Miami Softball Opens Season at Auburn Tiger Invitational Friday
2/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 8, 2006
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One season after winning its first Mid-American Conference Tournament Title and making its first NCAA Tournament appearance, the Miami University softball team (0-0; 0-0 MAC) opens its 2006 season at the Tiger Invitational (Feb. 10-12) in Auburn, Ala. The RedHawks, who return nine letterwinners and seven starters, are coming off a 34-win season, the second highest single-season win total in school history.
Miami fans can follow this weekend's action live on GameTracker by clicking on the GameTracker link in the softball schedule section. Miami's 2 p.m. game versus Minnesota Feb. 11 will not be carried, but live stats for games against Auburn (Feb. 10, 3 p.m.), Centenary (Feb. 10, 5 p.m.), N.C. State (Feb. 11, 5:30 p.m.) and Evansville (Feb. 12, 11:30 a.m.) will be available.
OPENING DAY: Heading into the 2006 season, Miami is 18-13 in season-opening games, including 3-4 under current head coach Angie Jacobs. Miami, however, is 3-1 in the last four season openers, with its only blemish coming in a 2-0 loss to Virginia Tech last season. In the past four seasons, the RedHawks own opening day wins over Virginia Tech (7-6; 2002), Tennessee Tech (4-0; 2003) and George Mason (6-3; 2004).
EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM: Miami's Feb. 10 game versus Auburn marks the earliest date the program has ever played its season-opening game. The RedHawks previous earliest opening day was Feb. 15 in both 2002 and 2003, while its latest opening day, dating back to 1981 when specific dates were tracked, was March 27, 1982. Miami also is the only school in the Mid-American Conference to play the weekend of Feb. 10-12, with the seven of the MAC's 12 schools getting their seasons underway the weekend of Feb. 17-19.
THE NORTHERN LIFE: The Tiger Invitational marks the first of 33 consecutive games for Miami outside of Oxford, including six consecutive weekend tournaments in five different states. After its trip to Auburn, Miami travels to New Mexico State (Feb. 17-19), Tennessee-Chattanooga (Feb. 24-26) and Georgia Tech (March 3-5) before embarking on 10-day, 12-game spring break trip to California. Miami has only 12 homes games on its 2006 schedule and does not play its home opener until March 31 against Ohio University.
TOP COMPETITION: According to the national preseason poll released by ESPN.com/USA Softball, Miami has four nationally-ranked teams on its 2006 schedule. In addition to its season opener with No. 20 Auburn on Feb. 10, Miami will face No. 7 California (March 14), No. 9 Stanford (March 10) and No. 25 Brigham Young (March 10). Miami also squares off with North Carolina State, which received five points in the poll, on Feb. 11 and March 3.
TOURNEY TEAMS: Miami's 2006 schedule features seven NCAA Tournament teams from last season, including two--Auburn and Centenary--in this weekend's Tiger Invitational. In addition, Miami faces Brigham Young (March 10), California (March 14), Princeton (March 18), Stanford (March 10) and Wisconsin (March 10 and March 19). Stanford and California are the only teams Miami will face that advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with Stanford bowing out in the second round and California finishing 0-2 at the Women's College World Series.
AT THE START: Seeking to avoid a repeat of last season's 0-3 start, Miami faces a talented field at the Tiger Invitational with three schools--including Miami--who participated in last season's NCAA Tournament. Miami's best start in school history was a 10-0 start in 1991, while its worst stretch to open a season was 0-8 in 1999. Under current head coach Angie Jacobs, Miami's best start to open a season was 3-0 in 2003.
REPLACING A REDHAWK LEGEND: Following the graduation of three-time all conference selection Jackie Poggendorf, Miami must find a replacement for its top pitcher and hitter from a year ago. Poggendorf, who finished her career ranked among the top five in all nine Miami career pitching categories, led the RedHawks with 21 wins and a 2.12 ERA and also batted a team-leading .314 with 15 doubles. Poggendorf went on to sign a professional contract with the Akron Racers of National Professional Fastpitch, and she departed Miami as the all-time leader in wins (63), appearances (148), games started (106), innings pitched (793.0) and strikeouts (672).
