2008 Softball Season Preview
No
home field. No seniors. Eleven neutral site games. Six freshmen in the
starting lineup.
With all of the odds stacked against them, no one would have been surprised if the Pacific softball team had struggled in 2007. Instead, the Boxers excelled despite adversity, going 25-13, placing third in the Northwest Conference standings and landing seven players on the All-Northwest Conference Team.
This season, the Boxers will return to a new and improved softball facility at Lincoln Park and return all but one of those all-conference players, including first team pitcher Miranda McNealy (So., Aloha, Ore.) and senior catcher and team leader Caitlin Mastenbroek (Sr., Scio, Ore.). In other words, the future looks bright.
According to sixth-year head coach Tim Hill, it is all part of the plan to keep improving and return Pacific to their past position as a conference power. "We have gone from 22 wins to 23 to 25," he said of the past three seasons. "For me, whatever win level we are at becomes our standard of expectation. If we stay healthy we should equal what we did last year, but our goal will be to improve."
Pacific will benefit foremost from experience at every position. The Boxers return almost every part of an all-conference infield, including second baseman Kelly Nishitomi (So., Kaneohe, Hawaii) and third baseman Brooke Fogwell (So., Beaverton, Ore.), hard-hitting outfielders Kristen Croxford (Jr., Klamath Falls, Ore.) and Amy Walters (Jr., Portland, Ore.) and great pitching presence in McNealy and Andrea Bansen (Sr., Yamhill, Ore.).
"It's always a nice situation to be in when you have nearly every player back," Hill said. "We have basically everyone returning, another year of experience, more confidence and three freshmen are coming in to add depth, so we will be better. I don't know whether we will have a better record because the conference is tougher. But we will be better than we were."
PITCHERS
For the first time since coming to Pacific in 2003, Hill will have the
luxury of working with a veteran pitching lineup. McNealy returns after
a freshman year that would be a career season for many. After losing her
first two decisions, McNealy managed to win her next 13 starts, throw eight
shutouts and a no hitter and led the conference in earned run average,
opposing batting average and strikeouts.
"Miranda had a great year, and I think she will pick up where she left off," Hill said. "She relies mostly on movement and has great location. If she maintains those two things she will do just as well, if not better, than she did last year."
Bansen had her best season in 2007, winning eight games and amassing a 2.47 earned run average. She earned All-NWC honors for the first time and should provide the Boxers a solid one-two punch in the circle. "Andrea is really in a position to have an outstanding season," Hill said. "She is pretty dedicated and has made some changes that I think are really going to help her. She's a senior who wants more."
Heather Ritenour (So., St. Helens, Ore.) made nine appearances as a freshman and will be depended upon in a relief role in addition to seeing time at first base. She finished 2007 with a 3-1 record. Melissa Meads (So., Milwaukie, Ore.) also stands in reserve after appearing in 28 games, all in pinch-hitting and pinch-running roles.
INFIELDERS
The Boxers will return what is perhaps the most experienced and talented
infield in the conference. Hill returns four of the five positions and
three with all-conference credentials.
Mastenbroek returns as the most solid defensive catcher in the league. The emotional leader on the team, Mastenbroek proved potent offensively and defensively. Her .309 batting average was second best on the team and she also ranked among the conference leaders in runners caught stealing. The efforts earned her All-NWC honors for the third consecutive season.
"Caitlin has such great value and bring so much to this program," Hill said. "She felt like she should have had a better year last year. She is really focused and should have the best year of all of her four years."
Brooke Toy (Fr., Drain, Ore.) will apprentice behind Mastenbroek at the catcher's spot while also seeing time at first base. While unfamiliar to either position, Toy should be able to adjust well after three years as an all-conference shortstop in high school. The versatile Toy was named the Douglas County (Ore.) Female Athlete of the Year as a senior after earning all-state honors in volleyball, basketball and softball.
"Brooke lacks experience, but she has all of the physical tools to be a great catcher," Hill said. "She's a great athlete who is off to a strong start."
Nishitomi was solid at second base for the Boxers, committing just four errors at the position in 133 chances. She also performed well offensively, hitting .259 and stole 16 bases to earn All-NWC honors. Hill said Nishitomi's game improved as she became more comfortable with the college game, evidenced by hitting .300 in the second half of the season.
"I think you will see Kelly be as good as she was defensively, but she will improve offensively," Hill said. "We're adding a little bit to her game offensively, so she should be more productive."
Alicia Hawes (So., Beaverton, Ore.) will benefit from a year of experience after making solid contributions as a freshman starter at shortstop. Hawes started all 38 games for the Boxers, but will strive to improve offensively. Carrie Maerz (Fr., Newberg, Ore.) will bring considerable depth to both second base and shortstop after an all-conference high school career as both an infielder and catcher.
Fogwell also earned All-NWC honors while becoming the anchor of the infield at third base. Fogwell provides a very solid glove defensively, ranking fourth in the conference in assists. At the plate, Fogwell will continue to be a power broker after hitting .253 with nine extra base hits and four home runs.
"Brooke is the cornerstone of our infield," Hill said. "She's going to hit with power in the middle of our lineup and is a real key cog for us. She should be an all-conference performer for all four years."
OUTFIELDERS
Hill is presented with a great problem of having considerable depth in
the outfield and not enough positions to accommodate everyone. The Boxers
roster six outfielders and they bring enough talent to vie for significant
playing time throughout the course of the season.
He acknowledges that it's a great problem to have. "This is the best group of outfielders that we have ever had," Hill said. "We won't be going with three people. We will play a lot of people in the outfield and have them sharing time."
Croxford heads the list after two all-conference seasons with the Boxers. The converted catcher has led the Boxers in batting each of the last two years. As a lead-off hitter, Croxford batted .372 with 18 extra base hits, 16 stolen bases and an impressive .503 on-base percentage, second best in the conference.
Hill believes Croxford is in store for her best season ever and would like to find a way to move her around in the lineup. "She may lead off, but I would like to get her in the middle of the lineup because of those extra base hits," he said.
Amy Walters (Jr., Portland, Ore.) returns for her third season and her second as a full-time outfielder. The converted pitcher beings solid defensive credentials as one of nine conference players with a 1.000 fielding percentage. "Amy will play right field most of the time and is very, very sound," Hill said. "She does everything right."
Kim Whittaker (Sr., Chico, Calif.) and Jessie Garcia (So., Yamhill, Ore.) both saw significant playing time in 2007. Whitaker made 28 starts, primarily in left field, and has adapted well after two seasons as the Boxers' starting shortstop. Garcia started 16 games as a freshman and will see more time as her offense continues to improve. Megan Snelson (Jr., Bend, Ore.) will play a utility role in both the infield and outfield. Snelson appeared in 18 games as a sophomore.
The Boxers add more depth in newcomer Stephanie Vanoudenhaegen (Fr., Cornelius, Ore.), a highly skilled outfielder who was an all-state performer her senior year in high school. "Stephanie brings speed and energy to the top of our lineup as well as to a variety of outfield positions," Hill said.