Temple University Athletics
Temple To Tangle With Penn In Non-League Doubleheader
4.3.07 | Softball
April 3, 2007
PHILADELPHIA - Coming off a two-game sweep of La Salle in the opening weekend of Atlantic 10 play, the Temple softball team (6-11, 2-0), under the direction of second-year head coach Casey Dickson, resumes action Wednesday, April 4 in a doubleheader at cross-city rival Penn (14-10, 6-2). Game one is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. while the first pitch of game two is approximately set for 5:00 p.m.
Despite playing just 17 games this season, the fewest amount in the Atlantic 10 with St. Bonaventure, the Cherry and White lead all teams with 20 homeruns while boasting a league-best .315 batting average. The Owls currently rank sixth in the conference with 94 runs while featuring five players in the lineup batting better than .300.
Leading the Temple offensive charges is sophomore Katie Burdeaux and her league-high .467 batting clip. Burdeaux's four homeruns this season ranks second among all Owls behind sophomore Courtney Norene. Norene, now ranked third among all Atlantic 10 players with a .431 batting average, ranks in a tie for the top spot in homeruns (5), with four other players.
While hitting safely in six of the last seven outings, senior Adrienne Repsher has improved her batting average to an even .400, ranking the veteran sixth among all Atlantic 10 players. Repsher's 19 runs batted-in is a team-best and ranks sixth in the conference while true freshman Krystle Metzler ranks second with 14. While riding a current five-game hitting streak, Metzler's .375 average at the plate ranks eighth in the league and first among all rookies.
Finding their offensive rhythm as of late have been senior Jessica Rohn and junior Amanda Carver. In the last eight contests, Rohn has brought her batting average up from a .222 clip to .294 while driving in eight runs. During the same span, Carver has hit safely in seven of her last eight while improving her average to .289, up from .150.
Carrying the bulk of Dickson's pitching load has been true freshman hurler Ashley Smuda. The right-hander has posted a team-best 3.82 ERA, 17 appearances, 52 strikeouts, 62.1 innings of work, five wins and two complete games. Smuda (5-6) tossed her second complete game of the season while striking out a career-best eight in a 10-2 win over La Salle on Friday, March 30.
Following Wednesday's twin-bill with the Quakers, the Cherry and White resume Atlantic 10 action with a weekend road swing starting at Fordham (20-12, 6-0) on Thursday, April 5 at noon. The Owls clash with the Rams on Friday at 10:00 a.m. before heading south for a doubleheader with George Washington (14-13, 1-5) on Saturday.
