Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Set For Florida Atlantic Tournament
3/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 15, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Florida Atlantic Tournament Notes
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The Michigan State softball team will make a return trip to Florida this weekend to compete at the Florida Atlantic Parents Weekend Tournament in Boca Raton. State enters play with an overall 12-6 record in 2006, and readies to face Chattanooga, North Carolina, UMass and UConn in tournament action. Spartan assistant coach Nikki Myers will return to her alma mater at FAU, where she was a two-time second-team All-America honoree. MSU's first baseman Dayna Feenstra is on a hot streak at the plate, her six doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI led the Spartans during the 12-game spring break stretch.
THE FLORIDA SUNSHINE - TAKE TWO The Spartans return to Florida this weekend to compete at the Florida Atlantic Tournament in Boca Raton. State spent 11 days in Tampa and Clearwater, Fla. last weekend competing in the Plant City and USF-Adidas Spring Break Invitational Tournaments. MSU competed at the FAU tournament last season, tallying a 3-2 mark with wins vs. FAU, FIU and Tulsa.
WRAP-UP, ROUND-UP! The Spartan softball team competed in two tournaments in the extended spring break road trip March 4-12. State went 3-1, taking second at the Plant City Tournament, followed by a 3-3 showing at the USF-ADIDAS Spring Break Invitational hosted by the University of South Florida. The Spartans faced Mid-American Conference foe Toledo in a mid-week doubleheader, where the Spartans took victories in both games, 8-5 and 5-1.
FIELD 101 The FAU Softball Complex boasts field dimensions of 200 down the lines, and a 220 feet stretch to the center field fence.
HOT STREAK Junior first baseman Dayna Feenstra hit a blistering .385 in 12 starts at Plant City and the Adidas Invite. Her four home runs, 14 RBI and six doubles were all team-bests, while her four home runs and 14 RBI already top her 2005 season totals - three and 10, respectively.
HOMECOMING ALL AROUND With the Spartan return to Florida this week, where Caitlin Mahoney, Meghan Darhower, Kara Weigle, Traci and Nikki Nicosia will all play in front of their home-state crowds. Spartan Assistant Coach Nikki Myers will also make a homecoming of sorts. Myers was a two-time second-team All-American pitcher for FAU, where she currently ranks fourth in NCAA history with 1,376 career strikeouts.
QUICK LOOK BACK After the Spring Break road trip a year ago, MSU's record stood at 4-14-1, thus far in 2006 State's record is leaps and bounds above. The 12-6 overall mark is one of the best starts in recent seasons, while the Spartans have already set or tied numerous single-game records through the first month of play.
BACK TO BASICS Spartan head coach Jacquie Joseph stresses the importance of knowing the basics, making the game simple. If there is a runner on first, no outs - move the runner! State has four sacrifice fly's and 20 sacrifice hits in 2006. Leadoff batter Nikki Nicosia and second spot hitter Nicole Mercado each have five sac hits for the year, while four different Spartans have registered one sac fly.
IN LEAGUE STANDINGS The Spartans are currently ranked third in the league in overall win/loss percentage, and rank among the top five in team batting (T-1st- .292 avg.), team pitching (4th- 1.84 ERA) and team fielding (5th- .955 pct.). Individually, Nikki Nicosia ranks 6th with a .400 average at the plate in 18 games, while pitcher Megan Hair ranks 6th with a 1.25 ERA.
COMPARISON B-R-E-A-K-D-O-W-N State is dominant at the plate, and on the mound, hitting .292 compared to a .210 by its 2006 opponents. The Spartans are better in nearly every offensive statistical category - hits (140-97), runs (79-47), RBI (67-41), doubles (24-18), home runs (8-3) and total bases (188-132). MSU has yet to hit a triple this season, compared to four by its opponents.
RISING STAR Competing at Plant City and the USF-Adidas tournaments was a good stretch for hitter Dayna Feenstra. She entered the trip hitting .167 with three hits, one double, zero home runs and just three RBI. After the 12-game road swing, Feenstra boasts a .316 average at the plate - a .149 rise - 18 hits, seven doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI. Each respective category is a team-high thus far in 2006 except in batting average, where Nikki Nicosia leads with a .400 mark.
AGAINST THE FIELD State is a combined 20-12 vs. the field for this week's Florida Atlantic Tournament. With perfect marks vs. Chattanooga (5-0) and UConn (1-0), MSU also holds the all-time advantage over FAU (6-5) and North Carolina (3-2), and is tied with UMass at 5-5.
