Info on the 2006 team TO: Steve Hemmelgarn

FROM: Dave Woody

Re: Crusaderette Softball 2006 ~ pick out whatever you can use.  (Updated 3/15/06)

    This is my 11th year as head coach, having previously served as assistant since 1993.
    Christi Harris is in her 9th year as my assistant coach, having previously played at PCHS.
    Last year, we finished with a record of 8-13 , losing to St. Marys in the Sectional Finals.  Though we lost 3 key players from that team, several girls on this squad learned a great deal from that experience, and we have added several capable players who will be important to our success this season. 
   This team has less experience with us than last year's team, but there is probably more overall ability

Key Losses:
    Stephany Windland - SS - First Team All-LKC Infielder - Led our team defensively, and with her quiet determination
    Danielle Carpenter - CF - Regular on All-LKC team (1st Team as Junior) - Great arm and ability to go catch anything gave us solidity up the middle
    Taylor Phillips - Had great potential to develop, but...
    Kendra Criss had a great attitude and team spirit, while Mackenzie Bango gave us depth.

    Likely Varsity Lineup:     [...arranged similar to a depth chart, the one in bold is likely to be the starter if we played today.  Once again, the success of the basketball team means we have only had a couple of full practices.  This is what it looks like today.]

P -   Veronica Lech ; Elizabeth Slone, Michelle Offenberger
C -   Ashley Fraser ; Jamie Abdella, Marley Petrella
1B - Katy Hurley ; Michelle Offenberger
2B -  Marley Petrella; Paige Schultheis, Meagann Rafferty, Kasandra Ruscitto
SS - Kayla Perkinson; Elizabeth Slone, Sarah Tokodi
3B -  Elizabeth Slone; Paige Schultheis, Katy Hurley, Teresa Tokodi
LF -  Michelle Offenberger; Meag Rafferty, Teresa Tokodi, Jamie Abdella
CF -  Sarah Tokodi; Michelle Offenberger, Marley Petrella
RF -  Paige Schultheis; Meag Rafferty, Teresa Tokodi, Teresa Weaver

Wild Cards - The late addition of the basketball team (State Champions Again!) keeps the roster in flux on a nearly daily basis.  Each of those girls needs to get all their practices in, and the coaches need to determine the best fit for each player.  It is definitely a process.

ROSTER
Seniors
      Veronica Lech, P/IF ~ One of only 3 girls to play in all 21 games last season, Veronica made significant progress as both a Pitcher and Hitter.  Though her record was only 8-11, she fashioned a 2.64 ERA, which set a record for the lowest mark in PC history, and dropped her career ERA to 3.39.  She led the team with a .324 Batting Average, and also led in Assists, while tying for the team lead in Double Plays (9).  As our leadoff hitter, she has established a career On Base Percentage of .457, and will set the tempo for our offense this season as well.  Veronica has matured greatly over the years, developing into one of the smartest Pitchers we've ever had, and coming into this season has a genuine determination and commitment that should help our entire team keep its sights high.
     Ashley Fraser, C ~ Ashley had a bit of an off year last year, but still carries a lifetime BA of .284 and a career .435 OBP.  Serving as our primary Catcher last season, Ashley demonstrated exceptional athleticism behind the plate and a great rapport with Veronica, creating a winning attitude for our team at just the right time of year.  She comes into this season determined to improve both offensively and defensively, and I am sure she will accomplish those goals.  Ashley hits well, and is an excellent baserunner, but it is her quickness behind the plate that I think is most underrated.  Her quickness on reaction plays is incredible, often leading to spectacular snags of foul tips and popups.  She is bringing a positive attitude and more serious work ethic to her game this year, one that will pay great dividends as the season progresses.
    Michelle Offenberger, 1B/OF ~ Michelle led the team in Put-Outs last year, and tied for the team lead with 13 Walks.  Though traditionally weak at the plate, she handles the bat well and intends to improve greatly this season.  On the basepaths she is a smart and speedy runner, and can play several positions defensively.  She has great instincts on defense, especially when making quick plays from the outfield.  She sometimes gets down on herself, and can be her own worst enemy, but I am confident that she is determined to improve significantly this season, and that will help our team greatly.
    Sarah Tokodi, OF/IF ~ After serving as practice player years ago, Sarah came back to the team last year, bringing her usual intensity and expectation of accomplishment with her.  She led the team in Stolen Bases (13) despite having to work her way into the lineup, having arrived late to practice while pursuing a State Basketball Championship.  She demonstrated a willingness to learn, a positive attitude about the game, and an aggressiveness we desperately needed.  Though her BA was a respectable .259, she reached base numerous times on errors and on flat out hustle.  Her approach to athletics is one all our players need to emulate in order to elevate to the next level.
    Elizabeth Slone, IF/OF ~ As a Freshman, Liz batted .234 for us while playing mostly Outfield and Pitcher.  She returns now, bringing a good attitude, broad skill set, and lively personality to our team.  Liz can play several different positions, and shows an ability to hit well in a variety of situations.  She may be our only Pitcher for JV games, but will likely start for Varsity once we work out the best positions for everyone.  I expect that her leadership, sense of humor, and "can do" approach will have a significant effect on all the members of our team.

