ECU Ends Spring Break With Valparaiso
March 11, 2012 | Softball
March 10, 2012
 vs.  |
| East Carolina Game 23: Valparaiso Sunday, March 11 | 12:00 p.m. ET Tempe, Ariz. (Alberta B. Farrington Stadium) |
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina completes its spring break road trip Sunday with a 12:00 p.m. ET contest against Valparaiso (11-7). The Pirates (9-13) have gone 1-3 at the Diamond Devil Invitational so far this weekend.
Saturday, the Pirates defeated Creighton 12-1 and fell to New Mexico State 14-5. Against the Blue Jays, sophomore Kristi Oshiro hit her first career home run, a grand slam, and drove in a personal-best six runs. Versus the Aggies, ECU just trailed 6-5 entering the seventh inning. Sophomore Jill Jelnick paced the offense with three hits, a run scored and another driven in.
Valparaiso At A Glance
Sunday's tournament finale will be the first game between East Carolina and the Crusaders. Valparaiso is off to a 11-7 start in 2012 after posting a 34-21-1 mark, and 15-7 record in Horizon League play, a year ago. The 34 triumphs were just one shy of the program single-season record.
The Crusader offense has been led so far by senior catcher Jordan Rutkowski, who is batting .482 with 27 hits, 23 runs batted in, 17 scored and seven home runs. Senior Alex Lagesse leads the pitching staff with a 5-3 record and 2.92 earned run average. Classmate Sam McGee is close behind with a 2-1 record and 4.14 ERA.
Lewis Going Deep, Twice
Sophomore Jordan Lewis hit the first grand slam of her career against Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday night. Her slam was the first for the Pirates since Marina Gusman-Brown's at Hawai'i on March 7, 2010.
Three days earlier in ECU's DeMarini Invitational opener against No. 2 Cal, Lewis hit the first home run of the season off of Golden Bear All-America honoree Valerie Arioto.
Finding Her Power Swing
Lewis entered last weekend's DeMarini Invitational with just one extra-base hit and three runs batted in. During the last 10 contests, she has plated 10 runs and homered twice.
ECU And Valpo Tale Of The Tape
| Category | East Carolina | Valparaiso |
| Batting Average | .256 | .292 |
| Hits | 148 | 152 |
| Runs Scored | 99 | 108 |
| Runs Batted In | 82 | 92 |
| On-Base Percentage | .351 | .365 |
| Stolen Bases | 43-49 | 19-23 |
| Earned Run Average | 4.43 | 4.17 |
| Earned Runs Allowed | 91 | 72 |
| Strikeouts | 50 | 80 |
| Walks | 53 | 45 |
Individual Comparisons
| Category | East Carolina Leader | Valparaiso Leader |
| Batting Average | Alex Fieldhouse (.358) | Jordan Rutkowski (.482) |
| On-Base Percentage | Alex Fieldhouse (.438) | Jordan Rutkowski (.483) |
| Hits | Alex Fieldhouse (24) | Jordan Rutkowski (27) |
| Runs Batted In | Alex Fieldhouse (13) and Jordan Lewis (13) | Jordan Rutkowski (23) |
| Runs Scored | Kristi Oshiro (17) | Jordan Rutkowski (17) |
