BETHANY – Coming off back-to-back second place finishes in the PAC, as well as a school-record 35 wins last year, the Bethany College softball team is determined to take the final step and reclaim the PAC championship this spring.
The 2011 season begins for the Bison March 12 with single game against Manhattanville and Oswego State down in Clermont, Fla. The BC home schedule begins April 5 with a doubleheader against Westminster.
Although Bethany, which has won 59 games in the last two seasons, set a new school-record for victories by going 35-15 last year, the campaign had a disappointing end. The Bison lost in both the PAC and ECAC Tournament championship games. That feeling of coming up just short has fueled the program to make some changes under long-time head coach Jan Forsty, who won her 600th career game last spring.
“The whole theme of our preseason is to work harder than anyone else and we have been working extremely hard,” said Forsty. “We’ve finished second (in the PAC) the last two years and that’s not good enough. So we’ve changed what we do in practice, worked more on conditioning and are trying whatever we can to move from second to first place.”
The strength of the team may lie in the pitching staff, where two starters are back and a third returner is having a big preseason. Sophomore Emily Jump (Milford, Del./Polytech) led the conference with a 23-10 record last year, while also posting a 1.77 ERA in over 182 innings pitched to earn First Team All-PAC honors. Senior Cortney Newland (Carmichaels, Pa.) returns for her third year as a starter after going 12-5 a season ago.
The eye opener in preseason so far is sophomore Heidi Soriano (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch), who had a save and 2.17 ERA in five appearances last year, but Forsty says she is ready to log more innings this year. Injuries have hampered sophomore Dee Gamble (McMechen, Pa./John Marshall) and freshman Lauren Wiegman (Nanty Glo, Pa./Blacklick Valley), but they are expected to provide depth when healthy.
“Pitching should be one of our strong points this year because of the experience returning,” said Forsty. “Cortney is a senior who is very knowledgeable and is throwing very well. Emily is back after an all-conference season and is still looking to improve. The big surprise is Heidi, who worked very hard in the off-season to get better and gives us a strong third pitcher. Dee and Lauren have both been on the shelf because of injuries, so haven’t had a chance to see what they can do yet.”
Who the pitchers will be throwing to is still a question and may be for a little while. The whole middle of the BC infield, including catcher, shortstop and second base, will feature interchangeable parts that could see different faces in the line-up nearly every game.
Replacing four-year starter and All-Region selection Bridgette Fauth behind the plate could take up to five players. Sophomore Liz Kletzli (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley), an Honorable Mention All-PAC choice last year after batting .352 with 34 RBIs, is the lone veteran to return. Four freshmen are also vying for time behind the dish, including Kristina Massie (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central), Laure Biroschak (Canfield, Ohio/South Range), Mindy Bierhals (Cabot, Pa./Knoch) and Ashlee Needy (Chicago, Ill./Marist).
At second base, Bethany does bring back senior Chelsea Butler (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview), who hit .312 and scored 36 runs last season, but she may slide over to play shortstop this year. Sophomore Kaitlyn Pitchok (Weirton, W.Va./Weir), who missed all of last year because of injury, is also contending for time at shortstop. A trio of freshmen in the mix for time behind the plate could also come out to play in the middle infield, including Massie, Needy and Bierhals.
“We have started referring to our catcher-second base-shortstop situation as a Bermuda Triangle,” said Forsty. “Whoever starts at catcher may be determined who is playing shortstop and who we start the second base may depend on who we need behind the plate. So we will be playing a lot of different combinations early to see what works for us.
“We will likely go with a catcher-by-committee, due to the difficulty of replacing Bridgette,” said Forsty. “Liz, who can also play third, is the only returning player who played the position for us last year. We also have Kristina, Laura, Mindy and Ashlee who can play. All are good catchers and we will give them all a shot to see which one in game conditions can step up to the front.
“We do have Chelsea returning to play second, but she may also play some shortstop for us,” said Forsty. “Kaitlyn is coming back from an injury and also figures at shortstop, while Kristina, Ashlee and Mindy can all play at second as well. We will not have a shortage of options and the competition is bringing out the best in everyone.”
The corner infield spots are a little easier to manage for the Bison coaches. Holding down third base is senior and four-year starter Andrea Thomas (Toronto, Ohio), who batted .362 and drove in 35 runs last year to earn First Team All-PAC accolades. When she’s not catching, Kletzli will back her up. Over at first base, Jump, who hit .373 with seven doubles and 13 RBI as a freshman, will start when she’s not in the circle. The other at-bats will go to freshmen Brenna Anderson (Oakmont, Pa./Riverview), Marissa Beech (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) and Wiegman.
“Third base will be Andrea, who is coming off a big year and we except another from her this year, with Liz as the back-up,” said Forsty. “At first base, we will start Emily when she’s not pitching. She showed last year we need to keep her bat in the line-up and she is one of our better defensive players. Brenna will likely split the other time, while Marissa and Lauren, once she’s healthy, may see time as well.”
In the outfield, Bethany returns four players who saw significant time last year. In right field, sophomore Maria Vallone (Rochester, W.Y./Webster Schroeder) is back after setting a new single-season record with 62 hits and batting .425 to earn First Team All-PAC and All-Region. In center is expected to be sophomore Alison Powell (Nashport, Ohio/Tri-Valley), who started 32 games last year and hit three doubles and a team-best four triples.
Left field will be handled by a pair of returners in senior Cortney Lax (Orrville, Ohio), who has played in 102 career games, and sophomore Angie Varhula (West Mifflin, Pa.), who hit .284 as a freshman. Also in the mix for time is senior Allie Fluharty (Follansbee, W.Va./Brooke) and freshmen Ariel Carrington (Valley Grove, W.Va./Wheeling Central) and Candace Pacheco (Fall River, Mass./BMC Durfee).
“Maria had a big freshman year and is back as our right fielder,” said Forsty. “Alison is expected to be the mainstay in center and left field will be handled by a committee as well with Angie and Cortney splitting time until someone steps up. Ariel, Allie and Candace are also in competition for playing time.”
The goal in front of the Bison for this year is obvious and that is to erase the disappointment of losing in the PAC title game each of the last years. But to make that step and return to NCAAs means winning the crucial games, which has eluded BC recently. Forsty is hoping the experience of coming up short the last two years, as well as the hard work the team is putting in now, will push Bethany back to the top.
“Obviously our goal is to win PACs and take the next step back into NCAA Regional play,” said Forsty. “But to get there, we have to learn to win the big games, which have been a big problem in the past. We’re working hard and doing everything we can mentally and physically at this point to prepare and will continue to teach and learn as we go through the season. If we want to reach our goals this year, we have to show we’re capable of winning the games we need at the end.”
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