March 20, 2008

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Dolphins continue their 2008 Atlantic Sun schedule on Friday as they host Belmont in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. at the JU Softball Complex.

After six consecutive home games, the Dolphins traveled to Orlando, Fla. on Wednesday where they fell to the Central Florida Knights,, 9-1, at the UCF Softball Complex.

Scouting the Bruins

Amy Tudor enters her second season at the helm of Belmont, and has the Bears (8-11) off to a good start.

Senior infielder Angie Helseth leads with way with a .315 batting average and nine RBI, while senior catcher Jes McMillian has three home runs and 10 RBI.

Junior pitcher Sammi Parks, a second team all-conference selection in 2007, has recorded six of the teams' eight wins and holds a 2.23 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 91 innings.

A-Sun Schedule

The Dolphins opened up their A-Sun schedule on March 14, splitting a series with Mercer.

The Dolphins dropped game one, 2-1, to Mercer before rebounding to win game two, 6-4.

Sophomore catcher Ashley Mora blasted the Dolphins' second home run of the season to record their only run in the first game, while freshman shortstop Katie Kelly drove in three RBI in game two.

Senior designated player Patricia Melo drove in two runs while senior pitcher Shannon Jensen (6-7) picked up the win after replacing freshman pitcher Jackie Samuels.

The Dolphins dropped two games to Lipscomb on March 15, 4-3 and 4-0.

Kelly went 4-for-4 in game one with an RBI, while senior first baseman Sara Gordon and Mora also had one RBI each.

Four-hit game

Freshman shortstop Katie Kelly recorded the 12th four-hit game in Dolphins' history in game one of the doubleheader against Lipscomb on March 15, equaling the school record mark.

Kelly became the first freshman in program history to record a four-hit game and followed up her performance with a two-for-four effort in game two.

Kelly finished the weekend 8-for-13 (.615) and four RBI and was named one of the top performers in the conference for the week.

Intentional Walk

Senior outfielder Jillian Mirante accomplished a rare feat for the Dolphins in the 6-4, win over Mercer on March 14 - drawing an intentional walk.

It was the first time Mirante had been intentionally walked in her career and the first time for the Dolphins in almost two seasons. Mirante's intentional walk was the eighth in school history.

Sophomore third baseman Beth Glasscock was the last Dolphin to draw an intentional walk in 2006.

No Dolphins were intentionally walked in 2005, while the team drew three in both 2004 and 2003.

Running away with it

Dolphins' senior outfielder Jillian Mirante has another record under her belt after becoming the school record holder with 94 runs.

Mirante scored her school record 92nd run in the first game of the March 11 doubleheader against Purdue and now has scored 18 times on the season.

Janine Palumbo (2003-2006) previously held the record with 91 runs scored.

Mirante, who leads the team with a .326 batting average and 31 hits, now has recorded 166 hits in her Dolphin career, 19 shy of Palumbo's school record of 185.