Live Stats vs. Saint Francis
Live Stats vs. UNC Greensboro
RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky will begin its 2011 softball season on Friday. The Colonels will play five games in three days at the First Pitch Classic hosted by UNC Charlotte. EKU will face Saint Francis (Pa.) at 10 a.m. and UNC Greensboro at 4 p.m.
Injuries plagued the Colonels in 2010. Three starters were lost before the season reached its midway point. In addition, several others played through injuries and had to undergo surgery after the season ended. Seven position starters return from last season, plus the three Colonels that were starters before their seasons were cut short. The top two pitchers are back for 2011 as well.
“We expected to have a better year last year, but we couldn’t overcome the injuries,” head coach Jane Worthington said. “A broken leg, two broken wrists and a broken thumb were things we just couldn’t foresee. I’ve never had that many injuries in 20 years of coaching.”
The one constant throughout the 18-year history of the EKU softball program has been Worthington. The only coach in program history is back for her 19th season at the helm. The Colonels will be looking to give their coach her 500th career victory in 2011. Worthington enters the season with a 484-470 record. She led Eastern to Ohio Valley Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances in 2002 and 2004.
“We have to get back to where we used to be,” said Worthington. “We haven’t done as well as we would like the last few years. Our goal is to get back to where we were.”
INFIELD
The infield will be anchored at third base by fifth-year senior Shyenne Hussey. The three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection was one of the three players lost to injury a year ago. Hussey played five games in 2010. In 2009, Hussey batted .349 and hit six home runs. She drove in more than 40 runs as a freshman and a sophomore.
Raquel Howes started every game at shortstop in 2010 as a freshman. She hit .287, tied for the team lead with 22 RBIs and was second on the team with 23 runs scored. However, Howes will slide over to second in 2011. Freshman Christina Ciolek is expected step in at shortstop.
Nikki Bruce took over at second base and started 28 times after Larkyn Wood suffered a season ending injury. Bruce hit two home runs and drove in 10 runs. Wood started the first 19 games of the season. Bruce will split time between second and first base this season. Wood will make a permanent move to first base.
Freshman Shannon McQueen will also battle for playing time at first and can fill in for Hussey at third base when needed.
OUTFIELD
All three starters return in the outfield. In her first two seasons left fielder Diane Gallagher has earned All-OVC honors twice. Last season she batted .325, scored a team-best 25 runs and led the conference with a school record 34 stolen bases. Senior Cassi Gibson returns in center field for her final season. In 2010 Gibson hit .264 with 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored.
The job in right field will be up for grabs. Melissa Costa started 32 times in right field as a freshman last season but is still recovering from an injury. She finished third on the team with a .295 batting average. Juniors Christina Datko and Samm Daniels, along with freshmen Jessica Shartzer and Nicole Heitz will vie for playing time in right.
CATCHERS
Worthington has a big hole to fill behind the plate after the graduation of two-time All-OVC backstop Jena Handley. Handley led the team with a .333 batting average and tied for the team lead with 22 RBIs a year ago. Senior Ashley Dollins got off to a strong start in 2010 while splitting time with Handley behind the dish, but her season ended after 24 games due to an injury. Despite playing less than half the season, Dollins had a team-high three home runs to go along with a .279 batting average and 12 RBIs.
Freshman Cheyanne Pounds saw action in 13 games last year but was limited at the end of the season due to an injury.
PITCHERS
In the circle, three of five pitchers will be back in 2011, led by sophomore Kristin Perry. As a freshman Perry went 7-14 but she struck out 142 batters, in 124 and one-third innings, and had the lowest opponents’ batting average in the OVC (.193). She did however issue 118 walks. Perry had the fifth most strikeouts and the 15th lowest ERA in the OVC last year. She ranked 58th in the nation with an average of eight strikeouts per seven innings and ranked 29th in the nation in hits allowed per seven innings (4.73). Perry pitched seven complete games, including three shutouts. She had seven or more strikeouts in a game 10 times.
“We have to avoid walks this season. One thing all our pitchers need to find is consistency,” said Worthington. “We were up and down last year. If they can be consistent, then we’ll be alright.”
Seniors Stacye Toups and Noelani Esperas also return. Toups has 20 career wins and led the team with a 2.82 ERA in 2010. Esperas tossed a five-inning no-hitter in the final game of the 2010 season.
“This past fall gave us a chance to see what we have and they did a good job,” Worthington said. “The bottom line is we have to get out there this spring and see how it is going to transfer.”
