SELINSGROVE, Pa. — If strength up the middle is essential to the success of a softball team, the 2001 Susquehanna University squad should expect to improve significantly on last season’s 14-13 finish that saw the team miss the postseason for the first time in four years despite recording a fifth consecutive winning season.
The Crusader return seven starters from last year’s team, including the career leader in strikeouts and the reigning Commonwealth Conference Rookie of the Year, to a roster that consists of just 13 players — ten of which are either freshmen or sophomores.
The biggest change for the Crusaders this season will take place in the dugout, where seventh-year head coach Vince Anselmo will share those duties with Cheri Swineford, who has been elevated to co-coach after four years as an assistant. Anselmo’s business commitments have forced him to curtail his day-to-day involvement with the program, but he will remain involved when his schedule permits.
Susquehanna kicks off its 2001 schedule on Saturday, March 3 with a doubleheader at Salisbury State, part of a challenging season-opening slate that sees the Crusaders play four teams that combined for a 91-34-3 record during the 2000 season.
THE INFIELDERS
The Crusader offensive attack will be led by sophomore shortstop Shana Lalo (Bethlehem, Pa./Northampton H.S.), whose .460 batting average tied for the sixth-highest in a single-season in school history and was good enough to lead the Commonwealth Conference in 2000. Lalo also led the team in runs batted in with 18 and in runs scored with 21 and was named the Commonwealth Conference Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-Star.
Her double-play partner will be fellow sophomore Erin Nittinger (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville H.S.) who started all 27 games as a freshman and batted .247 with three doubles and a triple for a .309 slugging percentage.
Over at third base, junior Shelly Zimmerman (Denver, Pa./Garden Spot H.S.) was the recipient of the team’s Best Defensive Player Award as she made just seven errors in 81 total fielding chances (.914 percentage) while starting all 27 games at the hot corner. Offensively, she batted .289 (24-for-83) with a team high seven doubles to rank fourth in the Commonwealth Conference in doubles per game (0.26).
First base will be patrolled by sophomore Gretchen Anderson (Southington, Conn./Southington H.S.), a first-year player who played for the 1999 Connecticut state champions.
“We have a young team, but our infield has three returning starters from last season,” said Swineford. “Up the middle, Erin and Shana play like they’ve played together for their whole lives, and Shelly has a lot of experience over at third base.”
THE OUTFIELDERS
Senior Lauren Pollock (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin H.S.) will be a full-time outfielder in 2001 after rotating between second base and the corner outfield positions last season. She hit .255 with 13 runs scored last season while leading the team in sacrifice bunts with 11.
Sophomore Teresa Ely (Montrose, Pa./Montrose H.S.) will be counted on again to be the leadoff hitter and centerfielder for the Crusaders after leading the team and finishing fifth in the Commonwealth Conference in stolen bases last season with eight thefts in 10 attempts. She also led the team in at-bats (101) and runs (23), while ranking second among the regulars in hits (34) and batting average at .337.
The third outfield spot is up for grabs among three freshmen — Melissa Bird (Catawissa, Pa./Danville H.S.), Becky Mann (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport H.S.) and Kelli Thompson (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin H.S.).
“They are all good outfielders, and we will most likely rotate each of them through the lineup during the season,” said Swineford.
THE PITCHERS
Last season, the Crusaders ranked fifth in the Commonwealth Conference in team earned run average with a tidy 2.90 mark. However, just one pitcher from last year’s squad returns to the 2001 roster.
That pitcher happens to be a two-time Commonwealth Conference All-Star, senior righthander Kristen Hogan (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury H.S.), who will look to add to her career strikeout record while pursuing the Crusader record for career victories.
Hogan has fanned 339 batters in three seasons and is just the second player in Susquehanna history to strikeout 300 batters and win 30 games.
Her career record of 32-19 ranks Hogan second behind Judy Sholtis’ 43 wins from 1983-86 on the school’s all-time list.
In addition to strikeouts and wins, Hogan ranks first in program history in career strikeouts per seven innings (6.89) and fewest walks per seven innings (1.73) – also ranking third in earned run average (1.96) and fifth in winning percentage (.653, 32-19). She has thrown a remarkable 39 complete games in 43 career starts.
Last spring, she led the team in appearances (17), starts (14), complete games (12), innings (106 2/3), record (9-7) and strikeouts (105). She ranked second in the Commonwealth Conference in strikeouts per seven innings (6.89) and had the team’s second-lowest earned run average at 2.76.
Backing up Hogan will be a pair of freshmen in righthander Amy Kleman (Locustdale, Pa./Cardinal Brennan H.S.) and lefty Sarah Clark (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown H.S.).
THE CATCHERS
Sophomore Alli Ackerman (Morris Plains, N.J./Parsippany Hills H.S.) is back for her second season as the Crusaders’ starting catcher. She finished fourth among the regulars in batting at .333 (21-for-63) last season and was second on the team in runs batted in (17), tied for second in doubles (6), and had one of the squad’s three home runs on the year. Defensively, she had just six errors in 167 total chances for a .964 fielding percentage, and also threw out nine of 29 potential base stealers (.310).
Thompson will serve as her backup, though Ackerman started all but one game last season.
THE SCHEDULE
After opening the season with six consecutive road doubleheaders, the Crusaders will make their 2001 home debut on Wednesday, March 28 against Juniata. Ten of the Crusaders’ 16 scheduled twinbills will be played on the road, including a four-date Southern swing over spring break to kick off the season.
In addition, 10 of the Crusaders’ 16 opponents posted winning records last season, with three teams (Moravian, King’s and Salisbury State) appearing in the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament.
The Crusaders close out the regular season with twinbills against King’s and Moravian, and will look to advance to the four-team Commonwealth Conference playoffs which will be held May 4-5 at Lebanon Valley.
