HOUSTON – As the season opened for the No. 1 Lock Haven University (47-6) softball squad they had three things in mind. First, was a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship, second was a Mid-Atlantic Regional championship and third was to win their second national title in three years. Well, two steps are already in the books and step number three is all The Haven is thinking about as they head to Houston for the 2008 NCAA Division II Softball National Championships.
Everything is coming up threes as LHU has won three straight conference and regional titles and will look to add the final three to the equation starting Wednesday in the Lone Star State.
With a quick turnaround from their Mid-Atlantic Regional victory over Bloomsburg a day ago, the Lady Eagles took the trip down Route 64 to Penn State and took off headed Houston with one thought on their minds: avenge their heartbreaking loss of a season ago against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
LHU won\’t have to deal with SIU-E this season and one would believe that Lock Haven would be the odds on favorite to take home the title this year as the champions from a season ago are stuck at home.
But, the task will not be easy for the Lady Eagles as they take on a strong team off the get go when they take on Humboldt State on Wednesday.
Humboldt boasts five all-West region first teamers and the West region Pitcher and Player of the Year in Lizzy Prescott and Natalie Galletly.
Prescott boasts a 1.26 ERA as she has struckout 364 batters this season and recorded 39 wins (check stats)
At the plate, Galletly was a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) first team selection as she recorded 81 hits, 16 of which were doubles, 11 homeruns and 56 RBI. (check stats)
Humboldt\’s only issue may come with actually getting a bat onto LHU hurler Kristin Erb (Reading, Pa./Exeter)
Erb is in the midst of a mindboggling junior campaign as she boasts a .23 ERA and has tossed 27 shutouts.
The junior pitcher also has struck out 386 batters, while opponents are only hitting at a .129 clip against the reigning DII Pitcher of the Year and the Daktronics Mid-Atlantic region Pitcher of the Year.
LHU is led at the plate by NFCA first-teamers Sarah Norris (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East), Amanda Roosa (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) and Erica Eisenbise (Wernersville, Pa./Wilson).
Lock Haven\’s tandem of Norris and Roosa accounts for half of The Haven\’s 58 homeruns and 100 RBI as a unit.
Norris comes into this week\’s tournament hitting at a .359 clip and leads the team in runs scored (46), doubles (11), triples (1), homeruns (16) and slugging percentage (.750).
From her third base post, Norris is in a three way tie for the PSAC homerun lead with Kutztown\’s Ashley Fitzgerald and Steph Denlinger.
Roosa comes into the national playoffs hitting .355 and leads the Lock Haven squad in hits (59), doubles (11) and RBI (59).
Eisenbise is hot off being named, with Erb, to the Mid-Atlantic regional tournament team as she had a stellar weekend at the plate.
The left fielder is currently batting .309 and her single against Bloomsburg opened the flood gates in the first inning of Sunday\’s championship game at Kutztown (check stats).
Coming into this weekend the LHU squad is in the midst of their longest winning streak of the season as they have been victorious 18 times in a row.
Leave no doubt is the theme for this year\’s Lock Haven squad and starting Wednesday they will have the opportunity to do just that.
Action from Houston begins on Wednesday when Lock Haven does battle with Humboldt State at 12:30 p.m. LHU\’s flagship internet radio station, HavenSports Radio will be providing wall to wall coverage of the national tournament starting at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday with pregame. Doug Spatafore and Tim Leister will be on the call as LHU looks for their second national title in program history.
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