Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Softball Opens 2007 Season this Weekend
2/14/2007 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 14, 2007
LEWISBURG, Pa. - For the third consecutive year, Bucknell won eight Patriot League games in 2006. However, for the first time in three years the Bison failed to qualify for the Patriot League Tournament. Behind a still-young pitching staff that is a year older and a quartet of veteran captains, Bucknell in 2007 will aim for a return trip to the postseason as well as the squad's first .500 record in league play since 1999.
Third-year head coach Heather Rakosik will count on a young 20-player roster that features 14 freshmen and sophomores as the Bison, who were chosen fifth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, open the 2007 campaign this weekend at the Charlotte Green and White Tournament to equal the earliest starting date in the 29-year history of the program.
Bucknell will play a pair of games on Saturday against host Charlotte and North Carolina A&T at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The following morning the Bison will complete round-robin play at the four-team tournament with a 10:30 a.m. contest against Eastern Kentucky. The top two teams will then meet in the championship game at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, while the consolation game is slated for 4:30 p.m.
Below is a position-by-position look at the 2007 Bucknell softball team:
PITCHER
While the Bison still possess a young pitching staff with one junior and four sophomores, they enter 2007 with loads more experience than last year. Four of the five pitchers on staff hurled at least 39 innings.
"It will be nice that they have some games under their belts," commented Rakosik about her young pitching staff. "Playing as freshmen is a valuable experience and hopefully they will be more seasoned and tougher all the way around."
The veteran of the staff is junior Christie Wiest, who drew 21 starts and set a Bucknell record with 29 appearances in the circle. The Centre Hall, Pa., native posted a team-best 3.12 ERA in her role as staff ace. She totaled 94 strikeouts, the fifth-most in Bison history, and completed 11 games while firing 132.1 innings to rank seventh on the Bucknell single-season list.
"Christie has been the most consistent pitcher for us the last two years and we hope that continues," said Rakosik. "We are looking for Christie to improve and not be satisfied."
Meg Muirhead and Meaghan Haley joined Wiest to form a solid three-person rotation last year as each started at least 10 times and won four games apiece. Muirhead improved as the season went along, lowering her ERA from 17.06 after second appearance to 6.10 near the end of the year. She was second on the squad with 41 strikeouts in her 73.2 innings.
Haley started 11 games and her numbers mirrored Muirhead's other than ERA, where she ranked second on the team to Wiest at 3.89.
Tanya Roth, who came out of the bullpen 13 times to go along with five starts, and Katie McDonald, who battled injury and made six appearances, added depth to the staff last year, but could see increased roles this spring.
"One good surprise during the fall season was Katie," remarked Rakosik. "She is a great competitor and has surfaced as someone who wants to vie for a top spot on the staff."
CATCHER
Veterans Lauren Litts and Erin Curatola, two of Bucknell's four team captains, are penciled in to share time at catcher. Both have been starters during their entire careers with Litts often seeing time at designated player as well.
Co-Captain Erin Curatola  |
|
Litts had one of the best offensive years in Bucknell history last year as she equaled the single-season program records for home runs (8) and RBI (35). She was second on the team, and is the top returning hitter, with a .347 batting average. The senior is within reach of Bucknell's career records for doubles, home runs and RBI.
Curatola split time between catcher and designated player as a sophomore and her .271 batting average last year is the second-highest among returning players behind Litts.
In addition to Curatola and Litts, freshman Mary Pavlovich and sophomore Emily Orazi could see time behind the plate.
FIRST BASE
Replacing Lauren Wible at first base will be a tough task, but Rakosik thinks she has a couple of players up to the challenge in sophomore Cassie Lloyd and freshman Shelly McCormack.
Lloyd hit .218 with one home run and six RBI in limited playing time as a rookie.
"Cassie couldn't have been mentored by a better person than Lauren last year," said Rakosik. "She has a great glove and is a player who really works to get better."
McCormack, a native of Kingwood, Texas, is a natural softball player who possesses a lot of power.
"I think the battle between Cassie and Shelly will come down to offense," predicted Rakosik. "We want hitters in the lineup who will give us offense because you can't win if you don't score."
SECOND BASE
The primary starter at second base the last two years, senior captain Jennifer James missed the fall season with an injury, but is expected to hold down the position again this spring. A starter in more than 100 career games, James hit .232 and drove in a career-high eight runs last year.
Co-Captain Jennifer James |
|
Sophomore Kristin Frick and freshman Sherry Finkel, who can play every position on the field, including catcher and pitcher, could also contend for time at second base.
SHORTSTOP
Rakosik has a number of options at shortstop with freshman Alyssa Okita, junior Heather Haskin, who can play any infield position, Frick and Finkel.
"They are all very adept shortstops and a lot of the decision will come down to range and bat," predicted Rakosik.
Haskin drew 21 starts a year ago and was fourth on the team with 13 RBI, while Frick was used primarily as a pinch runner and hit .212.
Okita saw the most time at shortstop in the fall season.
"Alyssa has played at the Gold level her whole life and is a savvy infielder," explained Rakosik. "She is a good contact hitter and we like to get a lot of offense out of our shortstop, so we are going to ask more and more of her. The good news is she doesn't play like a freshman."
THIRD BASE
Okita, Haskin and Finkel will all be in the mix at third base as well, although Pavlovich, a Johnstown, Pa., native, proved to be the front-runner during the fall.
"Mary is an unbelievable switch-hitter who can make things happen," said Rakosik. "She has power from both sides of the plate and expects a lot out of herself."
Co-Captain Monica Grinage |
|
The outfield will be an experienced unit for Bucknell this season with returning starters in both left field and center in sophomores Ashley Carlson and Ashley Beans. Senior captain Monica Grinage played well during the fall and put herself in a position to win the starting job in right field.
Beans started 43 games in center as a freshman and hit .243 on the season. A slap hitter, Rakosik claims she is one of the best center fielders she has coached.
"Ashley continues to work on hitting with power from the right side, but she still has her dragging and slapping ability," commented Rakosik.
Carlson will make the move to left field this year after starting 40 times in right field last year. She stole a team-high nine bases and laid down nine sacrifice bunts as a freshman.
Grinage will also make the switch from her role that saw her enter the game as a pinch runner 26 times to playing more outfield. She recorded a career-high four hits in 13 at bats last spring.
Freshman Lauren Trosch should add depth in the outfield.
Charlotte Green and White Tournament Schedule (Charlotte, N.C.)
Saturday, Feb. 17
Eastern Kentucky vs. North Carolina A&T, 10:30 a.m.
Eastern Kentucky vs. Charlotte, 12:30 p.m.
Bucknell vs. Charlotte, 2:30 p.m.
Bucknell vs. North Carolina A&T, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 18
Bucknell vs. North Carolina A&T, 10:30 a.m.
North Carolina A&T vs. Charlotte, 12:30 p.m.
No. 1 seed vs. No. 2 seed, 2:30 p.m.
No. 3 seed vs. No. 4 seed, 4:30 p.m.
Patriot League Preseason Poll Rank Team Points (1st Place Votes) 2006 Record 2006 PL Record 1. Lehigh 50 (10) 43-14 19-1 2. Army 36 (2) 18-37 9-11 3. Colgate 35 17-25 10-10 4. Lafayette 28 20-28 10-10 5. Bucknell 21 15-37 8-12 6. Holy Cross 10 9-35 4-16
