Steph Denlinger: Home Run Queen

As of Saturday March 6, 2009, no Division II softball player has hit more homeruns in her career than Kutztown's own Steph Denlinger. She has now hit 62 long balls in her career and still has over half of her senior season to add to her mark. Congratulations, Steph!

Back to the diamond

Both the softball and baseball teams will kick off of their season on Saturday.

The softball team will be in Aiken, S.C. to take part in the South Carolina-Aiken Tournament, while the baseball team will hit the road to take on Barton College in doubleheader action on both Saturday and Sunday.

When possible, I'll do analysis on the teams, but due to time constraints, I will not be doing recaps of each game at this point in the season. For all scores and recaps visit www.kubears.com.

A look ahead: 2009 Softball

The 2008 softball season is in the books, but it’s never too early to look ahead to 2009. The Golden Bears lose two talented players to graduation in designated player/catcher Caitlin Hague and centerfielder Kathy Gregg, but return a significant amount talent, including every pitcher and seven regulars from the everyday lineup.

The ladies completed the 2008 season with an impressive 48-14 record and should only be better in 2009.

Lock Haven, KU’s top competitor in the Mid-Atlantic Region, will likely be tough again next season, losing only starting 2B Devin Glezen and reserve Missy Kurian to graduation. And yes, Kutztown fans, all-American pitcher Kristin Erb will be back. A junior in 2008, it saddens me to say she still has one year of eligibility.

As for Bloomsburg, who knocked KU out of the PSAC and Regional playoffs, the Huskies take a much bigger hit with PSAC East pitcher of the year Ashley Lynn’s career in the books. Add #2 pitcher Sheelin Fisher, 1B Jess Rosin, OF Jill Homyak, 1B Stacy Krupiewski, 3B Kayleen Sidisky, and CA Tiff Corliss to that list and Bloom has quite a rebuilding effort ahead of them.

The conference is still sure to be competitive, but Kutztown’s core of superstars will be back and have one more year of experience. The Golden Bears have yet to prove they can overcome their biggest obstacle (beat Lock Haven), but with the returning talent in 2009, there is no reason they shouldn’t come out with loads of confidence. Keep in mind that 2009 will mark the final season of the Steph Denlinger-Ashley Fitzgerald (pictured above)-Krista Cameron-Kim Morrison dynasty, which means they will be pulling all the stops to get to Nationals.

New faces in 2009

Heather Hannum – (Pictured to left - Photo Credit: www.bansheesfastpitch.com) From Horsham, PA, Hannum is listed as both a pitcher and firstbaseman. She joins her sister Nicole, who was a redshirted as a freshman this past season for KU. Unless she proves she can dominate opposing hitters as a freshman, I don’t see her spending much time in the pitching circle in the near future. If she proves she can hit right away, the right-handed hitter is a strong candidate to see time at designated player with Denlinger manning firstbase for one more season. According to rivals.com, she ran a 3.03 20-yard dash last season, third best among softball recruits at that time. At 5”10”-155 pounds, Hannum seems like she has five-tool potential.

The following clips are from stories I found online while researching the soon-to-be-Golden Bear: “The homerun was Heather's third of the day, having launched two in the semi-final contest against the Lehigh Valley Wildcats.” (www.eteamz.com) and “…said H-H senior Heather Hannum, whose two-run, 320-foot home run in the first was the beginning of the end for South.” (www.phillyburbs.com) Mouth watering yet?

Laura Kelley – From Stafford, VA, Kelley is a right-handed hitting outfielder and firstbaseman. With Gregg gone from the outfield, there is a spot open to be filled by either a returning veteran or a freshman. Kelley, who also ran track in high school, will likely get a chance to compete for the job. She considers herself a power hitter and was a key member of her high school team, which enjoyed an undefeated 2008 regular season. According to www.fredericksburg.com, Coach Lawes has been quoted as saying Kelley could see significant playing time as a freshman, as she is versatile and “could develop into a nice power hitter.”

Here is a caption about Kelley from www.fredericksburg.com: “…with Laura Kelley leading the way with four hits, including a bases-loaded triple, and six RBIs.”

Michelle McGinty – From Warminster, PA, McGinty is listed soley as a third basemen, which means Cameron will finally have some relief at the hot corner. McGinty will not see much time at third in 2009, but, like Hannum, will likely be a key contributor from 2010-2012. She seems to have the potential to be a strong third baseman in the field and at the plate. McGinty was a four year starter for her high school team and hit .448 in her senior season. Other numbers from her senior campaign include a 1.184 OPS, 16 RBIs, and .930 fielding percentage.

Nicole Colineri – From Scotch Plains, PA, Colineri is listed as a switch hitting middle-infielder, which means she could be groomed as Morrison’s replacement in 2010 and could spell Krista Tedjeske for playing time next season.

Projected Lineup
A majority of the lineup should stay the same in 2009, but designated player and centerfield voids need to be filled. This is my projected lineup, but it is almost certain to change as Coach Judy Lawes becomes more familiar with her new faces and as the veterans progress this offseason.

Batting Order—Class—Bats—Player—Position—(2008 Stats)

1 – Sr – L – Kim Morrison – 2B – (.279-3-16)
Morrison wasn’t herself in her first season as a leadoff hitter, but improved as the season went on and is likely to return to the role in 2009. She hit just .279 after combining to hit .326 in her first two seasons, but there wasn’t as much of a dropoff from her .352 career on base percentage to .330 in 2008. This was because she drew 14 walks in 2008 after walking just 12 combined times in her previous two seasons. She also saw her individual numbers dip from 2007 to 2008 in doubles (16-9), triples (3-0), and runs (53-42). Her power numbers were also down, but this was not surprising as she moved to more of a table-setting role.

If Morrison were to be moved out of the top spot, she could swap places with Schiavo or be dropped all the way to at least sixth in the order. She is too good to bat that low, so unless someone breaks out in the offseason and coach Lawes has no choice but to put them first in the order, Morrison will likely return to the top spot. She is a great contact hitter, but needs to work hard this offseason to rebound from a disappointing 2008. Expect her to bounce back and hit around .320 in her senior season.

2 – Jr – L – Maria Schiavo – LF – (.316-0-17)
Like Morrison, Schiavo saw her numbers dip this season, but fortunately it was not as dramatic of a decline. The junior’s batting average fell eight points and she had six less doubles, three less runs scored, 21 less RBIs, six less steals, and 12 less total bases. Those changes aren’t too significant and Schiavo’s on base percentage actually went up three points in 2008 thanks to drawing a few more walks than in 2007. The steep decline in RBIs is a product of Adriane Willmer batting ahead of her in 2007 as compared to a struggling Morrison in 2008.

She is likely to remain the two hitter as she is one of the nation’s top sacrifice bunters. She is an outstanding contact hitter and, statistically, she will basically go as Morrison goes. If there are runners on, she will be counted on to bunt them over. If not, she will need to find ways to get herself in scoring position for the big bats behind her.

