Top Seeded Cougars Head To MWC Champs

PROVO -- After stealing two games away from Utah Wednesday night, 7-2 and 4-3, and soldifying the number one seed in the Mountain West Conference, the Cougars are ready for tournament time.

San Diego State University, the softball tournament's No. 6 seed team, (26-28 overall, 4-16 MWC) will host the 2005 The Mountain West Conference Tournament May 12-14.

BYU (41-12 overall, 16-2 MWC) received an opening round bye in the double-elimination tournament and will play the winner of the Utes-Lobos game Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play Friday at 4:30 p.m.

"If we can have enough healthy players to play then we expect to win," BYU head softball coach Eakin said. "We're working on all aspects of the game, something we've been doing all season."

FINAL MWC SOFTBALL STANDINGS

Conference Overall

1. BYU 16-2 41-12

2. UNLV 17-3 41-16

3. Colorado State 8-8 29-20

4. Utah 6-12 20-27

5. New Mexico 5-15 15-32

6. San Diego State 4-16 26-28

National Attention...

- BYU softball is currently ranked fourth in slugging percentage at .535 and fourth in scoring at 6.3.

- The Cougars are currently ranked sixth in the nation in home runs per game at 1.28, with junior Ashlyn Russell ranking 10th in the nation at .32.

- BYU has the ninth best batting average in the nation at .319 with Lauren Watson-Perry ranking 13th at .438 and ranking seventh in runs per game at 1.0.

- Junior Ianeta Le`i is ranked 24th nationally in runs batted in per game at .98.

- BYU pitcher junior Summer Tobias is ranked 19th nationally in saves with 4.

- Senior Lauren Watson-Perry was recently drafted 21st overall in the Ladies Pro Fastpitch Association (LPFA) senior draft. The selection was made March 11, and Watson-Perry was among the first ever batch of draftees.

Offense

As a team the Cougars are batting .319 and are ranked No. 9 in the nation in batting average and No. 4 in the nation in scoring (6.3 runs per game). Leading the way offensively for the Cougars is Lauren Watson-Perry with a .438 batting average. She is followed by teammates Ianeta Le`i (.357), Paige Paramore (.346), Debbie Dodds (.303), Jodi Norton (.302) and Krystle Chamberlain (.300). Watson-Perry leads the team in hits (70) and in runs scored (51). Paramore posted a team-high 12 extra base doubles this season and Jennifer Whiteley leads in triples (4). Le`i posts a team-high 50 RBI. BYU continues its long-ball offense hitting 68 home runs in 53 games with Russell leading the way with 17 home runs so far this season. Watson-Perry leads in stolen bases with 12-out-of 15 attempts.

Pitching

The pitching staff is posting a 2.26 overall ERA led by junior Summer Tobias who registers a 1.71 ERA in 30 appearances. Tobias has pitched 15 complete games and posts a 17-6 overall record with 97 strikeouts. Freshman Danilla Urincho follows Tobias with 1.82 ERA and a 14-2 record and 67 strikeouts. Urincho has pitched 13 complete games this season for BYU while appearing in 20 games. Senior Niki Andersen has appeared in 10 games this season to post a 2.74 ERA and a 2-0 record. Junior Brooke Boyce has a 3.62 ERA posting a 8-4 record and has four saves.

All-time BYU vs. MWC Opponents in MWC Tournament

Colorado State: 0-2

New Mexico: 1-2

San Diego State: 2-2

UNLV: 2-1

Utah: 2-1