record (shared by eight other players) by blasting two home runs to propel Notre Dame to a 6-4 come-from-behind victory vs. #8/9 Nebraska at the UNLV Classic … hit a two-run home run to cut the Husker lead to 4-2, then hit another two-run homer in the top of the seventh to provide the game-winning runs … with the two homers against Nebraska, she becomes the second player in Notre Dame softball history to hit two home runs in three different games (Jarrah Myers) … her home run vs. Nebraska in the UNLV Classic is the second game-winning home run she has hit against Nebraska in her career – Hartmann hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh at #4 Nebraska in 2002 to push the Irish to a 3-2 upset victory … ended up three for four with two home runs, a double and two runs scored vs. Nebraska in the UNLV Classic … three for four with an RBI double in the season opener vs. Hawaii.
#9 Nicole deFau * 5-3 * Senior * OF * R/R *Southington, CT (Southington)
* 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST
* BIG EAST Player of the Week (4-26)
Career notes: Has already set season-total career highs for doubles (10), triples (4), RBI (17) and at bats (186) … tied for second on the team in doubles this year with 10, which is already a career high and surpasses the four doubles she had in her three previous years combined … has hit a career-best two home runs this season.
2004 – Ended up three for three in game one of the BIG EAST Championship vs. Boston College, including a two-RBI triple (her team-high fourth three bagger of the season) … had a single and a triple with one RBI in game two vs. Pittsburgh, her final home game at Ivy Field … two for four with two singles, two runs scored and a stolen base in game one vs. Pittsburgh (8-0 Irish victory) … posted an eight-game hit streak from 4-20 to 4-30, the second-best on the team this season … enjoying a career season with the Irish as the lone senior in the Class of ’04 … named BIG EAST Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Monday, April 26 … hit .588 during the week, including .643 against BIG EAST Conference competition … also posted four RBI, five runs two doubles, three stolen bases and one home run during the week … came through with a key sacrifice fly in the sixth inning at #18 Nebraska, providing Notre Dame an insurance run (2-0 Irish victory) … three for three with two runs scored in game two vs. Syracuse (8-0 Irish victory) … hit her third career home run in the sixth inning against Boston College (7-1 Irish victory) … finished one step away from hitting for the cycle in game one vs. Connecticut (9-1 Irish victory), posting a double in the first, single in the fourth and triple in the sixth to finish three for four … scored the winning run in the sixth inning vs. Western Kentucky (2-1 Irish victory) by doubling to lead off the inning and scoring on a double by Meagan Ruthrauff … got on base four times at Valparaiso, scoring three runs and going two for three with a double … singled and eventually scored an important insurance run during the sixth inning in game one vs. Eastern Michigan … has moved up to second in the line up to take advantage of her bunting skills … played a crucial role in Notre Dame’s victory over Georgia Tech in the NFCA Leadoff Classic Silver Bracket Championship game, throwing out the tieing run at the plate from leftfield in the bottom of the sixth inning (2-1 Irish victory) … three for three with a double, two singles and a run vs. Princeton … made a great catch in rightfield vs. #8/8 Stanford, bringing back a ball that looked destined for a grand slam home run … one for three with an RBI single vs. #2/3 California (2-1 Irish loss) … logged first triple of the season for ND in the first game of the year vs. Hawaii – driving in Nicole Wicks with the tieing run (4-4) in Notre Dame’s eventual 8-7 victory.
#11 Gessica Hufnagle *5-6 *Freshman *C * R/R * Middlebury, IN (Northridge)
2004 – Made first career appearance at catcher in Notre Dame’s 10-1 victory over Princeton … scored her first career run after pinch running for Liz Hartmann vs. #8/8 Stanford, scoring on a throwing error by the Cardinal (4-2 Irish loss) … posted her first career RBI with a two-run single vs. Pittsburgh in game two (9-0 Irish victory).