3 – Sr – L – Steph Denlinger – 1B – (.349-16-55)
Denlinger had another superstar season in 2008, but the 2007 PSAC East player of the year actually saw a significant decrease statistically. The senior lefty saw her batting average drop from .507 to .349, her homerun total from 24 to 16, and her RBIs from 73 to 55. She also scored 17 less runs, saw her slugging percentage dip from 1.111 to .716, and watched her on base percentage fall from .625 to .491. After walking an almost unbelievable 51 times in 2007, Denlinger walked 46 more times in 2008, with the decline mostly a product of the outstanding protection provided by Fitzgerald in the cleanup spot.

Denlinger’s 2007 season would have been almost impossible to repeat, but I don’t think anyone expected her to regress all the way back to the numbers she put up in her freshman season. I won’t project a return to a 1.736 OPS, but I believe she’s capable of hitting 20 homers again in 2009. Despite the statistical decline, Denlinger was still one of the nation’s top power hitters in 2008 and expect her to be even better in her senior campaign.

4 – Sr – L – Ashley Fitzgerald – CA – (.427-16-59)
Fitzgerald will enter her senior season as arguably the most feared hitter in the PSAC. The senior slugger led the KU offense in 2008, pacing the team in batting average (.427), homers (16-tie), RBIs (59), total bases (150), and slugging (.811). Fitzgerald, who now has 35 career homers and 164 career RBIs, will remain the cleanup hitter in 2008, assuming Coach Lawes doesn’t move her up a spot in the order to get her a few more at-bats. Fitzgerald saw a majority of her time in the field at catcher, but also saw time at shortstop, right field, and designated player. Her versatility makes her an invaluable resource, but, with Hague out of the picture, expect her to man catcher for all of KU’s important games in 2009.

5 – Sr – L – Krista Cameron – 3B – (.318-5-37)
It’s been a one-woman show at third base for KU the last three seasons and it will be hard to imagine anyone besides Cameron at the hot corner after next season. Since her arrival in 2006, the senior has started all 174 of Kutztown’s games at third base, including 62 this past season. She could give way to the freshman McGinty for a few at-bats or spot starts in 2009, but Cameron will be the everyday starter in her final season. Cameron was another Golden Bear who saw her numbers decline in 2008 and it was most noticeable in the power department. She hit just .318 after batting .364 over her first two seasons. Cameron also saw a dip in homers (16-5), RBIs (66-37), runs (47-29), slugging (.724-.472), and on-base percentage (.398-.342).

As you can see, it was a significant offensive decline for Cameron and she will need to return to her 2007 form next season. She is counted on to protect Denlinger and Fitzgerald and it will be hard to do that without the threat of a homerun. She still had a stellar 2008 campaign, but there is room for improvement in her senior season.

6 – So – R – Krista Tedjeske – SS – (.248-2-21)
Tedjeske bounced between the six and eight spot in the order throughout the second half of the 2008 season and will likely be part of a similar rotation in 2009. Tedjeske was the everyday shortstop for KU and, despite a team-high 11 errors, showed some flashes of greatness with the glove in her freshman season. She is likely to return to the everyday role at shortstop, but needs to improve her .635 OPS if she wants to remain the six hitter. Her 21 RBIs were tied for fourth best on the team, but many of them came earlier in the season. If she can get it together offensively, expect her to remain in the six spot, but with some big freshman bats and Reifsnyder fighting for at-bats, the leash is unlikely to be very long.

7 – Fr – R – Heather Hannum – DP – (N/A)
I’ve never seen Hannum swing a bat, but from what I’ve read, you can probably already pencil her into the designated player slot. As mentioned earlier in this article (See New Faces in 2009), Hannum can crush the ball and will replace Denlinger at first base in 2010. Since she would need an injury or some kind of massive slump by Denlinger to see time in her place this season, expect Hannum to see much of her at-bats from the designated player slot.

8 – So – R – Maggie Reifsnyder – RF – (.239-4-10)
Reifsnyder started the 2008 season in a platoon in right field, took over as the full-time starter when Sam Flowers was removed from the team, and ended it in a platoon with fellow sophomore-to-be Angela Domenici. Heading into the offseason with one starter from 2008 already gone (Gregg), Reifsnyder is the favorite to start in right field in 2009. However, she will almost certainly feel pressure from whoever does not get a starting job, may it be Laura Kelley, Nikki Hannum, Natalie Chamerlain, or Domenici.

Reifsnyder hit a hot streak in the middle of 2008, but struggled late in the season before injuring herself against Lock Haven late in the year. Her OPS of .706 was not great, but she did manage four homers, which was fifth best on the team. Reifsnyder had just 10 RBIs despite seeing plenty of at-bats in the six spot, a number which must improve in 2009.

9 – Fr – R – Laura Kelley – CF – (N/A)
It’s hard for me to speculate here as I’ve never seen the freshmen in action, but based on what I’ve read, it seems like Kelley has a great shot to fill in where Kathy Gregg left off as both the centerfielder and nine hitter. Nicole Hannum, Natalie Chamberlain, or Angela Domenici could also get the nod here, depending on who is best suited for the role. As mentioned earlier (See New Faces in 2009), Kelley could potentially be a very good power hitting outfielder. If she can hit near .300 and match the six homers hit by Gregg this past season, she will likely see plenty of time in the starting lineup.

Key Reserves
My projected starting lineup is obviously not set in stone, so here is a look at a few other players who could see action, might it be a minimal or significant amount, in 2009.

Class—Bats—Player—Position—(2008 Stats)

Fr – S – Nicole Hannum – OF – (N/A)
Hannum was redshirted last season, but will compete for a shot to play everyday in the outfield. The switch hitter could also see time at designated player, battling for time there with her younger sister Heather. I don’t know too much about the older Hannum, since she didn’t play last year, but I have to imagine she was redshirted so she can see significant playing time during the next four seasons.

Fr - R - Natalie Chamberlain - OF - (N/A)
Chamberlain was redshirted due to a back injury in 2008, but will compete for playing time in the outfield in 2009. I don't know too much about her, but apparently she will be one of the fastest players on the team and has a decent throwing arm. If she can put the ball in play, Chamberlain could be a candidate to bat out of the nine spot for Coach Lawes.

So – R – Angela Domenici – OF – (.188-0-3)
Domenici saw limited action in 2008 with a significant amount of her at-bats coming late in the season when Reifsnyder was injured. She was just 6-of-32 at the plate, failed to draw a walk, and had just one extra base hit. It should be noted that a majority of those at-bats came late in the season, including during the playoffs, against tough pitching. She will contend for playing time in center and right field.

Fr – S – Nicole Colineri – MIF – (N/A)
(See New Faces in 2009)

Fr – N/A – Michelle McGinty – 3B – (N/A)
(See New Faces in 2009)

Jr – R – Tami Wambold – DP – (.154-0-2)
Wambold is likely to continue as a spot starter and pinch hitter in 2009. This past season, she hit just .154 in 26 at-bats and failed to record an extra base hit.

