Teams: Softball: Press Releases

Thursday, May 7, 2009

FIVE JUMBOS ON NATIONAL FASTPITCH COACHES ASSOCIATION ALL-NEW ENGLAND TEAMS

All-New England shortstop Casey Sullivan

MEDFORD -- The honors are rolling in for the 2009 Tufts University softball team. On Tuesday, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced its All-Region teams sponsored by Louisville Slugger, and five Jumbos made All-New England, including four on the first team.

On the All-New England first team are junior SS Casey Sullivan (Berlin, CT), senior RF Maya Ripecky (Chicago, IL), senior CF Laura Chapman (Seattle, WA) and first-year DP Lena Cantone (Southington, CT). Senior pitcher Lauren Gelmetti (Westfield, NJ) is on the second team.

Tufts is the #1 team in the region with a 38-1 record entering the NCAA Tournament. The Jumbos won their sixth NESCAC title and are making their 11th appearance in the NCAA's as the #1 seed at the New England Regional hosted by Endicott College. Coach Cheryl Milligan's team won its first 35 games before losing in the second game of a double-header on the final date of the regular-season at Brandeis.

The Jumbos are the top hitting team in New England with a .376 batting average as of May 3. They are also the top scoring team in New England with 7.67 runs per game and the top slugging team with a .521 percentage.

The All-Region honorees all play a part in those lofty statistical rankings. In 39 games prior to the NCAA Tournament, Ripecky is hitting .500 with 42 runs scored and a .738 slugging percentage. Chapman, who is 25 for 28 on steals, is hitting .408 with 31 runs scored. Cantone has driven home 36 runs and scored 25 while batting at a .394 clip. Sullivan checks in at .373 with 29 RBI and 26 runs. All four also contribute to the team's status as the best fielders in the region with a .972 percentage.

With a 17-0 record entering the NCAA Tournament, Gelmetti is the only undefeated pitcher in the country with 17 or more decisions. She has a 1.33 earned run average and .202 batting average against.

►Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division 3 Softball All Region Teams

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