YOUTHFUL STAFF: Miami rode the arms of the departed Jackie Poggendorf and senior Courtney Salmon to an NCAA Tournament berth last season as the duo allowed two runs or less 38 times--including 13 shutouts--but this year's staff has a decidedly different makeup. Only the righthanded Salmon returns for the RedHawks after making a team high 30 starts as a junior, and behind her, one sophomore, righthander Christine Bills, and two freshmen lefthanders, Melissa Kail and Kelly Cabana, round out a young group of hurlers. Besides Salmon, the rest of the staff is untested at the college level, having combined to throw only six innings.
THE ACE OF THE STAFF: Senior Courtney Salmon is the undoubted pitching ace for Miami, anchoring a youthful RedHawk pitching staff that features one sophomore and two freshmen. A three-time MAC East Pitcher of the Week last season, Salmon is coming off a junior year where she set career highs in strikeouts (208), innings pitched (196.2), wins (13), shutouts (6) and saves (3). With a solid senior season in the circle, Salmon should continue to climb up the career pitching charts. On the all-time charts, she currently stands second in strikeouts (459), third in winning percentage (35-31; .530), fourth in career ERA (1.97) and fifth in starts (74).
AT THE PLATE: Miami returns five of its top six hitters from a year ago, but it must replace senior Jackie Poggendorf, who batted a team-leading .314 last season. Looking to step up in her absence are sophomore Halle Popson (.313 BA, 62 hits), the only other Miami player to bat over .300 last season, and second-team all-MAC pick Christine Bills, the team's leading hitter during conference-only games (.323 BA, 20 hits). Miami also returns six players with over 100 at-bats and two players with on-base percentages over .330.
DO YOU WANT AN ENCORE: After a breakout freshman season in which she hit .313 with a team-leading 62 hits, sophomore Halle Popson will again look to provide a spark for the RedHawks at the top of the lineup. Popson's 62 hits were the fifth-best season total in school history, while her 198 at-bats were the highest single season total. Popson also provides a steady glove at first base as she committed only four errors and had a .989 fielding percentage last season.
FAMILIAR FACES AROUND THE DIAMOND: Miami's infield returns three of its four starters from a year ago, with second base as the only position the features a new starter. The left side of the infield will once again be patrolled by junior third baseman Leslie Macedo and senior shortstop Bianca Paz, a two-time Mid-American Conference All-Tournament selection. On the right side, sophomore first baseman Halle Popson returns after notching the fifth-best single season hit total (62) as a freshman. Miami's lone fresh face in the infield is freshman Alexis Javier who was a prep standout at Warren High School in Whittier, Calif.
PATROLLING THE OUTFIELD: With three letterwinners returning for 2006, Miami's outfield corps are a speedy group who will provide a steady presence in the lineup. In leftfield, sophomore Breanna Robinson looks to emerge after showing flashes of power (two home runs in 94 at-bats) as a freshman, while centerfield features sophomore Katlin Kitzler who saw limited action as a freshman. Rounding out the outfield is senior Kristen Hays, a two-time Mid-American Conference All-Tournament pick, who moves from leftfield to rightfield this season.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Miami selected three team captains for the 2006 season as sophomores Halle Popson and Kaitlin Kitzler, along with senior Courtney Salmon, assume the team's leadership role. Popson is the team's leading returning hitter after batting .313 as a freshman, while Salmon will anchor a pitching staff after setting career highs in wins (13), shutouts (6), innings pitched (196.2) and strikeouts (208) as a junior. Kitzler saw limited action last season in 10 games but has the makeup and talent to be the RedHawks everyday centerfielder.