Jr – R – Emily Fazekas – IF – (.154-0-1)
Fazekas was primarily called upon as a pinch hitter in 2008, seeing only five starts and 13 at-bats during the 62 game season. She could see a few spot starts again next season, but will again see considerable time as a pinch runner.

So – R – Alex Najpauer – IF – (.182-0-4)
Like Fazekas, Najpauer was used strictly as a pinch runner last season. She batted .182 in just 22 at-bats, but did appear in 32 games for KU. She will likely be the number-two pinch running option behind Fazekas again in 2009.

Jr – L – Laine Heisler – CA – (.150-0-1)
Heisler has seen little action during her first two seasons at KU, but with Hague graduated and no other catchers besides Fitzgerald currently on the roster, Heisler could end up as the backup catcher, which would bring on a decent amount of playing time. Heisler had just 20 at-bats in six 2008 starts, putting up a less than impressive .340 OPS.

Other Reserves: Anne Arbogast, Joanna Spangler – Unlikely to see significant action in 2009.

Pitching Staff
The Golden Bears will return every member of their young pitching staff next season.

Rotation Spot—Class—Throws—Player—(2008 Stats)

1 – Junior – R – Katlin Arbogast – (26-7 1.41)
After being forced to carry a majority of the pitching load as a freshman in 2007, Arbogast was awarded with some relief in Mary Hoch and Monica Glomb in 2008. The 2007 PSAC East Pitcher of the Year responded with a better season in almost every area, but fell just short of winning the 2008 POY award to Bloomsburg’s Ashley Lynn. Arbogast improved her ERA from 1.82 to 1.41, her WHIP from 1.15 to 0.95, her opponent batting average from .205 to .183, and her strikeouts per 7 innings from 8.1 to 8.6. She walked 33 less hitters, allowed 50 less hits, and improved her record from 27-9 in 2007 to 26-7 in 2008. Arbogast will be one of the top pitchers in the PSAC during the next two seasons and is the early favorite to take home the 2009 PSAC East Pitcher of the Year award.

2 – Sophomore – R – Monica Glomb – (10-6 2.15)
Glomb’s ability to pitch effectively for over 100 innings in 2008 was a welcome surprise for everyone, especially Kaitlin Arbogast, who needed a break after tossing a school-record 249.1 innings in 2007. Now a sophomore, Glomb has a solid year of experience under her belt and will look to improve to the next level in 2009, which would mean minimizing the already small dropoff when Arbogast is out of the game. Glomb’s ERA may look a bit high, but it took a huge hit late in the season due to a few bad outings. She should be even better next season, which would make her one of the East’s top pitchers.

3 – Sophomore – R – Mary Hoch – (9-1 1.68)
Just looking at the numbers from last season, Hoch appears to have done a better job than Glomb, but Coach Lawes turned to Glomb more often, allowing her 30 more innings of work. That did not stop Hoch from having an outstanding season, notching a 9-1 record and an impressive 1.68 ERA. Both freshmen pitchers jumped to outstanding starts last season, but both went on to struggle late. If Hoch outpitches Glomb early in 2009, she in turn is likely to get more work. The biggest concern about Hoch is her lack of an ability to strike out opponents, managing just 47 in 70.2 innings (4.7 K/7).

4 – Sophomore – R – Lauren Doering – (2-0 1.98)
Coach Lawes called on Doering just six times in 2008, but the Canadian rookie did her job in 17.2 innings of work. Her ERA is probably a bit deceiving as her performance wasn’t quite as good as it indicates due to seven unearned runs. Her WHIP of 1.70 is way too high, but she did average more than a strikeout an inning. She will, at best, return as the fourth option again in 2009.

Other Pitching Reserves: Maggie Reifsnyder, Heather Hannum – Unlikely to see significant action in 2009.

So, there you have it. If you have any other inquiries on the 2009 team, please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond as soon as I gather the information. Keep in mind that this was written based completely on the information I have at the present time and is likely to change based on the happenings of the current offseason.

UPDATES:
5/29/08 - More info added about Michelle McGinty
5/30/08 - Added Natalie Chamberlain info

Softball team eliminated

The 2008 softball season has come to an end for the Golden Bears after they were defeated by Bloomsburg 3-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament on Sunday. The loss brings the careers of Caitlin Hague and Kathy Gregg to a close. Check back later this week for a full season recap and a look ahead to 2009.

Bloomsburg now advances to the regional championship against Lock Haven later today.

Complete Schedule/Results

Softball advances to semifinals

The KU softball team won both of its games on Saturday and are now one of just three remaining teams in the Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament. The Golden Bears defeated West Chester 1-0 in the early afternoon to eliminate the Golden Rams and later knocked out the California (Pa.) Vulcans with a 4-1 victory.

The ladies now advance to the semifinals where they will take on Bloomsburg Sunday at 10 a.m. If KU wins, they will take on Lock Haven in the PSAC Championship. They would have to beat LHU twice, first in a 12:30 p.m. meeting and then again at 3 p.m. If the Golden Bears lose any of three potential games on Sunday, their season comes to a close.

Softball falls, now faces elimination

The KU softball team fell 3-1 to Bloomsburg in a winner's bracket game on Thursday and will now face elimination the rest of the tournament. The Golden Bears move on to face West Chester Saturday at 11:30. KU's lone run came via an Ashley Fitzgerald solo homerun.

If the Golden Bears beat West Chester, they advance to a 4:30 meeting with the winner of Saturday's first game between California and Shippensburg. If KU loses either of those games, the 2008 season will come to a close.

As always, you can listen to both of Saturday's games live on the Golden Bear Network. Be sure to check back for schedule changes as inclement weather is in the forecast.

Softball wins Regional opener

The KU softball team opened the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional softball tournament with a 1-0 victory over Shippensburg in eight innings. The Golden Bears were led by a complete game effort from Kait Arbogast. KU's only run came in the bottom of the eighth when Steph Denlinger singled to left, enabling Maria Schiavo to score on a Shippensburg error.

KU now advances to the winner's bracket, where they will take on Bloomsburg at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. You can listen to a live broadcast of the game on the Golden Bear Network. Mike Clay and Scott Kemps will bring you the action starting at 4:20 p.m.

Complete Schedule/Results

The Erb Report

Over the last few years, I’ve had a lot of people ask me about Lock Haven’s all-American pitcher Kristin Erb. The junior pitcher has been one of Division II’s best pitchers over the last three seasons and the Golden Bears will need to beat her if they have plans of competing on the national level this season. I did some research and this is the statistics of the current KU roster against Erb since her arrival at LHU in 2006. This is a combination of statistics from seven meetings between the two teams, including three this season. In 2006, the teams met once during the PSAC playoffs. In 2007, they met three times, all of which were PSAC playoff games. This season, they’ve met three times, which includes two regular season contests and one PSAC playoff game.

Provided is KU’s players and each athletes numbers against Erb.

