The Lone Star Conference Crossover Tournament will be played this week in San Angelo, Texas. The 2011 version will be played April 1-2-3 at the Texas Bank Sports Complex. The annual three-day event started in 2000 to guarantee teams games against opposite division opponents. The South Division is 109-76 all-time against its North counterparts. Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville lead the South teams with records of 21-5 and 20-9, while Central Oklahoma and Midwestern State pace the North at 20-8 and 12-5, respectively.
MSU continues to hold the top spot in the North Division standings at 5-1, with Southeastern Oklahoma and Cameron sharing second place (5-4). ASU has taken the lead in the South at 7-2, with Abilene Christian behind them at 6-3.
LSC softball teams are 283-185-2 overall, with a 157-104-1 record in the South and 126-81-1 in the North this season. The squads are currently 82-34 combined versus Heartland Conference squads and 38-35 against the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, which are the other two conferences in the NCAA South Central Region.
QUICK HITS
- Angelo State was ranked No. 1 for the fourth straight week in last week’s NFCA Division II Top 25 poll.
- Midwestern State matched its highest national ranking in program history when the Mustangs moved to No. 3 in last week’s NFCA Division II Top 25. MSU is off to its best start through 33 games at 30-3 bettering last year’s 29-4 mark.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CO-NORTH HITTER
Emily Kennemer, East Central University, JR, First Baseman, Mesquite, Texas, Mesquite HS
Kennemer batted .579 (11-for-19) with two homers, three doubles and nine runs batted in as ECU went 3-2 in five games this past week. Kennemer finished with a 1.053 slugging percentage to go with a .579 on-base percentage in the five contests. She homered in both ends of a home doubleheader sweep of St. Edward’s on Monday. Against SEU, she was 4-for-8 with two homers, one double and eight RBIs. Kennemer was 7-for-11 in a three-game series at Cameron, including a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in the series finale, a 3-2 Lady Tiger victory.
Kim Jerrick, Midwestern State University, FR, Catcher, Belle Plaine, Kan., Belle Plaine HS
Jerrick clubbed home runs in three consecutive at bats to help the No. 3-ranked Mustangs to an MSU Invitational titles with wins over Delta State and St. Edward’s Sunday afternoon. The freshman from Belle Plaine, Kan. connected for a sixth inning grand slam to close out Delta State 10-0 before blasting successive two-run homers in the first and second innings of a 7-0 victory over St. Edward’s. Jerrick hit .444 (4-for-9) with three homers and drove eight runs while scoring six times as the Mustangs went 3-1 in tournament play. Jerrick, who is second in NCAA II with a .587 on-base percentage, also drew four walks and stole a base.
NORTH PITCHER
Brittney Tanner, Midwestern State University, SR, Pitcher, Burkburnett, Texas, Burkburnett HS
Tanner delivered her Lone Star Conference leading eighth shutout while going 2-0 in the circle to help the No. 3-ranked Mustangs to an MSU Invitational title last weekend. The senior from Burkburnett permitted one run on six hits while notching 19 strikeouts and five walks in 14 innings for a 0.50 ERA in tournament play. Tanner notched 11 strikeouts and three-hit St. Mary’s for a 2-1 win Friday before weaving a 3-hit shutout in a 7-0 victory Sunday afternoon over St. Edward’s.
SOUTH HITTER
Kaycee Bryan, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, JR, CF, Splendora, Texas, Splendora HS
Bryan had an unbelievable weekend at Eastern New Mexico. She went 2-for-4 with a double and scored the game-winning run in the seventh inning of a 10-3 win in game 1. In the second game, she went 4-for-4 with three RBI’s, three runs, two triples, a double, a walk and two stolen bases, including a steal of home in a 22-5 win. In the series finale, she went 2-for-4 with two runs and a double in an 8-3 loss. She had a streak of six consecutive at bats with hits while pounding three doubles and two triples for a 1.250 slugging percentage overall.
SOUTH PITCHER
Claire Molina, Angelo State University, JR, Pitcher, San Bernardino, Calif., Colton HS
Molina earned the decision in all three games against Tarleton State last week, posting a 2-1 record. In game one, Molina threw 6.0 innings allowing just one earned run and striking out seven to earn a 6-3 victory. She came on in relief in game two, tossing the last 1.2 innings without surrendering a hit and tallying her second win. Her final outing was in game three, and the southpaw entered in the first inning after teammate Jessica Newsome failed to record an out. Down 3-0, the junior tossed 6.0 innings allowing just five hits and surrendering just one run, however, the TexAnns earned a 4-3 win. Molina is now 13-1 on the year and 5-1 in conference.