Complete Team Statistical Ranking Report
Spartanburg, S.C. – Off to a 16-2 start to the season, the USC Upstate softball team ranks near the top of several team and individual statistical categories in the first statistical report released by the NCAA. In addition, the Spartans have received votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll for the third consecutive week.
As a team, Upstate owns the nation's second-best batting average. The Spartans are hitting .374 heading into Tuesday's A-Sun doubleheader against Northern Kentucky. They trail only Kansas, which is hitting .401. Upstate's team ERA of 1.32 is third in the nation behind top-ranked Oklahoma (0.80) and 15th-ranked Baylor (1.04). In all, Upstate ranks in the Top 10 in the nation in nine team or individual categories.
In addition to the statistical rankings, Upstate has picked up another vote in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 poll, earning four votes. If carried out, the Spartans would be ranked 30th in the nation, tied with Mississippi State and trailing Oregon State, Iowa, Georgia and Wisconsin as others receiving votes.
Oklahoma is No. 1 in the nation in the poll. Florida, Upstate's opponent next Wednesday (March 20) is ranked No. 3 in the poll.
Freshman pitcher Jamie Ujvari (Niceville, Fla.), who tossed a no-hitter Sunday against North Florida, ranks second in the nation with a 0.77 ERA. She trails Michelle Gascoigne, who pitches for top-ranked Oklahoma. Ujvari also ranks fourth in hits allowed per game (2.2). Senior catcher Ericka Harris (Piedmont, S.C.) ranks ninth in the nation with a .491 batting average and 15th with 0.44 doubles per game.
Maddison Kieffer (Middleburg, Fla.) and Meredith Barnes (Salem, Ore.) also rank among the nation's leaders in batting average. Kieffer ranks 20th with a .469 average and Barnes is 61st with a .429 average. Kieffer is also sixth in the nation with three sacrifice flies. Shellie Robinson (DeLand, Fla.) is 13th in the nation with 1.28 runs per game, 14th with 1.39 RBIs per outing and 36th with 0.33 home runs per game.
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