Probable Batting Order:
[Hits At-bats (Avg.) Runs RBIs Strikeouts (On-base%)]
1. 2B – Kim Morrison 7-for-24 (.292) 1 0 1 (.292)
2. LF – Maria Schiavo 3-for-20 (.150) 2 2 1 (.150)
3. 1B – Steph Denlinger 6-for-22 (.273) 4 2 5 (.360)
4. CA – Ashley Fitzgerald 5-for-23 (.217) 0 0 1 (.217)
5. 3B – Krista Cameron 3-for-24 (.125) 3 4 3 (.125)
6. DP – Caitlin Hague 2-for-14 (.143) 0 0 5 (.143)
7. SS – Krista Tedjeske 1-for-6 (.167) 0 0 3 (.167)
8. RF – Maggie Reifsnyder 0-for 4 (.000) 1 0 2 (.000)
9. CF – Kathy Gregg 5-for-19 (.263) 1 2 4 (.263)

Bench:
OF – Angela Domenici 0-for-2 (.000) 0 0 2 (.000)

Pitching (vs. LHU):
Kait Arbogast (1-3 3.28 ERA), 4 games, 35.2 IP, 33 H, 13 ER, 8 BB, 30 K, 1.15 WHIP
Monica Glomb (0-1 16.88 ERA), 1 game, 2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 3.00 WHIP
Mary Hoch (0-0 81.00 ERA), 1 game, 0.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 15.00 WHIP
Lauren Doering (0-0 0.00 ERA), 1 game, 2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 4.00 WHIP

As you can see, Erb has done quite a number on KU, falling to the Golden Bears only once in seven tries. Kim Morrison, Steph Denlinger, and Kathy Gregg have had some success against her and it might be smart for some of the other players to talk to them about how they handle at-bats against Erb.

One thing I’ve noticed is Morrison’s approach, which I believe Gregg utilizes as well. Morrison stays back and tries to drive Erb’s pitches to the opposite field. With a tough pitcher like Erb, who throws a very fast heater and also has a devastating change up in her arsenal, being patient and looking to go the other way with the pitch is likely your best chance to succeed. Denlinger can hit for power to all fields against anyone and it’s no surprise that she has a team-best .360 on-base percentage against the LHU ace.

Hopefully this will be helpful for the fans (and maybe even the players). This is statistical evidence that KU can hit Erb and just needs to approach her the right way. If the Golden Bears get their chance against the Lady Eagles, it will be interesting to see if they can turn the tide. Stay Tuned.

Softball set for Regional Playoffs

What: NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional softball tournament
When: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 – Saturday, May 10, 2008
Where: North Campus Field on the campus of Kutztown University

Tournament Info
The KU softball team will head into the 2008 Regional Playoffs as one of the favorites to advance to Nationals. The Golden Bears finished the regular season with a 44-10 overall record and won the PSAC East crown with an impressive 21-3 mark. KU finished third in this past weekend’s PSAC playoffs and will be the third seed out of eight participating universities in the double elimination Regional tournament.

The Golden Bears opening game will be against sixth-seeded Shippensburg at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Their second game will be on Thursday at 11:30 a.m., if they lose their first game, or at 4:30 p.m., if they win.

The other teams competing for the title will include PSAC champ Lock Haven (1^st seed), Bloomsburg (2), California (4), West Chester (5), Slippery Rock (7), and CIAA champ Bowie State (8).

The Golden Bears were a combined 10-6 against the seven other playoff teams. This included 0-3 vs. Lock Haven, 2-3 vs. Bloomsburg, 4-0 vs. Shippensburg, and 4-0 against West Chester. They did not play California, Slippery Rock, or Bowie State in 2008.

Of the eight playoff teams, three are ranked nationally. Lock Haven is second, Bloomsburg is eighth, and KU is 16^th.

The Golden Bears did not fare well in the PSAC Playoffs. KU scored three runs in the first inning of its first game (a 3-0 win against ESU), but failed to score another run the rest of the tournament. Lock Haven beat them 5-0 and Bloomsburg eliminated them 2-0 in nine innings. That’s a scoreless drought of 21 innings.

Last season, KU was one strike away from winning the PSAC title before the eventual Division II Lock Haven Lady Eagles came back and stole the championship. After defeating ESU 6-1 in their first game of the tournament, the Golden Bears knocked off LHU 3-0 to position themselves one win away from the title. In their next game, KU led 5-2 with Lock Haven down to their last strike, but the Lady Eagles rallied and eventually won in 15 innings. The LHU win forced a grudge match for the PSAC title, which the Lady Eagles won 5-2.

The Golden Bears then participated in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals, which, like the PSACs, were held at North Campus Field. KU was without an ill Katlin Arbogast for a majority of the tournament and it showed on the scoreboard. The Golden Bears lost 2-0 to Edinboro in their first game before pummeling NC Central 21-0 in their second game. They were eliminated the next day when ESU beat them 11-10.

Probable Starting Lineup
1. 2B – Kim Morrison (.292-3-16)
The junior leadoff hitter toned down on the power this season, instead embracing her new role as a table setter for the meat of the order. She slumped at points during the regular season, but has hit well as of late, bringing her average back up to .292. Her .343 on-base percentage is not where it should be for a leadoff hitter, but she has shown improvement in her first season batting high in the order. She has stolen 8 bases in 9 attempts.

2. LF – Maria Schiavo (.318-0-17)
Schiavo is one of the nation’s best in the sacrifice hit category and has been an exceptional two-hitter since her arrival at KU one season ago. Her .318 batting average is fourth best on the team, but she is relied on primarily for her ability to lay down good bunts. Her average of 0.39 sacrifice hits per game ranks her 11^th in division II.

3. 1B – Steph Denlinger (.354-16-55)
Denlinger is one of the most feared hitters in division II softball and likely will receive multiple free passes in the playoffs. The junior lefty leads the team with 16 homers and is tied with Fitzgerald for the RBI lead with 55. She is 19^th in DII in homers per game, 17^th in walks per game, and 32^nd in slugging percentage. When she gets a chance to hit, there is a good chance it will be a homer. However, don’t be surprised if she is intentionally walked on several occasions. Fortunately for her, she has excellent protection in Fitzgerald, which forces opponents to pitch to her.

4. CA/SS – Ashley Fitzgerald (.435-15-55)
The junior cleanup hitter will be the primary catcher, but could see some work at shortstop. Her .435 batting average is tops in the PSAC and 24^th best in DII. She is also 8^th in DII in doubles per game (0.43), and 10^th in slugging percentage (.863). Her team-leading 1.335 OPS is off the charts and really shows how dominant of a hitter she is. Teams will look to walk Denlinger, but it won’t be any easier with Fitzgerald at the plate.

5. 3B – Krista Cameron (.322-5-35)
Cameron might be one to watch in this tournament. The team’s six hitter had five hits in the PSAC tournament last year, homered twice, and had at least one run scored and one RBI in each of the team’s four games. Her home run total has taken quite a dip this season, but she has had yet another solid season as the team’s third baseman and five hitter.

6. DP/CA – Caitlin Hague (.283-1-12)
Hague, one of two seniors on the roster, will likely bat sixth, but has been in rotation with Tedjeske and Reifsnyder all season long. She will be the primary designated player and could catch a game or two. Her .283 batting average is just seventh among the team’s starting nine, but she is a solid hitter with invaluable playoff experience and one of only a few Golden Bears who improved their batting average during PSACs.

