Jacket Softball Keeps Climbing NCAA Stats (May 5, 2005)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings softball team is ranked in three categories in this week’s NCAA statistical rankings.  The Yellowjackets moved up to thirteenth for batting average, hitting a combined .334 as a team.  They are ranked for the first time this year for scoring, averaging 5.89 runs per game to move to 29^th in the nation.  MSUB is also 26^th in Division II with a .739 win-loss record.

Individually, four Yellowjackets are ranked in the top 50 in the nation in seven separate categories.  Senior Joey Ehnes (Great Falls, MT) moved up to sixth in the country for total pitching victories.  She picked up five of the Jackets’ six wins last week to improve to 27-9.  Ehnes is also ranked twelfth for strikeouts per seven innings with a 9.1 average.

Senior Cami Rainey (Terreton, ID) is ranked in three statistical categories this week, more than any player in the Pacific West Conference.  She is sixth for doubles per game (0.44), 37^th for runs per game (1.02) and 40^th for batting average (.419). 

The late season power surge from designated hitter Theresa Campbell (Sr., Great Falls, MT) has moved her into the top 20 for home runs and slugging percentage.  With six home runs in her last eight games, Campbell now ranks eleventh in the nation for home runs per game (0.32) and seventeenth for slugging percentage (.805).  She has hit 14 home runs this year.

Sophomore Rachel Quarnburg (Billings, MT) continued her torrid hitting last week, improving her season average to .476 to climb to fourteenth in the nation.  She also has a .694 slugging percentage, moving her into the top 50 in Division II at 49^th.

The Yellowjackets were ranked third in Wednesday’s NCAA West Region poll and will likely continue their season next week at the NCAA Tournament.  The official tournament invitations will be announced on Monday, May 9.