EAST LANSING? SEE YOU IN MARCH State will have spent a solid month on the road before returning home to Old College Field to host Eastern Michigan on March 28. This weekend's tournament at FAU marks the final extended tournament trip for MSU in 2006, as it will travel to face IPFW March 22 in a non-conference doubleheader, before traveling to Indiana University for a two-day tournament.
TWIN-BILL - the NICOSIA SISTERS Traci and Nikki Nicosia are important aspects of the Spartan lineup. Nikki boasts a team best .400 average at the plate, with a team high 25 hits for the year. Traci has 20 hits, including five doubles, while the duo each has 25 total bases for the year. Nikki's seven stolen bases are a team-best, while at the shortstop position, Traci has tallied just two errors in 18 starts.
H - B - P (HIT BY PITCH) Only a select few Spartans have been hit by a pitch thus far in 2006 - Traci Nicosia, Meghan Darhower and Caitlin Mahoney have all been hit by one pitch, but freshman catcher Kara Weigle has been hit four times in 2006! In 2005, Dayna Feenstra led the squad with seven free trips to the bases after being hit by a pitch.
BEST IN A WHILE State's 4-0 start at the Holiday Inn Express Pirate Classic is the best start by a Spartan squad since the 1997 season when Jacquie Joseph led MSU to a 7-0 mark to begin the year.
YOUNG BUT EXPERIENCED A year ago the Spartans ranked as the ninth-youngest team among 269 Division I softball programs in the nation. Although this year's team yields only two seniors, MSU's youth is outweighed by its experience. With seven juniors and six sophomores who saw significant time in 2005, look for State to utilize the experience and growth from last season.
MVP IN STYLE Spartan pitching ace Rachel Turney went 2-0 at the Pirate classic with wins vs. Army and host ECU in the championship game of the weekend. She allowed just four hits, walking just one batter with no earned runs from the mound. For her play, Turney was named the Holiday Inn Express Pirate Classic Tournament MVP, and also Big Ten pitcher of the week. Congrats!
ONE AT A TIME State has posted 11 consecutive seasons with at least 21 victories - MSU's best season in the win/loss column came in 1997 under the tutelage of Jacquie Joseph, when State competed in the NCAA Regionals and finishing the season with an impressive 47-22 mark.
FAU Tournament Scouting Report
CHATTANOOGA ___ Chattanooga competed last weekend at the USF-Adidas Invitational tournament along with MSU, where the Lady Mocs were elminated by UMass, 3-2 in an extra inning match-up. A common opponent, State will face both UTC and UMass this weekend at FAU. As of March 11, the Mocs held a 15-17 mark and were led by Ashleigh Bull with a .315 average at the plate. Pitcher JayCee Wood has pitched 12 complete games in 17 appearances, with a 9-7 mark from the mound. UTC is coached by fifth-year head coach Frank Reed.
CONNECTICUT ___ The Huskies are 6-7 after competing at the Florida State Tournament last week. Led by Micah Truax with a .415 average, 17 hits, four home runs and 11 RBI, UConn will face the Spartans for just the second time in school history. Four pitchers have seen significant time for the Huskies, as Krista Micalczyk leads the pack with a 3.12 ERA in seven appearances. UConn finished the 2005 season tied for fifth in the Big East with an 8-10 conference mark.
NORTH CAROLINA ___ UNC enters weekend play with an overall record of 21-7 after sweeping conference foe Florida State in a doubleheader on March 14. The Tar Heels are led by pitching ace Crystal Cox, who in 13 appearances has allowed just 10 runs for a 0.76 ERA. At the plate, Cassie Palmer and Anna Evans hold .340 and .291 marks, respectively. As a team, UNC has out-hit its opponents 196-132 and has posted 139 runs compared to just 49 from the opposition. UNC ranks 25th in the most current USA Today/NFCA Poll, and 24th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 Poll.
MASSACHUSETTS ___ UMass is 7-8 thus far in 2006, under head coach Elaine Sortino who enters her 27th season at the helm of the UMass softball program. At the plate, Amanda Acampora leads the way with a .333 mark in 14 games, while Whitney Mollica is just behind with a .326 average in 15 games. Pitching ace Brandice Balschmiter enjoys a 0.98 ERA with a 6-3 mark heading into tournament play at FAU.
