Losing only two players from last season's record breaking 31 win
squad, the Trevecca Lady Trojan softball team viewed the 2003 season as
more of an extension of last season. After turning heads and making news
in the TranSouth Conference last year, the Lady Trojans looked to go
above and beyond all previous expectations in the coming season.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Angela Sullivan and Assistant
Coach Michelle Choate, Trevecca began the season in record breaking
fashion. With twenty games scheduled for the pre-conference season, the
Lady Trojans swept through their opponents and entered TranSouth
Conference play with a school best 19-1 record and ranked #21 in the
NAIA Coaches Poll. The pre-conference run included a 16 game winning
streak to begin the season. The streak was capped with a 7-1 performance
over Spring Break at the Tucson Invitational Games in Tucson, Arizona.
Senior Courtney Alexander led the way offensively during the week for
the Lady Trojans and, as a result, was named TranSouth Player of the
Week. Senior Wendy Allen was also named TranSouth Player of the Week
midway through conference play and junior Meredith Watkins picked up the
same award nearing the end of the season.
Entering TranSouth Conference play, the Lady Trojans immediately
faced their toughest opponent of the season. NAIA #9 and TranSouth
Conference powerhouse Union University hosted the first conference
doubleheader of the season for Trevecca and the Lady Trojans promptly
upset the reigning regular season champs with a 2-1 victory in the first
game. A second game loss sent Trevecca home with a split against the
eventual conference champions, but the Lady Trojans had only begun.
With wins against every team in the conference except NAIA #22 Lee
University, Trevecca found themselves ranked 3rd overall in the
conference standings at the end of the season with a 10-8 conference
record. Amid the confusion and competition of conference play, Trevecca
managed to squeeze in a non-conference double header with Judson
College. Sophomore ace Hollie Shane put on an amazing show firing a
complete game no hitter in the second game of the double header as the
Lady Trojans swept Judson College.
Despite a disappointing postseason with two quick losses to #6 seeded
Freed-Hardeman and #4 seeded Martin Methodist, the Lady Trojans managed
to break at least 26 team and individual records over the course of the
season. Senior Lady Trojan Wendy Allen broke three season records with
25 extra base hits, 10 home runs, and 51 RBIs. In her four year career
at Trevecca, Allen now holds eight career records including home runs
(17), RBIs (126), doubles (47), extra base hits (71), pitching wins
(41), innings pitched (514), strike outs (221), and pitching appearances
(93).
Allen, as a result of her record breaking season, was named to the
All-TranSouth Conference First Team for the third time at Trevecca.
Joining Allen in the All-TranSouth team were senior Courtney Alexander,
junior Meredith Watkins, and sophomore Hollie Shane. Allen and Shane
went on to claim All-Region XI honors as well.
In only her fourth season at the helm of the team, Head Coach Angela
Sullivan led her Lady Trojans to a 31-17 season breaking eight team
records as they went. Sullivan's coaching skills and success with the
team earned her the TranSouth Conference Coach of the Year Award for the
second consecutive season. Sullivan, the winningest coach in school
history, now holds a career record with Trevecca of 106-88.
With Sullivan leading the way, the Lady Trojans, as a team, broke
season records in winning percentage (.643), batting (.340), hits (460),
home runs (22), shutouts (11), fielding percentage (.970), least errors
(44), and double plays (22).
Losing only three seniors to graduation this season, Coach Sullivan
will hope to carry over the success to next season. With the valued
experience and success already gained from this season, the Lady Trojans
will look to continue their successful ways after another winning season
of Trevecca Lady Trojan softball.