SELINSGROVE, Pa. — The Susquehanna University women’s softball team has been ever so close to winning the MAC Commonwealth League crown and making the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in each of the last two seasons, but sixth-year head coach Vince Anselmo believes close won’t cut it in 2000.
After back-to-back second-place league finishes and three-straight 20-win seasons, Anselmo is definite about the goal this year — win the Commonwealth championship and get the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament which goes with it.
With five position players and his top two pitchers back from last season’s 20-15 squad, which went 10-4 in the conference with all four losses being by one run, maybe Anselmo has good reason to believe this program will take the next step this year. Sure he has graduated two of his three MAC Commonwealth All-Stars from last season, but he feels his class of seven new freshmen should blend nicely with his returnees to make this team his most formidable yet.
“This year, more so than the past five years, we have players who can play a multitude of positions. That’s what makes us extremely flexible, except for pitcher and catcher,” said Anselmo, who has a record of 97-70 (.581) and needs just three victories to join Susquehanna’s current group of seven 100-win coaches.
“It’s not a secret this year what our goal is and that’s to win our league (Commonwealth) — that’s our goal. There will be no finishing second this year. We’ve done that the last two years and it’s time to improve.”
But don’t think that the 2000 season will be all work and no play as the Crusaders open by going to California for Spring Break at the Chapman University Tournament in Orange, Calif. Susquehanna will play eight games in five days at Chapman, which made the NCAA Division III Softball World Series last season, beginning with a game against Kean (N.J.) at 10:15 a.m. (Pacific time) on Monday, March 6.
THE PITCHERS
Anselmo and his team have the luxury of returning their top two pitchers from last season in junior Kristen Hogan (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury H.S.) and senior Katy Alwine (Bethel Park/Bethel Park H.S.), both right-handers who have been MAC Commonwealth All-Stars during their careers
Hogan was a second-team All-Star last season after being a first-teamer and league Rookie of the Year in 1998. She set the school single-season record for strikeouts last year with 135, also tying the school record for wins in a season while compiling a 14-6 mark (Also Sharing Record: 14, Judy Sholtis, 1986) with a 1.57 earned-run average. She was fourth in the MAC in strikeouts per seven innings a year ago (7.37), ranking sixth in wins and ninth in ERA. Hogan appeared in a staff high 25 games, finishing a remarkable 24 of them with 14 complete games while throwing 134 innings. She walked just 26 batters and had a perfect fielding season in 43 chances, also batting .250 (6 for 24) with a double and eight RBI.
For her career, Hogan is already second at the school in career strikeouts with 234 (Record: 323, Sholtis, 1983-86), presently leading in fewest walks per game (1.28) and most strikeouts per game (6.83). She also has the third-lowest career ERA (1.60), ranking fourth in both wins (23) and winning percentage (.657, 23-12).
“Kristen is a big key for us and she knows she’s going to be throwing a lot of games this year. We’re trying to get her in a little better shape then she entered last season so she has the stamina to do that,” said Anselmo.
A first-team MAC Commonwealth All-Star as a sophomore and second-teamer in her freshman season, Alwine is trying to return to form after missing most of the preseason for personal reasons. She led the MAC in earned run average last season at 0.75 with a 5-3 record, despite battling a back injury all year. Her ERA was second-lowest in a season at Susquehanna (Record: 0.73, Judy Sholtis, 1986). She appeared in 17 games as a pitcher, starting 13 – throwing four complete games and 65 innings. She gave up just seven earned runs with 48 strikeouts and 25 walks – finishing seventh in MAC strikeouts per seven innings (5.25). Also a two-time member of the conference All-Academic Softball Team, Alwine ranks second in program history in both career ERA (1.45) and winning percentage (.711, 27-11), ranking third in wins, strikeouts (182) and strikeouts per seven innings (5.38).
She was also one of five players to play in all 35 games last season, also starting as either a designated hitter or outfielder. She led the team in runs batted in with 25, batting .250 (25 of 100) with three doubles and the team’s only two home runs of the season. Alwine is second in school history in career homers (6), third in RBI (65), but may be limited to pitching early until she can return to form after the preseason layoff.
“Katy’s return can help take us from being a good team, to a very good,” said Anselmo. “It’s a big advantage to have her with us, but we have to take it slow until she gets back up to speed.”
Sophomore right-hander Chrissy Falcone (Mt. Bethel/Bangor H.S.) is the returning starter in left field who is expected to see more time pitching this year after appearing in just three games in 1999 (0-2, 6.55 ERA), but has been bothered by a sore arm in the preseason. Freshman right-hander Christina Keister (West Milton/Lewisburg H.S.) might also throw in emergency situations.