CAN YOU DISH IT: Behind the plate, Miami has the most depth in head coach Angie Jacobs' tenure as it boasts three capable backstops. The catching platoon of sophomore Jamie Arundel and junior Leslie Macedo will once again split time behind the dish, and the addition of Delaware transfer Natalie Savona, a sophomore, gives Miami another catching option.
CHANGING THEIR FEATHERS: Miami welcomes a pair of Delaware transfers to Oxford for the 2006 season, as sophomores Kimberly Williams and Natalie Savona both join the defending conference tournament champions. Moving from the Blue Hens to the RedHawks, Williams will see action at all four infield spots, while Savona will add depth at catcher.
SCOUTING AUBURN: Miami and Auburn square off for the second time in the series history, with Auburn winning the team's first meeting in 2000 ... In their 2000 matchup, the RedHawks dropped a 3-2 decision to the Tigers ... Auburn is led by two-way threat Hollie Currie, as she finished last season with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs while also compiling a 24-11 record with a 1.95 ERA in the circle ... Miami is 9-15 all-time versus schools in the Southeastern Conference, with eight of its wins coming against Kentucky (8-3 all-time record). The RedHawks also defeated Mississippi, 8-7, in 1999 at the Florida State Tournament ... Miami's 15 losses to SEC schools came against Auburn (0-1), Mississippi State (0-1), South Carolina (0-6), Kentucky (8-3) and Tennessee (0-4).
SCOUTING CENTENARY: Miami and Centenary are meeting for the first time in series history ... The game will feature two defending conference tournament champions as Centenary is the two-time defending Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Champion and Miami is the reigning Mid-American Conference Tournament Champion ... Centenary returns top hitter Jennifer Mango who batted .325 with four home runs and 28 RBIs last season as a freshman. The Ladies top returning pitcher is also a sophomore, Jessica Ivins, who finished last season 19-14 with 211 strikeouts ... Miami is 2-4 all time versus the Mid-Con as it owns a pair of wins over Valparaiso (11-3; 1988) and Western Illinois (5-1; 2003).
SCOUTING MINNESOTA: Miami and Minnesota are meeting for the second time in school history, with Miami owning a 1-0 edge in the series ... In their only other matchup, the RedHawks downed the Golden Gophers, 7-3, in 2005 at the Eller Media Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. ... Minnesota's top returning hitter is junior Megan Higginbotham who hit .411 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. The Gophers top returning pitcher is sophomore Katie Dalen who finished 3-3 with a 2.59 ERA ... Miami is 19-68 all time versus the Big Ten, with winning records against Minnesota (1-0) and Penn State (2-0). Northwestern and Wisconsin are the only Big Ten schools Miami has yet to face, with a pair of games scheduled against Wisconsin in 2006.
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA STATE: Miami is 0-1 all time versus North Carolina State, with its first meeting coming in 2005 at the Eller Media Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. ... In N.C. State's win in 2005, it defeated Miami, 4-2 ...The Wolfpack's top returning hitter is junior Miranda Ervin who clubbed seven home runs and batted .320 last season. In the circle, all-ACC pick junior Abbie Sims returns after winning 20 games and posting a 1.27 ERA with 265 punchouts ... Miami is 12-28 all time versus the Atlantic Coast Conference, with six of its wins coming against Florida State (6-11 all-time record). Miami also owns wins over Maryland (1-0), North Carolina (1-3), Virginia (3-7) and Virginia Tech (1-5).
SCOUTING EVANSVILLE: Miami and Evansville are meeting for the first time in series history ... At the plate, Evansville's top returning hitter is junior Ashley Werner who batted .247 with 36 hits last season. In the circle, the Purple Aces return sophomore Danny Murphy who went 5-10 with a 1.82 ERA last season ... Against the Missouri Valley Conference, Miami has a 16-32 all-time record, owing a winning record against Bradley (2-1 all time) and Northern Iowa (4-3) ... Miami owns losing records against MVC schools Creighton (0-1), Illinois State (0-6), Indiana State (6-9) Missouri State (2-4)--formerly Southwest Missouri State--and Southern Illinois (2-8).