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                         April 12, 2002

Softball breaks into national rankings

By Mady Salvani
Asst. Director, Athletic Media Relations

The Army softball team ranks among the top ten teams in the Northeast, stands atop the Patriot League with a perfect 8-0 mark and are ranked in four team categories and two individual in the first NCAA poll of the season.

For the second straight year, team captain Nicki Robbins ranks among the national leaders. Robbins carries a team and Patriot League-leading .450 (36-for-80) batting average to rank 12th nationally, and is tied for eighth in doubles per game.

Freshman Lindsay March’s performance last week, batting .591 in collecting 13 hits in 22 appearances, moved her not only up the team ladder into second place with a .402 average, but into the national rankings. March earned Patriot League weekly player and rookie honors in the latest poll, broke into the national rankings in claiming the final 50th spot. In 30 games, March is 33-for-82 at the plate.

In the team categories, Army’s .308 batting average ranks 11th out the 30 Division I schools, and the team’s 1.38 ERA in 202 2/3 innings ranks 17th. The Black Knights have given up just 61 runs in 30 games this season, and only 40 were earned. Army has scored 151 runs to rank 20th in scoring per game (5.03), while its .969 fielding percentage is 22nd.

It is the first time since the 1992 season that Army has ranked among the national team leaders in three categories.