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SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL TEAM TO PLAY NATIONALLY-RANKED CHATTANOOGA STATE IN
REGION TOURNAMENT
The Southwest softball team, participating in the Region VII Tournament
for the first time, will take on top-seeded and 6th-ranked Chattanooga
State in an opening round game at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7 in Columbia,
Tennessee.
Southwest qualified for the tournament by defeating Jackson State 2-1 in
a “play-in” game on Wednesday at Brighton High School. The two teams
finished the regular season in a tie for fourth place in the Western
Division of the Tennessee Junior and Community College Athletic
Association, forcing the playoff game at a neutral site.
 The
Lady Saluqis, under the direction of second-year head coach Keith
Gentry, enter the tournament with a 25-34 overall record, more than
doubling last year’s total of 11 victories. Sophomore catcher Tiffany
Bright (pictured at left), who was named to the all-conference
team as a freshman last season, leads the team with a .357 average, 50
hits, 59 total bases and 31 runs batted in. Other top hitters for the
Lady Saluqis are sophomore leftfielder Ginny Galloway (.320, 14 RBI),
freshman pitcher-infielder Erica Brich (.279, 22 RBI), and sophomore
shortstop Chrissy Odom (.278, 9 RBI).
Also in the usual starting lineup for Southwest are freshman first
baseman Jennifer Davenport (.261, 14 RBI), sophomore second baseman
Jessica Laubacker (.260, 17 RBI), sophomore third baseman Heather Bryant
(.248, 18 RBI), sophomore centerfielder Christi Morrison (.233, 15 RBI),
and freshman right-fielder Crystal Smith (.157, 4 RBI). Part-time
starters for the Lady Saluqis are sophomore catcher Erin Cook (.281, 18
RBI) and sophomore pitcher Katie Cerrito (.254, 7 RBI).
Brich is also the team’s top pitcher, leading the staff with a 10-10
record, 2.27 earned run average, 129-2/3 innings pitched and 130 strikeouts.
Lefthander Cerrito, the only sophomore pitcher on the team, has a 4-15
record, 3.57 ERA, and has struck out 35 batters in 119-2/3 innings. Also on
the Southwest pitching staff is freshman right-hander Allison Mullins, who
is 2-8 on the season with a 5.71 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 61-1/3 innings.
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