THE CATCHERS
Freshman Alli Ackerman (Morris Plains, N.J./Parsippany Hills H.S.) will be the starting catcher and see the bulk of the time behind the plate. Anselmo is excited about her defensive skills and believes she can be a productive hitter.
Fellow freshmen Erin Nittinger (Montoursville/Montoursville H.S.) and Keister will be the back-ups.
THE INFIELDERS
While Anselmo returns three-fourths of a starting infield which helped the team finish 22nd in NCAA Division III fielding percentage at .954, he’s not afraid to mess with success. Preseason plans find only one of those starters beginning 2000 where they played last season.
The lone player remaining where she was is sophomore Shelly Zimmerman (Denver/Garden Spot H.S.) at third base. Zimmerman was the starting third baseman and settled into the number-two spot in the lineup last season, finishing fourth on the team in batting at .295 (26 of 88) with four doubles, six runs batted in and 18 runs scored. She also stole a team high eight bases in as many attempts – tying for eighth in the MAC in per-game average (0.28) – and was second on the team in walks with 12, giving her a team best .380 on-base percentage. Defensively, she was solid at third, finishing second on the team in assists with 49 while making just seven errors in 72 chances (.903 FLD%).
The versatility of senior captain Lisa Stack (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West H.S.) allows Anselmo the flexibility to try and improve upon an already solid infield. Stack started primarily at shortstop last year, but will probably begin this season at first – although she could still play at short or third, or return to the outfield where she played as a sophomore. Tabbed as the number-three hitter, she batted .278 (30 of 108) with a team high 13 walks for an on-base percentage of .366 last season. She had two doubles and a triple, knocking in 14 runs while scoring a team high 28 for the fifth-most in a season at Susquehanna. She was also seven for nine in steals, and laid down seven sacrifice bunts.
A three-year starter who also was a starting two-guard for the women’s basketball team, Stack is currently fourth in program history in career runs (72), fifth in at-bats (318), seventh in stolen bases (23), tied for seventh in triples (6), ninth in hits (87), and tied for 10th in both doubles (12) and RBI (46). She is also ninth in career assists (102).
“Ever since she’s joined us after basketball season, Lisa has stepped in and assumed our leadership role,” said Anselmo. “She’s a good contact hitter with some power and we are hoping she can hit .300 or above.”
The other returning starter is solid second baseman and junior Lauren Pollock (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin H.S.), who may still play at second, but is penciled in as a possible left fielder for the opener. A two-year starter at second, Pollock led the team defensively with a .982 fielding percentage last season which included just two errors in 114 total chances. Offensively, she batted .263 (26 of 99) with two doubles, eight runs batted in and 16 runs scored. She was perfect this season in six stolen base attempts. Pollock already ranks sixth in career assists at the school with 123 (Record: 229, Karrah Henry, 1996-99), ranking eighth all-time in fielding percentage at .959.
Some talented freshmen are projected to start along the infield this season, particularly in the middle where Anselmo expects Nittinger and Shana Lalo (Bethlehem/Northampton H.S.) to start at second and short respectively. The duo has impressed the coach both on the field and at the plate, as he also believes Nittinger will lead-off while Lalo will bat clean-up in the lineup.
Another freshman might also get the nod at first before Anselmo settles on his regulars as Lauren Barcaro (King of Prussia/Upper Merion H.S.) has been impressive after joining the team following a successful rookie campaign on the nationally-ranked field hockey team.
Along with the versatility, Anselmo believes he has depth as freshmen Angie Auman (Northumberland/Shikellamy H.S.) and Amanda Luna (Tuscarora/Tamaqua H.S.) are also quality players who will see some time this season.
THE OUTFIELDERS
Either Falcone, Pollock or Stack will most likely start in left, with sophomore Kathina Sheets (Montoursville/Montoursville H.S.) projected to be back in right.
Falcone was second on the team in batting last season with an average of .325 (26 of 80), including two doubles, seven runs batted in and 11 runs scored. Also four for five in stolen bases, she hit as well as anyone by the end of the season. Once again, her sore arm may keep her from the outfield and religate her to designated hitter early.
Sheets was one of five players to play in all 35 games last season and batted .278 (22 of 79) with three doubles and a triple – finishing fourth on the team in runs batted in with 15 while scoring 12. Defensively, she committed just one error in 42 chances for a .976 fielding percentage – throwing out 10 runners from right.
Anselmo is very excited about another freshman from the field hockey team in Teresa Ely (Montrose/Montrose H.S.), who will start in center. Ely possesses the best speed on the team, and probably the best since Anselmo became head coach in 1995, and will also bat second.