7. SS – Krista Tedjeske (.257-2-21)
The freshman shortstop has done a respectable job in 50 starts in her rookie season. Her .257 average is lowest among the starting nine, but she’s done a nice job providing runs with 21 RBIs, which ties her for fourth best on the team, and two homers. She will be looking to improve on making contact as she leads the team with 33 strikeouts.

8. RF – Maggie Reifsnyder (.268-4-10)
Reifsnyder missed KU’s last five games of the regular season and was not at 100 percent during PSACs due to an injury she suffered against Lock Haven last Tuesday. She started the last game of the PSAC tournament, but could split time with Angela Domenici again in Regionals. Reifsnyder is hitting a respectable .268 and has four homers, which is fifth highest on the team despite not playing full time until midway through the season.

9. CF – Kathy Gregg (.303-6-21)
Gregg, one of two seniors on the roster, is one of the team’s best hitters, but is slotted in the nine hole in order to get on base for the top of the order. Her six homers are third best on the team and is one of five Golden Bears above the .300 batting average mark. Her 21 RBIs tie her for fourth on the team and she has a team-high nine steals in nine attempts. Her 29 strikeouts (second worst on the team) are a bit troublesome, but she did not strike out in PSACs.

Key Reserves
OF Angela Domenici (.200-0-3)
While Reifsnyder was out, Domenici filled in the right field spot. The freshman is the top reserve in the outfield, but has just 30 at-bats this season.

DP Tami Wambold (.154-0-2)
Wambold could be used as the designated player, but, if anything, is more likely to see a pinch hit appearance or two. She doesn’t provide much in the contact department, but when she does get a hold of a pitch, there’s a good chance it’ll go a long way.

PR Emily Fazekas (.154-0-1)
Fazekas is the team’s top pinch runner and is likely to have opportunities to score big runs for KU in this tournament.

PR Alex Najpauer (.182-0-4)
Najpauer is another player coach Judy Lawes will go to if she needs a pinch runner.

Probable Pitching Rotation
1. Kait Arbogast (23-7 1.49)
Arbogast is one of the top pitchers in the PSAC and has already rewritten most of the KU pitching record book as a sophomore. She is 14^th in DII in strikeouts per seven innings (9.4), 24^th in wins (23), 22^nd in saves (3), and 24^th in hits allowed per seven innings (4.58). She is the team’s ace and will likely pitch a majority of the team’s innings in the tournament, much like she did in PSACs.

2. Monica Glomb (10-5 2.11)
A freshman, Glomb has started 14 games for KU this season. She pitched well most of the season, but was lit up by Lock Haven last Tuesday, which could cause concerns if she is called on against tough teams in the playoffs. Regardless of that bad outing, she has shown she is an effective pitcher and should be okay if she gets the nod.

3. Mary Hoch (9-0 1.61)
Hoch is another freshman who has done an outstanding job in the pitching department this season. She has yet to lose in 20 appearances (10 starts), but also got banged around a bit by LHU. Hoch will likely see some work in the tournament and it will be interesting to see how she holds up against the conference’s top teams.

Outlook
The Golden Bears will be one of the favorites in the tournament and they have arguably the best offense of the eight teams. Unfortunately for them, Lock Haven’s Kristin Erb seems to have their number and they will need to find a way to overcome the Lady Eagles if they have any plans of competing at the national level. Lock Haven won the national championship in 2006 and was the runner-up in 2007. If KU can get some momentum and knock them off, there is no telling how far they can go. The Golden Bears have also lost three straight to second-seeded Bloomsburg, who also has a stellar pitching option in Ashley Lynn.

If there is a point in the season to play your best, now is that time. The Golden Bears have been close to getting the chance to play at the national level for a while now and time is running out for some of the team’s top players.

What the tournament is going to come down to for KU is the offense. The Golden Bears need to find ways to plate runs against the likes of Erb and Lynn or they won’t have a chance. Arbogast is a stellar pitcher and can keep KU close, meaning 3-5 runs of support is likely all she would need. The Golden Bears are probably the most dangerous team offensively and there is no doubt that they can pound Kristin Erb if they get some momentum.

If the offense breaks out in this tournament, there is no telling what kind of damage KU can do. If not, it’s going to be another disappointing end to an outstanding season.

~Note: This preview is basically an updated version of last week’s PSAC playoffs preview~

Softball Regionals Schedule

Below are the participating teams and the schedule for this weekend’s NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Softball Regional Tournament, which will be held at Kutztown University’s North Campus Field. The tournament will run from May 7-10.

Participating teams
(Seed. Team – Reg. Season Record)
1. Lock Haven 43-6
2. Bloomsburg 48-9
3. Kutztown 44-10
4. California (Pa.) 26-16
5. West Chester 31-20
6. Shippensburg 27-25
7. Slippery Rock 27-15
8. Bowie State 25-12 - Eliminated

Schedule
Wednesday, May 7
Game 1 - 9 a.m. - California (Pa.) 7 vs. West Chester 0
Game 2 - 11:30 a.m. - Lock Haven 1 vs. Bowie State 0
Game 3 - 2 p.m. - Bloomsburg 5 vs. Slippery Rock 4
Game 4 - 4:30 p.m. - Kutztown 1 vs. Shippensburg 0

Thursday, May 8
Game 5 - 9 a.m. - West Chester (0-1) 4 vs. Bowie State (0-1) 0
Game 6 - 11:30 a.m. - Slippery Rock (0-1) 0 vs. Shippensburg (0-1) 4
Game 7 - 2 p.m. - California (1-0) 0 vs. Lock Haven (1-0) 2
Game 8 - 4:30 p.m. - Bloomsburg (1-0) 3 vs. Kutztown (1-0) 1

Saturday, May 10
Game 9 - 9 a.m. - Shippensburg (1-1) 1 vs. California (1-1) 2
Game 10 - 11:30 a.m. - West Chester (1-1) 0 vs. Kutztown (1-1) 1
Game 11 - 2 p.m. - Lock Haven (2-0) 1 vs. Bloomsburg (2-0) 0
Game 12 - 4:30 p.m. - Kutztown (2-1) 4 vs. California (2-1) 1

Sunday, May 11
Game 13 - 10 a.m. - Bloomsburg (2-1) 3 vs. Kutztown (3-1) 0
Game 14 - 12:30 p.m. - Lock Haven (3-0) 0 vs. Bloomsburg (3-1) 3

Saturday Playoff Log

The KU baseball team knocked off West Chester 6-2 this afternoon to force a winner-takes-all PSAC Championship game today at 4:30 p.m. The winner of the game will be crowned the 2008 PSAC Champion and will receive an automatic bid to next week's Regional Tournament. The Golden Bears have now defeated West Chester four times in six meetings this season, but this evening's meeting will be the most important of the year, as KU likely needs the automatic bid to qualify for next week's regional playoffs.

