Feb. 11, 2007

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After leading the Samford softball team to the championship game of the 2007 Seminole Classic over the weekend, the Bulldogs' Emily Deaux, Jenna Dempski and Stephanie Royall were each named to the all-tournament team of the prestigious two-day event Sunday.

Samford finished the season-opening competition with a 2-2 record, with both losses coming against 25th-ranked Florida State. The Bulldogs earned victories over Radford, 7-3, and Florida A&M, 3-0, in the four-game tournament.

Deaux, Samford's left fielder, earned all-tournament honors Sunday after batting .429 in the two-day event. A junior from Collierville, Tenn., she went 3-for-7 at the plate with two runs scored, two RBIs and a pair of doubles.

Dempski was named to the Seminole Classic All-Tournament Team after registering an impressive .455 batting average over the weekend.

While playing first base for the Bulldogs, Dempski went 5-for-11 at the plate and tallied two runs scored. She also finished with an RBI and a double, and currently leads the team with 30 putouts.

Royall was one of only three pitchers to be named to the all-tournament team Sunday. She led Samford to both of its victories this week and owns a 2-1 record this season.

Against Florida A&M on Saturday, she hurled a two-hit complete game and only allowed three Rattler baserunners. Royall ended the weekend with team-highs in earned run average (2.95), strikeouts (17) and opponent's batting average (.217).

The Samford University softball team will next be in action Friday as the Bulldogs begin play in the 2007 Georgia Southern Tournament. Samford will kick off the two-day competition against Georgia Southern at 9:30 a.m., and then play Charleston Southern at 2:30 p.m.

2007 Seminole Classic All-Tournament Team

Player, Pos., School
Veronica Wootson, 2B, Florida State - MVP
Robin Ahrberg, C/DP, Florida State
Terese Gober, P, Florida State
Brittany Krbec, D/DP, Florida State
Tiffany McDonald, P, Florida State
Emily Deaux, LF, Samford
Jenna Dempski, 1B, Samford
Stephanie Royall, P, Samford
Cassie Rhodes, SS, Radford
Ashley Taylor, DP, Radford