Senior Becky Vyzas is tied for the team lead with four homeruns this season. | Jake Patterson/ The Minaret
The University of Tampa softball team (34-5, 19-2 SSC) swept Eckerd College (11-38, 3-15 SSC) in a three game series this past weekend. The Spartans will have a bye this weekend as they are currently ranked No. 1 in the Sunshine State Conference.
On Friday, senior Deanna Henriott had 10 strikeouts while allowing only three hits in seven innings pitched.
Senior Becky Vyzas led the Spartans’ offense with two triples and one RBI. Freshman Taylor Storey collected two RBI, and sophomores Katlyn Raatz and Karlyn Buker each had one. The Spartans won 6-0. Parents had something to celebrate on Saturday’s Senior Day as the Spartans won both games of the double-header by 7-0 and 8-0 in five innings each.
Kayla Cox, a junior, started game one in which she had 14 strikeouts and allowed just one hit. Her streak of innings without an earned run is now at 65.1 innings. Storey and freshman Meagan Burke had two RBI each. Senior Susan Jallo had one base hit along with two runs scored.
Henriott, Vyzas and Jallo, all of which are four-year starters and letter winners for the Spartans, were honored between games. Vyzas believes that this season has been the best in her time as a Spartan.
“We have always been a strong team in the past, but there is something special about this team.” She cites the closeness of this roster as a major factor in the team’s strength.
Henriott improved her record to 20-4 in the second game of the day. She collected six strikeouts in the five inning game. While hitting had been a struggle for the Spartans in the first half of the season, this definitely wasn’t the case on Saturday. Even when the team’s hitting has been “mediocre”, as head coach Leslie Kanter called it, “they have done just enough to win. One person has always stepped up during each game.”
Vyzas hit a grand slam over the left field wall in the bottom of the fourth inning with Piagno and Jallo adding a solo home run each. In total, the Spartans had eight hits.
“Our hitting has really stepped up. The girls have been seeing the ball really well the past few weeks and have been focused on scoring early for us,” explained Henriott. Becky Vyzas added, “We have continually gotten stronger throughout the season, and I believe that we will maintain our hitting and hopefully hit stronger than ever in the postseason.”
The Spartans will take on Nova Southeastern University in two weeks before heading into the NCAA South Regionals, and the bye could not have come at a better time. “It definitely helps the team,” said Kanter. “We have time for the injuries to heal.”
As a pitcher, Henriott is especially looking forward to the time off. “It gives my arm a little refresher before Regionals which is nice.”
Although the Spartans are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation, it is the No. 2 South Region and No. 1 SSC rankings that the team cares about. “It sounds great to say we’re nationally ranked, but that’s not what is important,” Kanter said.
“If we continue winning, we will be conference champs, and that is such an accomplishment for our team and coaches,” explained Vyzas. UT has only won the conference once.
The Spartans are currently ranked below Valdosta State University in the South Region. The Blazers are also No.1 in the national ranking. It’s important for UT to remain in the top two for the regional ranking. The top two teams host regional games, which is something the Spartans have never done before.
It is especially important for the seniors, as the games will be played from May 5 to May 7. “It is graduation weekend, so there’s more motivation for the team to be playing at home so that the seniors can walk,” Kanter stated.
The South Region is by far one of the hardest regions in the NCAA. “The winner of regions is normally in the finals,” explained the coach.
Five of the nine SSC teams are in the top-10 of the South Region, and five teams in the South Region are also in the top-25 in the nation. Henriott sees this as an advantage. “Facing some of the toughest teams in conference play only prepares us better for the postseason.”
Vyzas is equally as confident in the Spartans. “The good thing is that we know the teams and we know we are good enough to compete and beat them.”
Analisa Trstensky can be reached at atrstensky@spartans.ut.edu
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