#16 Mallorie Lenn * 5-8 * Sophomore * C *R/R * Garden Grove, CA (Pacifica)
* 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST
2004 – Three for four with two doubles and two RBI in game one at St. John’s (8-1 Irish victory) … posted first three-hit game of the season in game two vs. Virginia Tech, going three for three with three RBI … hit a single, double and first career triple in game two vs. the Hokies … one for one with an RBI double in game one vs. Pittsburgh (8-0 Irish victory) … had a single in her only plate appearance in game two vs. Pittsburgh … two for three with a double and run scored in game one vs. Syracuse (11-3 Irish victory) … two for four with a single and double in game two vs. Boston College (7-1 Irish victory) … blasted her second home run of the first conference weekend in game one against Boston College, driving in two runs … hit her third home run of the season against Connecticut in game one, a solo shot in the fifth inning (9-1 Irish victory) … bases loaded single in the first inning at Western Michigan drove in the game winning run in Notre Dame’s 5-1 victory … … hit home runs in consecutive games, following up her shot vs. Eastern Michigan with a two-run bomb at Valparaiso … was two for three with two RBI vs. the Crusaders … smacked her first home run of the season in game two vs. Eastern Michigan, a solo shot in the second inning that turned into the game winning run (9-1 Irish victory) … earned third multiple hit game of the year in game one vs. Eastern Michigan (two for three) … notched a two RBI single vs. Florida A&M (8-0 Irish victory) … two for three (two singles) vs. Georgia State … posted first multiple hit game of the season vs. Florida Atlantic, going two for three with an RBI double (2-0 Irish victory) … broke out of an 0-24 slump vs. UMass with a single up the middle … one for three with an RBI single vs. Utah (4-3 Irish victory) … one for four with a double vs. #8/9 Nebraska in the UNLV Classic … one for two with an RBI vs. UNLV.
#20 Nicole Wicks *5-5 *Junior * OF/IF *R/R *Renton, WA (Hazen)
* BIG EAST Player of the Week (4-12)
Career notes: Became the eighth player to tie the school record for triples in a single game, hitting two in game one vs. Syracuse.
2004 – Transfer from the University of Washington … has stepped in as the starting rightfield position due to the loss of Kellie Middleton (injured) …. two for four with two doubles in game one at St. John’s (8-1 Irish victory) … ended up two for three with her first triple at Notre Dame in game one vs. Purdue (her RBI on the triple ended up as the game winner in Notre Dame’s 4-2 victory) … two for three with a double and single in game one vs. Boston College (5-0 Irish victory) … crushed third home run of the season at Valparaiso … tied up the NFCA Leadoff Classic Silver Bracket Championship game with a solo home run in the third inning – her second homer of the tournament … two for two vs. #14/14 Nebraska at the NFCA Leadoff Classic … two for three with two runs scored vs. Princeton … first hit in an Irish uniform was a solo home run vs. #24/24 CS Fullerton (5-4 Irish victory) … ended up one for two with two runs scored vs. the Titans.
#21 Megan Ciolli *5-5 * Junior *OF *L/R * Terre Haute, IN (North Vigo)
* 2004 BIG EAST Player of the Year * 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST * BIG EAST Player of the Week (4-19) * USA Softball National Player of the Year Initial Watch List (40 players)
Career notes – Has moved her career batting average to .370 as of May 12, which would rank second all-time at Notre Dame … ranked fifth in the top five all-time in stolen bases at Notre Dame with 42, needing one more to reach Jarrah Myers in fourth place (Andrea Loman is the all-time leader with 60). … ranks fourth on the all-time single season list for hits (77) … BIG EAST Player of the Week award on April 19 was the first of her career … third on the single-season stolen base list this year with 19 (Katie Marten holds the school record with 21).
2004 – Missed first two games of the season to rest a sore leg at St. John’s … saw her team season-best 10-game hit streak end in game one at Seton Hall … ended up two for four with a double, stolen base and two runs scored in game one vs. Pittsburgh … three for four with two RBI, two runs scored and three singles in game two vs. Virginia Tech … went two for three with two RBI in game one vs. Virginia Tech … two for three with one run scored and a double in game one at Rutgers … named BIG EAST Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Monday, April 19 … hit .563 over the week from April 12-19, helping Notre Dame win three games … ended up five for seven in the doubleheader with Providence … three for four with three singles, an RBI and a run scored in game two vs. Providence … two for three with two runs scored in game one vs. Boston College (5-0 Irish victory) … crushed a home run vs. Western Kentucky for ND’s first run of the game, eventually finishing two for three against the Hilltoppers … drove in two insurance runs with a single in the seventh inning at Indiana (4-0 Irish victory), capping a one for four performance … two for four with a run scored and stolen base at Valparaiso … three for four with a run scored in game two vs. Eastern Michigan (9-1 Irish victory) … one for two with a two-RBI double and stolen base vs. Florida A&M (8-0 Irish victory) … put up her second four hit game of the season vs. Maryland, going four for four singles) with three runs scored … one for four with two runs scored and a stolen base vs. Georgia State … three for five with an RBI at #4/5 Florida State … one for three with an RBI single (and eventually scored) vs. UMass (4-2 Irish loss) … three for four with three runs scored and an RBI vs. Princeton … two for three with a run scored vs. NW State … two for three with a run scored vs. Utah … four for four with a home run and three singles vs. Portland State, posting the second four-hit game of her career (Valparaiso 2002) … hit first home run of the season in the first inning vs. Portland State … three for three with two steals vs. #2/3 California (a 2-1 Irish loss).
