SOFTBALL PREVIEW

SOFTBALL PREVIEW

The 2009 Olivet College softball season should prove to be an interesting one, especially if the Comet seniors have anything to say about it.

Eight seniors are expected to suit up for Olivet this season, and they have high hopes of leading the program to new heights. They have aspirations of establishing a new single-season school record for wins and qualifying for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoication (MIAA) Tournament in May.

The senior class includes infielders Cassie Bowerman (Quincy), Beth DeLora (Muskegon/Oakridge), Amanda Egmer (Constantine) and Kacie Rosecrants (Parma/Western), catcher Felicia Smith (Spring Lake) and outfielders Kacey Darling (Hartford) and Heidi Wear (Hastings/Wayland Union). The quintet of Bowerman, Darling, Egmer, Rosecrants and Wear are four-year players, while the other three -- Braner, DeLora and Smith -- transferred to Olivet after starting their college careers elsewhere.

“These players have been in the program long enough now that they have a great feel for how each other plays,” said Head Coach James Farnum, who won his 100th game at Olivet last spring. “They also have a great understanding of our concepts and strategies, which I really saw them exhibit on the field during our fall practices.

“I am really looking forward to watching these ladies play the game the way they are capable of this year. It should be a pretty exciting season.”

INFIELD
Last year, Bowerman started 26 games at second base, with DeLora seeing playing time at second when she was not in the pitching circle. This season, expect to see Bowerman getting the majority of the playing time at second, while DeLora slides over to first base.

Rosecrants has been the starting shortstop in 97-of-102 career games played. She has a career .302 batting average and needs just six more hits to become only the third player in school history with more than 100 career hits.

Over the last two seasons, Braner has made 67 starts at third base. She has also been the leadoff batter for the majority of the starts and is a .313 career hitter. Last year, Braner walked 17 times to break the Olivet single-season record.

Egmer has played in 15 career varsity games and is another choice to play second base.

OUTFIELD
Darling and Wear are back with the most experience in the outfield and rank among the Olivet career leaders in several categories. Darling has played in 102 career games in centerfield and is fifth in batting average (.302), seventh in hits (90), sixth in doubles (17), first in home runs (12), tied for first in triples (seven), third in RBI (53) and first in total bases (157). A leftfielder, Wear has seen action in 95 games during her career and is a lifetime .341 hitter. She needs six runs scored to pass Jill Shufelt’s career record of 74.

Olivet has several options for right field. Junior Jenny Robbins (Fenton) appears to be the favorite to play there, but a couple newcomers are expected to compete with her for playing time.

CATCHER
Smith started every game behind the plate for the Comets in 2008. Her offensive numbers were low, but her defensive numbers were impressive. She had a team-high 162 putouts and threw out nine runners trying to steal a base. Robbins may also get playing time at catcher.

PITCHER
Sophomore Katie Harper (Vassar) looks to improve on her first year at Olivet, where she had a 13-11 record, 3.08 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 157 innings. DeLora is also capable of pitching when she is not in the infield.

NEWCOMERS
Veronica Cadena (Alma) transferred to Olivet from Lansing Community College and is going to get opportunities to pitch. The remaining newcomers are versatile and can play anywhere that is needed. Rachel Cook (Traverse City/Central) can pitch or play infield. Courtney Osborn (Dorr/Wayland Union) and Mallory Schug (Climax/Galesburg Augusta) are able to play any of the infield positions. Danielle Vespa (St. Clair Shores/Univ. of Liggett) is a catcher, but can also play in the infield. Identical twins Cortney and Nicole Wernette (Remus/Chippewa Hills) are going to get a chance to play in the outfield or infield.

SCHEDULE
For the fifth straight season, Olivet opens its season March 7-13 at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. While in the Sunshine State, the Comets will play 12 games. Upon returning home, Olivet hosts NCAA Division II power Grand Valley State University March 20 before opening MIAA play Thursday, March 26 against Hope College. Besides the rest of the conference schedule, the Comets are playing non-conference doubleheaders against Concordia University, Huntington (Ind.) University, Finlandia University and Rochester College.