April 7, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
On the eve of hosting Drake in a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series, Illinois State's Amber Smith has stepped into the national spotlight as one of Division I softball's home run leaders.
The freshman from Fairfield, Calif., is currently tied for No. 12 in the nation with 12 home runs. She is also one of the top freshman home run hitters in Division I. Georgia Tech's Whitney Haller is the only rookie with more round-trippers (17) than Smith this season. Smith leads the Valley with 35 RBI, while tying for the top spot in both runs scored and home runs.
"The one thing that always stuck out in my mind when I was on the recruiting trail was Amber's ability to hit," Illinois State head coach Melinda Fischer said. "Obviously she's a gifted athlete, and her bat was always in the lineup whether she was pitching or playing first base. Amber always seemed to be able to put the ball in play. She's done a great job with her focus and we've been very impressed with how she's adjusted to the collegiate level. This is a pretty impressive achievement."
Fischer will face one of her protégés when Drake (14-19, 4-6) comes to town for this weekend's series. Bulldog head coach Rich Calvert, who along with his Drake squad has never won at Redbird Softball Complex, was an undergraduate, graduate and full-time assistant coach under Fischer from 1986-92. However, Fischer doesn't feel that the familiarity she and Calvert have with one another will give either team an advantage.
"The fact that Rich and I coached together won't affect how either of our teams plays this weekend," Fischer said. "Drake typically wants to run and they really put pressure on your defense. They are a very well-balanced team with a good mix of speed and power. We just want to continue with some of the things that we did against Eastern (Illinois). We're concentrating on putting the ball in play, having good at bats and taking care of the ball on defense."
Lately the `Birds, who are looking to improve on their 5-0 record at home, have been focusing on pitching, an area where they have struggled as of late. ISU went through three pitchers in games against No. 25 Southern Illinois and Eastern Illinois during the past week.
"The pitcher really sets the stage, sets the tone and sets the pace of the game," Fischer said. "We need to keep stepping up our performances and improving on our ability to keep our focus and concentration."
The series kicks off with a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