#22 Sara Schoonaert * 5-3 * Sophomore * SS * R/R * Houston, TX (Clear Lake)
2004 – Two for three with two RBI and a double in game two at St John’s (3-0 Irish victory) … two for four with two singles in game one at St. John’s … one for two with an RBI single in game two vs. Pittsburgh … went two for three with a two-RBI triple in game on vs. Pittsburgh … posted three hits in game two vs. Providence (7-1 Irish victory) and scored the game winning run after doubling in the second inning … had a single, double, triple and three RBI in the second game vs. the Friars … drove in the game-winning run with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth in game one vs. Providence (1-0 Irish victory) … scored the game winning run in Notre Dame’s 2-0 victory at #18 Nebraska … hit an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth against Purdue (4-3 Irish loss) … broke up a no-hit bid by Western Michigan’s Laura Stewart in game one, doubling to lead off the third inning … posted a two-RBI single in the first inning of game two at Western Michigan … contributed an RBI single for an important insurance run in Notre Dame’s 2-0 victory over Florida Atlantic … scored the lone run of the game on a two-base error vs. #14/14 Nebraska at the NFCA Leadoff Classic … scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth on a passed ball vs. #24/24 CS Fullerton … posted both ND hits and a stolen base vs. the U.S. Olympic Team and was perfect on six defensive chances vs. Team USA in a 10-0 exhibition loss … two for two vs. #8/8 Stanford … three for three with a run scored vs. #8/9 Nebraska in the UNLV Classic … two for three in the season opener vs. Hawaii.
#24 Stephanie Brown *5-6 * Freshman *2B * L/R * Chandler, AZ (Corona Del Sol)
* 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST * 2004 NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team
Career notes: With 218 at bats so far in 2004, Brown has set the school record for at bats in a single season … she is also sixth on the all-time single season list for runs scored (44), needing just one more to break into the top five … Jarrah Myers holds the school record for runs scored in a single season with 52.
2004 – Tied the freshman home run record with her seventh of the season with two outs in the bottom of the seventh vs. Seton Hall in the BIG EAST Championship game, tying the game at 2-2 and sending it into extra innings … became the first Irish player to hit two doubles in a single game this season at Seton Hall (game one), going two for three at the plate … one for two with an RBI double in game two vs. Pittsburgh … two for three with three runs scored and an RBI single in game two vs. Virginia Tech (9-0 Irish victory) … ended up three for three with three RBI and a run scored in game one vs. Syracuse (11-3 Irish victory) … exploded for a dominate doubleheader in her first conference action vs. Connecticut, going five for six in the two games with six RBI, two home runs (including a grand slam) and scoring four runs … two for two in game two vs. UConn, including her first career grand slam in the fourth inning … three for four in game one vs. Connecticut with two singles and a two-run homer in the fourth inning … two for three with a run scored vs. Saint Louis … three for four with a run scored and RBI in game two vs. Eastern Michigan … keyed Notre Dame’s five-inning victory over Florida A&M with a two for three, two runs scored performance at the top of the lineup … two for four with two runs scored vs. Maryland (6-2 Irish victory) … three for four with a home run and scored all three runs in Notre Dame’s 3-1 victory vs. Troy State … the three hits vs. Troy State represents her first career three-hit game … two for five with an RBI and run scored at #4/5 Florida State … earned a spot on the NFCA Leadoff Classic all-tournament team … hit .368 in the tournament with two home runs, two RBI and five runs scored … two for three vs. #14/14 Nebraska at the NFCA Leadoff Classic … two for four with two runs and an RBI vs. #24/24 CS Fullerton … hit third home run of the season with a solo shot vs. the Titans … broke up a perfect game and no hitter vs. #6/6 Georgia, hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning (7-1 Irish loss) … hit her first career home run vs. #8/9 Nebraska in the UNLV Classic, tying the game up in the top of the seventh with a two-run shot down the leftfield line (Notre Dame eventually won the game 6-4) … carded first career hit and RBI in her first game with the Irish vs. Hawaii.