Meanwhile, the softball team has been eliminated from the PSAC playoffs after falling 2-0 in nine innings against Bloomsburg on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Bears finish the tournament in third place and will now advance to next week's Regional playoffs, which will be hosted by Kutztown. Lock Haven defeated Bloomsburg 3-0 to win the PSAC championship.

Check back throughout the evening for continuous updates.

Full Tournament Schedules/Results

Friday Playoff Log

The KU baseball team is headed to the PSAC Championship after coming back to defeat Millersville 8-7 on Friday night. Earlier in the day, KU fell to West Chester by a score of 1-0 and that is who KU will face for the PSAC crown and an automatic bid to next week's regional tournament. The teams will play at 1 p.m. tomorrow. If WCU wins the game, they are the PSAC champ. If KU wins, the teams will meet again later on Saturday afternoon to decide the division title.

The softball team fell to Lock Haven in it's only game on Friday. The Golden Bears won their lone playoff game yesterday, so they are still alive in the double elimination tournament. The loss moves them to the loser's bracket, which matches them with Bloomsburg tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Check back tomorrow for continuous playoff updates.

Full Tournament Schedules/Results

Perfect start to PSACs for KU

The baseball and softball teams combined for a perfect 3-0 record in their PSAC playoff openers today.

The baseball team won twice, opening up it's playoff action with a 4-3 victory over Indiana (Pa.) and a 9-2 win over Millersville. They now advance to play West Chester tomorrow at noon.

Meanwhile, the softball team kicked off their playoff action this afternoon with a 3-0 win against East Stroudsburg. The Golden Bears next action will be a 2:30 p.m. meeting on Friday with Lock Haven.

Check back tomorrow for updates throughout the day.

Full Tournament Schedules/Results

Ladies set to compete for PSAC title

What: PSAC Softball Playoffs
When: Thursday, May 1, 2008 – Saturday, May 3, 2008
Where: Lawrence Field on the campus of Lock Haven University

Tournament Info
The KU softball team will head into the 2008 PSAC Playoffs as a favorite to bring home the conference title. The Golden Bears finished the regular season with a 44-10 overall record and won the PSAC East crown with an impressive 21-3 mark. KU will be the top seed in the East and one of six teams competing in the double elimination tournament.

The Golden Bears opening game will be at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. They will face the winner of the tournament’s first game, a 10 a.m. contest between California (Pa.) (2^nd –West) and East Stroudsburg (3^rd – East). Their second game will be on Friday at either noon or 2:30 p.m. depending upon what happens on Thursday.

The other teams competing for the title include Bloomsburg (2^nd – East), Indiana (Pa.) (3^rd – West), and Lock Haven (1^st – West). BU and IUP will face off at noon on Thursday with the winner taking on LHU at 4:30.

The Golden Bears were a combined 7-5 against the five opposing playoff teams. This included 0-2 vs. Lock Haven, 2-2 vs. Bloomsburg, 3-1 vs. ESU, and 2-0 against IUP. They did not play California in 2008.

Of the six playoff teams, three are ranked nationally. Lock Haven is second, Bloomsburg is eighth, and KU is 16^th.

Last season, KU was one strike away from winning the PSAC title before the eventual Division II Lock Haven Lady Eagles came back and stole the championship. After defeating ESU 6-1 in their first game of the tournament, the Golden Bears knocked off LHU 3-0 to position themselves one win away from the title. In their next game, KU led 5-2 with Lock Haven down to their last strike, but the Lady Eagles rallied and eventually won in 15 innings. The LHU win forced a grudge match for the PSAC title, which the Lady Eagles won 5-2.

The Golden Bears then participated in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals, which, like the PSACs, were held at North Campus Field. KU was without an ill Katlin Arbogast for a majority of the tournament and it showed on the scoreboard. The Golden Bears lost 2-0 to Edinboro in their first game before pummeling NC Central 21-0 in their second game. They were eliminated the next day when ESU beat them 11-10.

Probable Starting Lineup
1. 2B – Kim Morrison (.290-3-16)
The junior leadoff hitter toned down on the power this season, instead embracing her new role as a table setter for the meat of the order. She slumped at points during the regular season, but has hit well as of late, bringing her average back up to .290. Her .344 on-base percentage is not where it should be for a leadoff hitter, but she has shown improvement in her first season batting high in the order. She has stolen 7 bases in 8 attempts.

2. LF – Maria Schiavo (.320-0-17)
Schiavo is one of the nation’s best in the sacrifice hit category and has been an exceptional two-hitter since her arrival at KU one season ago. Her .320 batting average is fourth best on the team, but she is relied on primarily for her ability to lay down good bunts. Her average of 0.39 sacrifice hits per game ranks her 11^th in division II.

3. 1B – Steph Denlinger (.362-15-53)
Denlinger is one of the most feared hitters in division II softball and likely will receive multiple free passes in the playoffs. The junior lefty leads the team with 15 homers and is second with 53 RBIs. She is 19^th in DII in homers per game, 17^th in walks per game, and 32^nd in slugging percentage. When she gets a chance to hit, there is a good chance it will be a homer. However, don’t be surprised if she is intentionally walked on several occasions. Fortunately for her, she has excellent protection in Fitzgerald, which forces opponents to pitch to her.

4. CA/SS – Ashley Fitzgerald (.456-14-54)
The junior cleanup hitter will be the primary catcher, but could see some work at shortstop. Her .456 batting average is tops in the PSAC and 24^th best in DII. She is also 8^th in DII in doubles per game (0.43), and 10^th in slugging percentage (.863). Her team-leading 1.385 OPS is off the charts and really shows how dominant of a hitter she is. Teams will look to walk Denlinger, but it won’t be any easier with Fitzgerald at the plate.

5. 3B – Krista Cameron (.341-5-35)
Cameron might be one to watch in this tournament. The team’s six hitter had five hits in the PSAC tournament last year, homered twice, and had at least one run scored and one RBI in each of the team’s four games. Her home run total has taken quite a dip this season, but she has had yet another solid season as the team’s third baseman and five hitter.

6. DP/CA – Caitlin Hague (.272-1-12)
Hague, one of two seniors on the roster, will likely bat sixth, but has been in rotation with Tedjeske and Reifsnyder all season long. She will be the primary designated player and could catch a game or two. Her .272 batting average is just eighth among the team’s starting nine, but she is a solid hitter with invaluable playoff experience.

7. SS – Krista Tedjeske (.258-2-21)
The freshman shortstop has done a respectable job in 47 starts in her rookie season. Her .258 average is lowest among the starting nine, but she’s done a nice job providing runs with 21 RBIs, which ties her for fourth best on the team, and two homers. She will be looking to improve on making contact as she leads the team with 31 strikeouts.

8. RF – Maggie Reifsnyder (.278-4-10)
Reifsnyder has missed KU’s last five games due to an injury she suffered against Lock Haven last Tuesday, but is expected to be at 100 percent come Thursday. The freshman is hitting a respectable .278 and has four homers, which is fifth highest on the team despite not playing full time until midway through the season.

