2011

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Better... Continued from 5B...

19 RBI), and first baseman Chelsea Jones (.245, 2 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBI). Bailey also bats .279 with six doubles and 11 RBI. "We've asked a lot of Taylor," Hill said. "She's toed the rubber all year . Her durability is what has impressed me. "It's gotten to the point where we know that every time she goes out, she gives us a chance to win. It's real comforting to know you've got a pitcher that steps out there and if you pro– vide a little offense and play a little defense behind her, you've got a shot to win a ballgame. "This group of sophomores will be will be missed greatly. I

hate to talk much about what they've done so far because I think they've got a little bit more to do and a little bit more to prove. "But to reflect for just a sec– ond, this team has pitched it and fielded it as well as any team we've ever had here. It's been fun to watch them play defense. "We've also relied on them for some timely hits. We proba– bly haven't hit the ball out of the park and scored as many runs as we did last year, but looking at it from a different angle, we've pitched it and played defense as well as, if not better than , we did last year." The Lady Warriors have a

.938 team fielding percentage and a 1.41 team ERA. Their team batting average is .311. Top freshmen include third baseman Brittany Pounders (.303, 10 2B, 10 HR. 41 RBI) , catcher Haylee Roberts (.235, 4 2B, 3 HR, 16 RBI) , and outfield– er Kelsi Watson (.283, 5 2B, 13 RBI). ''I'm proud of what this team bas accomplished and I'm look– ing forward to seeing what we can do up there," Hill said. "It's nice to knowwe're one of the 16 teams remaining. It's nice to know that we're the only team in the state that's still practic– ing.And it's nice to know that we still get to play a little bit."

tournament into basically two days. ''We had a lot of rain up there last year and it got reduced to about one-and-a-half days." This year's sophomores carry an 81-24-1 career record to Normal after going 34-13 thus far in 2011. That group includes pitcher Taylor Bailey (29-8, 1.26 ERA, t54 K's, 250 1/3 IP) , center field– er Summer Alexander (.381, 15 2B, 2 HR, 30 RBI), shortstop Kasie Buckley (.368, 10 2B, 8 HR., 34 RBI) , outfielder Abbie Joiner (.382, 7 2B, 4 3B, 20 RBI), infielder Lauren Nicholas (.304, CARTHAGINIAN

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