#27 Carissa Jaquish *5-6 *Freshman * C *R/R * Highland, CA (Redlands East Valley)
2004 – Two for two with a single and two-RBI double in game two vs. Pittsburgh (9-0 Irish victory) … combined for four hits and one RBI in Notre Dame’s doubleheader sweep at Villanova … first career home run turned out to be a grand slam, driving in four runs in the top of the seventh at UIC … ended up with three hits in the game with the Flames, including a double and home run … the three-hit effort at UIC was her third of the season … contributed her first career triple in Notre Dame’s comeback attempt during game two vs. Purdue, driving in Sara Schoonaert for the third Irish run of the game (4-3 Irish loss) … two for three with an RBI and two runs scored in game two vs. Boston College (7-1 Irish victory) … one for three with an RBI single vs. Connecticut (9-1 Irish victory) … ended up two for four with two singles in game two vs. Eastern Michigan … two for two with two singles and two runs scored vs. Florida A&M (8-0 Irish victory) … was perfect at the plate and posted her first career three-hit performance (3-3) vs. Troy State … had a double and two singles in the game … platoons at catcher with starter Mallorie Lenn … one for three in Notre Dame’s 2-1 victory over Georgia Tech in the NFCA Leadoff Classic Silver Bracket Championship game … logged first career hit in a one for two performance vs. #8/9 Nebraska at the UNLV Classic.
#32 Heather Booth * 5-10 * Sophomore *P * R/R * Riverside, CA (Martin Luther King)
* 2004 First Team All-BIG EAST
* BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (04-03)
* BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (03-01)
* Florida State Invitational All-Tournament Team
Career notes – Has already established career-highs for shutouts in a season with 11 (had three as a rookie in 2003) … also has a school-record 28 complete games this season, 15 better than her 13 from ’03 … has surpassed her rookie strikeout total as well (158), as she has a team-high 221 strikeouts in 228.2 innings pitched this season … the eighth Irish pitcher to post 200 strikeouts in a season (sixth on the all-time list) … has struck out nine or more batters eight times this season (going into double digits four times, with a season-best of 12 in two consecutive starts vs. Florida State and Troy State) … needs three more victories to match the record for wins in a single season (24).
2004 – Named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week for the second time in 2004 on May 3 … pitched two complete-game shutouts over the week to earn the award, striking out 18 batters in conference play and allowing just five hits … baffled the Virginia Tech offense in game one, allowing just one hit and striking out nine … completely shut down Villanova’s offense in game one, scattering five hits and striking out eight in a complete game victory … moved to 2-0 in conference play with a great effort vs. Boston College, throwing a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits and striking out five … picked up her first BIG EAST Conference victory of the season against Connecticut, throwing a complete game five-hitter, striking out six and allowing one run … scattered six hits to pick up the victory vs. Western Kentucky, striking out 10 for her four 10-strikeout performance of the season … contributed a complete-game two-hitter at Indiana, retiring the 22 batters she faced on 11 fly outs, eight ground outs and one strike out … won her third game in the Florida State Invitational tournament over Penn State, collecting her third shutout of the season with a complete-game, two-hit performance (six strikeouts) … scattered three hits and struck out six vs. Maryland to pick up her eighth win of the season … matched her career-best with 12 strikeouts while allowing three hits vs. Troy State … turned in another great outing against top competition, holding #4/5 Florida State to four runs in 9.2 innings, matching her career-best for strikeouts with 12 (a 4-3 Irish loss) … just missed her first career perfect game vs. Florida Atlantic, going the distance against the Owls – allowing just one hit and striking out seven for her second shutout in the last three appearances … named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on March 1 for her performance over the course of the NFCA Leadoff Classic … for the tournament, she pitched 22.0 innings, scattering 17 hits with 23 strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs for a 0.64 ERA … completely shut down #14/14 Nebraska at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, earning a complete-game shut out with four hits, two walks and five strikeouts (1-0 Irish victory) … posted one of her most impressive career outings vs. #24/24 CS Fullerton, pitching all eight innings in Notre Dame’s 5-4 victory … allowed seven hits, four runs (one earned) and struck out a career-best 11 vs. the Titans … scattered six hits, struck out seven and did not allow a run after the first inning in ND’s 2-1 victory over NW State … pitched a complete-game five-hitter vs. Portland State in the UNLV Classic, striking out nine.
