FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-12-02

Sells, AASU Softball Top NCAA Statistics Reports

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State softball senior Annie Sells leads the nation in strikeouts, while the No. 6-ranked Lady Pirate staff leads the country in earned run average in the first compilation of NCAA Division II statistics for baseball and softball, released today.

Sells has struck out 191 batters in 115.1 innings pitched, or 11.6 strikeouts per seven innings, to pace the country in that category. The senior from Chattanooga, Tenn., also ranks fifth in ERA (0.39), ninth in home runs (0.29 per game), 13^th in runs batted in (1.10) and 22^nd in wins (14-2).

Sells' teammate, sophomore Stacey Richardson, also ranks ninth in home runs and 13^th in runs batted in, while as a team, the Lady Pirates lead the country in ERA with a team 0.63 earned run aveage. AASU is also tied for first in winning percentage (.903), seventh in fielding percentage (.974), 20^th in scoring (5.71 runs per game) and 30^th in hitting (.318).

In baseball, senior David Harriman ranks in the top 10 in both home runs and RBI for the Pirates, checking in at ninth in round-trippers with 14 (0.33 per game) and ninth in runs batted in with 61 (1.45 per game). Junior pitcher Mike Roga is third in the country with nine wins, while sophomore Zach Shelnutt is tied for 14^th with five saves.

As a team, the Pirates are seventh in the country in hitting (.355), tied for 15^th in scoring (8.3 runs per game), 17^th in fielding (.961) and 20^th in ERA (3.69).

Both the Lady Pirates and Pirates will be next in action on Saturday, April 13. The Lady Pirates travel to Lander to face the Senators at 1:30 p.m., while the Pirates will host USC Spartanburg at Pirate Field at 3:00 p.m.

- Pirates -