#BIGEASTsb Ready for Championship Play
Weekly Release
CHICAGO – After an eventful season of BIG EAST softball, the top four teams from the regular season are ready to compete in the 2018 BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep, this weekend at the Ball Park at Rosemont in the suburbs of Chicago. This year’s softball championship is the 29th in conference history and will see DePaul, Creighton, St. John’s and Villanova fight for the 2018 title. All games will be broadcast on FS2 with John Fanta as play-by-play, Dave Bernhard as color analyst and Bob Brainerd as sideline reporter.
Game 1: #1 DePaul vs. #4 Villanova | Live Stats | FS2 Coverage
The top-seeded Blue Demons enter the BIG EAST Championship seeking the opportunity to defend their BIG EAST crown from 2017, when they host the Wildcats in Friday’s semifinal action. Looking to extend the momentum of an eight-game winning streak during league play, DePaul will be powered by seven all-league selections including first-team honorees, Morgan Greenwood, Megan Leyva, Pat Moore, Kate Polucha and Missy Zoch
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Polucha has emerged as one of DePaul’s biggest threats in the lineup, leading an outfield trio, that includes Angela Scalzitti and Megan Leyva, with a .380 batting average where the left fielder has posted a .475 in conference play. Polucha’s 62 hits, including a team-high 29 in BIG EAST contests, led DePaul in 2018. DePaul’s pitching staff has been the Blue Demons’ second featured trio of 2018. Each starter, including Moore, Zoch, and Kennedy Garcia, has won five games in the center circle where the Blue Demons have a 1.96 ERA against conference foes, combining for an overall ERA of 2.18 in 48 games.
No. 4 Villanova is led by All-BIG EAST unanimous First Team selections Brittany Husk and Angela Giampolo and Second Team member Nikki Alden. Alden leads the team in batting average at .390, with 57 hits, 21 runs and 28 RBI on the season. Senior classmate Husk has a .375 batting average and leads the team with 17 doubles. In the circle, freshman Anissa Amarillas has the top ERA on the team at 3.36, with 17 wins and 80 strikeouts on the year.
Game 2: #2 Creighton vs. #3 St. John’s | Live Stats | FS2 Coverage
The Bluejays enter postseason action for just the second time since joining the conference prior to the 2014 season. Creighton ended the regular season on a five game winning streak, and completed BIG EAST play with a 12-3 record to garner the No. 2 overall seed. The Bluejays lead the BIG EAST in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.408) and scoring (5.85 runs per game), and rank second in the league in slugging percentage (.482).
BIG EAST First Teamer Sam Crowley leads the Bluejays batting average (.402 – second in BIG EAST), slugging percentage (.641 – third in BIG EAST) and home runs (7). She is also second on the team in hits (47), runs scored (29) and RBI (32). Additionally Crowley leads all of Division I in sacrifice hits per game (0.36) and paces the BIG EAST with 15 sacrifice hits.
St. John’s enters the four-team field boasting the conference’s Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Senior first baseman Krystal Puga is the third Johnnie to be honored as the BIG EAST Player of the Year. With more at bats than any of her teammates, the senior ranked second on the team with a .415 batting average, while recording a team-high 27 hits and scoring 17 runs. In addition to knocking four balls out of the park during conference play, the senior led the league with 43 total bases. Outside of BIG EAST play, during Puga’s 48 total outings she led the conference in batting average (.436), at bats (165), runs (52), hits (72), RBI (44), total bases (140), slugging percentage (.848), on-base percentage (.500) and home runs (19), while also setting a St. John’s record for home runs in a season and tying the program’s career mark (43) previously held by Erin Burner.
Anchoring the Red Storm defense, sophomore outfielder Bowie recorded zero errors on 28 out attempts for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage during BIG EAST play. She posted 20 putouts and eight assists. Bowie also made her mark on the offensive side of the ball, leading the team with six home runs and 15 RBI during conference action.
The two-day championship held at the Ballpark at Rosemont is set to begin with No. 1 DePaul-No.4 Villanova at Noon CT followed by No. 2 Creighton-No. 3 St. John’s at 3 p.m. The Championship game will be held Saturday at 1 p.m.
As a reminder, all times are subject to change due to weather.