#44 Kellie Middleton * 5-6 * Sophomore *OF *R/R * Norcross, GA (Marist)
2004 – Starting rightfielder is sidelined for the rest of the 2004 season due to injury … hitting .391 with three doubles and four RBI in eight games before suffering the injury … posted two hits with two stolen bases and an RBI vs. UNLV … capped a five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh of the season opener vs. Hawaii, crushing a two-run home run for her first round-tripper of the season and push the Irish to an 8-7 come-from-behind victory.
#77 Meagan Ruthrauff * 5-10 * Sophomore * 1B *R/R *La Mirada, CA (La Serna)
* BIG EAST Player of the Week (03-29-04)
* BIG EAST Player of the Week (03-01-04)
* Florida State Invitational All-Tournament Team
Career Notes – Accumulating one of the top offensive statistical seasons in Notre Dame softball history … has set the season record for walks in a season 36 … also ranks in the top 10 in single season home runs (11, third) and RBI (53, second) … only the second player in Notre Dame history to reach 50 RBI in a season (Melanie Alkire, 64, 2000) … her .995 fielding percentage at first base this season ranks third on the single season list (players with at least 50 chances).
2004 – Hit her 11th home run of the season to lead off the second inning of game two at St. John’s, providing the winning run in Notre Dame’s 3-0 victory … three for four with two RBI and a double in game one vs. Pittsburgh (9-0 Irish victory) … one for one with a three-run home run in game two vs. Virginia Tech (walked in her other two plate appearances) … smashed her ninth home run of the season in game two against Syracuse, a three-run shot in the third inning … two for three with and RBI in game one vs. Purdue (4-2 Irish victory) … two for three with a three-run home run in game two vs. Connecticut … the three-run homer broke a temporary slump (0-12) … named BIG EAST Player of the Week on March 29 for the second time in 2004, honored for her performance vs. Valparaiso and during the Hoosier Invitational … hit seven for 12 during the week with three home runs and 10 RBI … one for three with the game-winning double in the top of the sixth inning vs. Western Kentucky in the Hoosier Invitational … one for three with a solo home run in Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory at Indiana … two for three with a three-run home run vs. Saint Louis in the Hoosier Invitational (4-3 Irish victory) … contributed the game-winning hits in three off Notre Dame’s four victories during the week of March 22-29 … exploded for five RBI (including at least one in each of three plate appearances) at Valparaiso … ended up three for four vs. the Crusaders with a home run, double and single … scored the lone run of the game vs. Penn State (1-0 Irish victory) on a double steal play in the bottom of the fourth … drew two walks in three plate appearances vs. the Nittany Lions … launched a three-run homer to key a one for two afternoon vs. Maryland …drew two walks vs. the Terrapins … ended up two for three with and RBI and run scored vs. Georgia State … two for three with two RBI singles vs. Troy State (3-1 Irish victory) … named BIG EAST Player of the Week on March 1 in honor of her performance at the NFCA Leadoff Classic … finished the NFCA Leadoff Classic with seven hits (.368 average), three home runs (two game winners), nine RBI and three runs scored … blasted the game-winning home run in the NFCA Leadoff Classic Silver Bracket Championship game vs. Georgia Tech … was two for three vs. the Yellow Jackets … two for three with five RBI vs. Princeton … smashed a three-run home run vs. the Tigers … posted an RBI single to put Notre Dame in front 4-3 during an eventual 5-4 eight-inning victory over #24/24 CS Fullerton … ended up two for four vs. the Titans … crushed first home run of the season in the first inning vs. NW State, providing the winning margin in ND’s 2-1 victory … two for three with a walk vs. #8/8 Stanford (4-2 Irish loss) … two for three with two RBI vs. Portland State.