9. CF – Kathy Gregg (.312-6-21)
Gregg, one of two seniors on the roster, is one of the team’s best hitters, but is slotted in the nine hole in order to get on base for the top of the order. Her six homers are third best on the team and is one of five Golden Bears above the .300 batting average mark. Her 21 RBIs tie her for fourth on the team and she has a team-high nine steals in nine attempts. Her 29 strikeouts (second worst on the team) are a bit troublesome.

Key Reserves
OF Angela Domenici (.222-0-3)
While Reifsnyder was out, Domenici filled in the right field spot. The freshman is the top reserve in the outfield, but has just 27 at-bats this season.

DP Tami Wambold (.160-0-2)
Wambold could be used as the designated player, but if anything, is more likely to see a pinch hit appearance or two. She doesn’t provide much in the contact department, but when she does get a hold of a pitch, there’s a good chance it’ll go a long way.

PR Emily Fazekas (.154-0-1)
Fazekas is the team’s top pinch runner and is likely to have opportunities to score big runs for KU in this tournament.

PR Alex Najpauer (.182-0-4)
Najpauer is another player coach Judy Lawes will go to if she needs a pinch runner.

Probable Pitching Rotation
1. Kait Arbogast (22-6 1.47)
Arbogast is one of the top pitchers in the PSAC and has already rewritten most of the KU pitching record book as a sophomore. She is 14^th in DII in strikeouts per seven innings (9.4), 24^th in wins (22), 22^nd in saves (3), and 24^th in hits allowed per seven innings (4.58). She is the team’s ace and will likely pitch a majority of the team’s innings in the playoffs.

2. Monica Glomb (10-4 2.02)
A freshman, Glomb has started 14 games for KU this season. She pitched well most of the season, but was lit up by Lock Haven last Tuesday, which could cause concerns if she is called on against tough teams in the playoffs. Regardless of that bad outing, she has shown she is an effective pitcher and should be okay if she gets the nod.

3. Mary Hoch (9-0 1.61)
Hoch is another freshman who has done an outstanding job in the pitching department this season. She has yet to lose in 20 appearances (10 starts), but also got banged around a bit by LHU. Hoch will likely see some work in the tournament and it will be interesting to see how she holds up against the conference’s top teams.

Outlook
The Golden Bears will be one of the favorites in the tournament and they have arguably the best offense of the six teams. Unfortunately for them, Lock Haven seems to have their number and they will need to find a way to overcome the Lady Eagles if they have any plans of competing at the national level. Lock Haven won the national championship in 2006 and was the runner-up in 2007. If KU can get some momentum and knock them off, there is no telling how far they can go.

One thing to remember about this tournament is that it is really just a tune up for the Regional Tournament. Five teams from the PSAC will likely be invited to the tournament, which is likely to be hosted by Kutztown. Technically, it doesn’t matter how KU fares in PSACs, since they will need to win the regional tournament to get to Nationals. With that said, the PSACs are an excellent opportunity for them to get the monkey of their back and prove to themselves that they can beat Lock Haven.

If Katlin Arbogast is on her game and the offense is as good as advertised, KU will be a contender for the PSAC title right down to the finish.

Playoff fields set

The PSAC playoff fields are set for both baseball and softball. Both KU teams qualified for the postseason, with the softball team winning the PSAC East, while the baseball team needed some late season heroics to manage a playoff bid. Both playoff tournaments begin later this week.

Softball Playoff Teams
East 1. Kutztown 21-3
East 2. Bloomsburg 19-5
East 3. East Stroudsburg 11-13
West 1. Lock Haven 19-1
West 2. California (Pa.) 12-8
West 3. Indiana (Pa.) 12-8

Softball Playoff Schedule
May 1-3 @ Lock Haven University
Thursday, May 1:
Gm 1 - 10 am: E Stroudsburg 9 vs California 0
Gm 2 - Noon: Bloomsburg 3 vs IUP 1
Gm 3 - 2:30 pm: Kutztown 3 (0-0) vs ESU (1-0) 0
Gm 4 - 4:30 pm: Lock Haven (0-0) 3 vs Bloomsburg (1-0) 0
Friday, May 2:
Gm 5 - 10 am: California (0-1) 0 vs IUP (0-1) 1
Gm 6 - Noon: Bloomsburg (1-1) 1 vs ESU (1-1) 0
Gm7 - 2:30 pm: Kutztown (1-0) 0 vs Lock Haven (1-0) 5
Gm 8 - 4:30 pm: IUP (1-1) 0 vs Bloomsburg (2-1) 6
Saturday, May 3:
Gm 9 - 11 am: Bloomsburg (3-1) 2 vs Kutztown (1-1) 0
Gm 10 - 1 pm: Lock Haven (2-0) 3 vs Bloomsburg (4-1) 0
*Lock Haven wins PSAC Championship*


Baseball Playoff Teams
East 1. Millersville 12-8
East 2. Kutztown 11-9
East 3. West Chester 11-9
West 1. Shippensburg 14-6
West 2. Indiana (Pa.) 13-7
West 3. Slippery Rock 12-8

Baseball Playoff Schedule
Apr. 30-May 3 @ Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, PA
Wednesday, April 30
Game 1 - 4 p.m.
Millersville 5 vs Slippery Rock 3
Game 2 - 7 p.m.
Shippensburg 0 vs West Chester 7

Thursday, May 1
Game 3 - 9 a.m.
Kutztown 4 vs IUP 3
Game 4 - noon
West Chester (1-0) 5 vs Slippery Rock (0-1) 2
Game 5 - 3 p.m.
Shippensburg 8 (0-1) vs IUP (0-1) 3
Game 6 - 6 p.m.
Kutztown (1-0) 9 vs Millersville (1-0) 2

Friday, May 2
Game 7 - noon
West Chester (2-0) 1 vs Kutztown (2-0) 0
Game 8 - 3:30 p.m.
Shippensburg (1-1) 8 vs Millersville (1-1) 13
Game 9 - 7 p.m.
Kutztown (2-1) 8 vs Millersville (2-1) 7

Saturday, May 3
Game 10 - 1 p.m.
West Chester (3-0) 2 vs Kutztown (3-1) 6
Game 11 - 4:30 p.m.
West Chester (3-1) 7 vs Kutztown (4-1) 8
*Kutztown wins PSAC Championship*

Friday Update

Softball swept Shippensburg (W 7-0, W 9-0)
Baseball split with West Chester (L 0-2, W 13-3)

Softball clinches at least a share of the PSAC East title with the sweep.

Mansfield's baseball team swept Bloomsburg, which puts them one game ahead of KU. The Golden Bears (9-9) can clinch playoff spot with a home sweep of West Chester tomorrow.

Ladies eye PSAC East crown

What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ Shippensburg Red Raiders
When: Friday, April 25, 2008 @ 2:30 p.m. (Doubleheader)
Where: Robb Field on the campus of Shippensburg University
~and~
What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ West Chester Golden Rams
When: Saturday, April 26, 2008 @ 1 p.m. (Doubleheader)
Where: West Chester Softball Field on the campus of West Chester University

Game Info
The KU softball team will head into this weekend’s road trip looking to seal up the PSAC East division title. The Golden Bears have already clinched a playoff spot and lead second-place Bloomsburg by two games with just two doubleheaders left to play. KU will head to Shippensburg for two games on Friday afternoon, before heading back east to West Chester for another doubleheader on Saturday.