Juniors
    Katy Hurley, 3B/1B ~ Having finally overcome a serious heart condition that dramatically effected her season last year, Katy is determined to return to the lineup and be an important factor in our success.  Her .455 OBP is the highest returning number on this team, and she has a multitude of skills she has not yet been able to demonstrate.  Hopefully, this is the year it all comes together for her.  She has a good attitude about softball, and is popular among her teammates for her enthusiastic approach to practices and games.
    Marley Petrella, 2B/OF ~ Marley made great improvement last year, and has a natural aptitude for the game.  She had a .286 BA last year, hitting consistently all season long.  She has a great energy on the basepaths, running with abandon.  Marley tied for 3rd in Runs scored for us last season, despite batting in the lower half of the order, but helps us construct a lineup for this year that will be much more balanced than usual.
    Meagan Rafferty, 2B/OF ~ Another girl with a tremendously positive attitude, Meag is a person we can count on to do anything that will help our team or her teammates.  Her fielding skills have steadily improved each year, and her hitting is improving this preseason. 
    Jamie Abdella, IF/C/OF ~ A completely unknown quantity as a softball player, Jamie will have to create a niche for herself on this team.  She has excellent natural athletic talent, and has played summer league for many years, but we'll have to see just how she fits in with this group.  Her positive attitude and cheerful disposition will be a nice addition to our team, and we hope her softball skills will too.

Sophomores
    Kayla Perkinson, IF ~ Earned a full-time Varsity role last year due to her willingness to listen and desire to improve.  Batted .306 with a .452 OBP, led the team in RBIs and was 11-11 on Stolen Bases.  Showed excellent poise for a Freshman, and looks to eventually be one of our best ever.
    Kasandra Ruscitto, IF/OF ~ Good attitude and experience makes her an excellent contributor to our team.  She shows good fundamentals in all areas, and has a chance to earn a starting spot this season.  Her bat could be a plus, but her defense must improve to help us win.
    Teresa Tokodi, IF/OF ~ Played some summer league to work on developing her skills, which may be much better.  Has good potential as a hitter, but needs to bring her fielding up to par.  Consistency will be the key to the extent of her contribution for this team.
    Paige Schultheis, IF/OF ~ Has been very impressive this Spring, showing good fielding fundamentals, an accurate throwing arm, and poise.  Good contact hitter, who is willing to adjust to situations and shows an ability to improve minute-by-minute.  Very likely to have a significant role with this year's team.
    Teresa Weaver, OF/C ~ A new addition to our "family", she brings the values of hard work and team dedication that she has learned in Girl Scouts.  Though it has been awhile since she played competitively, she is learning every day, and is probably the most likely to sing the National Anthem at a game.

Freshmen
none

Batgirls
    Joni "Chachi" Casto is an 8th Grader who worked with us last year and is a favorite of all the girls.

OUTLOOK
    The girls have set a very high standard for themselves this year.  They felt that they learned a lot about Softball last year, and experienced some success that drove them to prepare better for this season.  The combination of Senior leadership and experience, coupled with the enthusiasm and energy of the younger players should give us a balanced quality that will lead to success.
    Pitching is always the key to success in high school softball, and we are fortunate to have an experienced starter, though not much depth.  Veronica has gotten steadily better and faster, and understands the keys to pitching effectively.  Though she is not overpowering, she has the "smarts" to mix her pitches and locations well, making her fastball more effective.  She has had a large number of close losses in her career, but our improved offense this season might turn that around for her.  Veronica usually keeps us in games, so now we need to find a way to win those games.
    Our hitting looks to be better overall than usual.  Though we lost two major contributors in Stephany and Dani, who each hit well over their careers, our returners mostly had their best year last year, and look to continue their improvement.  All the girls have taken a determined and positive approach to hitting this season, seeming more relaxed at the plate, and more convinced that they can get the job done.  If we can get everyone making solid contact in each at bat, we feel confident that it will pay off with more hits and more runs.
    Defensively, we have two key positions to replace, but the potential to do so effectively.  We were very strong up the middle at the end of the season last year, but can improve on that if key players improve sufficiently.  Veronica fields the Pitcher's spot exceptionally well, and has developed a good working relationship with Ashley in the battery.  Kayla is steady at Short, developing more range and leadership by the day.  If Sarah takes over in Centerfield, she will make up in range what she lacks in arm strength.  We will need solid, steady play at Second and the corner infield slots to stabilize our defense.  Currently, it seems that we have an abundance of potentially successful corner outfielders, so defense there may actually become a strength.
    Like all softball teams, we'll remain dependent on the weather to see how many games we can get in.  Considering the steady development of this team last year, the more games we play, the better it is for our improvement.  If we can get in 20 varsity games, and maintain the attitude we've shown so far this Spring, I think we can be in good shape for tournament time.