LOUISVILLE, KY.-- The Trine softball team is ranked sixth in the nation in this week's NFCA Top 25 Poll, which was released Wednesday.
The Thunder are ranked in the top 10 for the sixth-consecutive week, tying Christopher Newport in this week's poll with 160 points. TU has been ranked as high as third in the nation this season. Trine went 3-1 last week, with a split at non-conference opponent John Carroll and a sweep of MIAA-foe St. Mary's. Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) pitched a perfect game to lead the Thunder to their 45th-consecutive MIAA victory to set the league record for most-consecutive conference wins. Trine enters this week's MIAA Tournament 33-2 overall. The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. Votes reflect games played through Monday.
Trine has earned their ranking through a combination of elite offensive production and stingy pitching and defense. The Thunder score 8.34 runs per game, a mark that ranks them second in the nation. The team also ranks third in slugging percentage (.574), seventh in home runs per game (1.00) and 10th in batting average (.372). Trine pitchers have posted the 23rd-best ERA in the nation (1.67), while the defense has backed the pitching with the 24th-best fielding percentage in the nation (.967).
Setting the table atop the Trine order has been Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey), whose 12 triples lead the nation. She is the NCAA's active-leader across all divisions with 33 career triples. The junior gets on-base at a .535 clip, which has helped her score 1.51 runs a game (third in the nation). The All-American center fielder's 24 steals give the speedster a rate of 0.69 steals per game, a mark that ranks 20th nationally.
Kaitlyn Clark (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Wilson Central) has supplied the power, ranking fifth in the nation with 13 home runs. The sophomore corner outfielder is batting .402 and has drive in a conference-leading 45 runs.
Seven of Trine's regular starters are batting .315 or better. Eight players have homered, and seven players have driven in 20 or more runs.
Fuller has paced the Thunder in the circle and has been especially dominant of late. The junior has a no-hitter and a perfect game in her last three starts. She is sixth in the nation in strikeout rate, fanning 10.8 batters per seven innings. Her 183 strikeouts are the second-highest total in a season in school-history and rank eighth in the nation.
Trine will look to claim their second-consecutive MIAA Tournament Championship as they host the 2014 MIAA Tournament this week. The Thunder open Thursday at 1:00 p.m. against the fourth-seed, Calvin. More information can be found at the link below.