KU (17-3) needs to win at least two of those games to clinch at least a share of the PSAC East regular season division title. Bloomsburg (15-5) has also clinched a spot in the postseason and will be looking to dethrone KU atop the division. With two of the three playoff spots in the east accounted for, the race will be on for the final spot. Conveniently, KU will be playing two of the major contenders for that spot. West Chester (10-10) currently holds the third seed, but they are being followed closely by Shippensburg (9-11) and East Stroudsburg (9-13). Mansfield (6-14) and Millersville (6-16) have been eliminated.

The Golden Bears are 40-10 overall this season and are ranked 19^th in Division II. They are coming off Tuesday’s home doubleheader with Lock Haven in which they fell by scores of 2-1 and 16-0. KU’s latest division action was a doubleheader sweep of East Stroudsburg on Saturday by scores of 10-1 and 6-2.

Shippensburg enters this weekend’s games after dropping two straight at West Chester on Tuesday by scores of 7-6 and 2-1. The Lady Raiders are 26-22 overall this season, but have dropped four straight games and 11 of their last 16. These teams met at North Campus Field back on April 7 with KU taking both games of the doubleheader by scores of 6-5 and 2-0.

West Chester, as mentioned, knocked off Shippensburg on Saturday to overtake them in the race for the final playoff spot in the PSAC East. The Golden Rams are 31-16 overall this season and have won seven of their last 10. On April 11, KU swept the Golden Rams at North Campus Field by scores of 4-0 and 4-2.

Probable Starting Lineups
Kutztown:
1. Kim Morrison – 2B
2. Maria Schiavo – LF
3. Steph Denlinger – 1B
4. Ashley Fitzgerald – CA/SS
5. Krista Cameron – 3B
6. Caitlin Hague – CA/DH
7. Krista Tedjeske – SS
8. Maggie Reifsnyder – RF
9. Kathy Gregg – CF
SPs: Kait Arbogast & Monica Glomb/Mary Hoch

Shippensburg:
1. Liz Good – RF
2. Sarah Stengle – LF/DH
3. Hope Cornell – SS
4. Lori Knopf – DH/1B
5. Lisamarie Ramagli – 1B/CA
6. Moira Johnson – 3B
7. Amanda Bardo – 2B
8. Jillian Mullan/Chelsea Carson – OF
9. Rachel Wedell – CA/3B
SPs: Lori Knopf & Danielle Shields

West Chester:
1. Tara Colantuono – CF
2. Stefani Kerbacher – RF
3. Jamie McComb – DH
4. Megan Harbaugh – 1B
5. Erin MacNamee – LF
6. Meghan Halberstadt – 3B
7. Alisha DiMarzio – CA
8. Kelsey Rapp/Jackie DiPaola – 2B
9. Kristin McCoy – SS
SPs: Ashley Saussaman & Shannon Padula

Scouting Report
The Golden Bears will look to the pitching trifecta of Kait Arbogast (18-6 1.66), Monica Glomb (10-4 2.02), and Mary Hoch (9-0 1.66) to keep them in games, while counting on the high-octane offense to power them to victories. Steph Denlinger (.366-12-46), Ashley Fitzgerald (.448-14-49), and Krista Cameron (.327-5-32) can all hit the ball out of the park at any given moment and they will need to provide that power this weekend. Kim Morrison (.259-3-16) struggled at the plate earlier this season, but has been better as of late and will continue to lead off. Maria Schiavo (.299-0-14) has seen her batting average dip as of late, but is an excellent sacrifice bunter and another threat to set the table with a big hit at any time. Krista Tedjeske (.237-2-16), Caitlin Hague (.292-1-12), and Maggie Reifsnyder (.278-4-10) have been taking turns hitting in the six through eight spots in the order and that trend will continue until one of the players hits on a consistent basis. Right now, the senior Hague has been the hot hitter and will likely stay in the six spot for now. Kathy Gregg (.306-6-21) could easily hit neat the top of the KU order and will provide a lot of offense out of the nine hole.

The Raiders are likely to turn to the pitching duo of Danielle Shields and Lori Knopf, who will each likely get a start on Friday. Shields (12-7 1.92) leads the pitching staff with 101 strikeouts and is allowing opposing hitters to bat just .216 against her. Knopf (8-7 2.46) has struck out 79 and opponents are batting .227 against her. Both are respectable pitchers, but neither has pitched well over the past few weeks.

Knopf (.371-4-32) also does it as the plate, leading the team in batting average and doubles (13). Hope Cornell (.345-7-36) leads the team in homers, RBIs, and runs (31). Courtney Steele (.323-6-19), Chelsea Carson (.277-0-5), Sarah Stengl (.265-0-18), Jillian Mullan (.265-0-6), and Rachelle Wedell (.262-0-11) are among the other regulars hitting above the .250 mark.

West Chester’s ace is that of Shannon Padula (23-8 1.95), who will see action in at least one of Saturday’s games. She has pitched 190 innings this season for WCU, 130 more than runner-up Ashley Saussaman (4-3 1.40). Brittany Rees (2-1 2.78) and Megan Graham (2-4 5.54) are other pitching options for the Golden Rams.

Megan Harbaugh (.417-7-37) is the team’s top hitter, leading the Rams in batting average, homers, and RBIs. Stefani Kerbacher (.340-0-9) leads the team with 41 runs scored and with 15 steals. Other top-hitting Golden Rams include Erin MacNamee (.392-1-28), Meghan Halberstad (.323-0-13), Tara Colantuono (.313-2-24), Jamie McComb (.310-0-33), and Katie Kmiencinski (.303-1-16).

Outlook
If Saturday evening rolls around and KU is not the PSAC East regular season champion, it will be a big disappointment. The Golden Bears dominated divisional play for the most part and a collapse this weekend would be heartbreaking. Normally, there would be no reason for concern, but it will be interesting to see how the ladies bounce back from losses in four of their last six games, including a 2-1 heartbreaker to Lock Haven and a 16-0 shellacking at the hands of LHU.

If the Golden Bears struggle again this weekend against two quality teams, they will have a tough time contending with anyone in the playoffs. It’s not very often that a team in any league at any level can back into the playoffs and contend. KU can take last week’s struggles and learn from them. They breezed through much of the season, but now they are getting a taste of what level they need to be at if they hope to compete at the regional, and maybe even, the national level.

We know the Golden Bears have the talent to win all four games this weekend, but with Shippensburg and West Chester battling it out for the last playoff spot, every game will count for them. They will be pulling out all the stops in order to squeeze a win out of KU. The ladies need to realize this and treat these games like a playoff tune up. A few big games this weekend in a playoff environment will do wonders come the playoffs in early May.

Rough week for KU softball

Ladies swept by Bloomsburg and Lock Haven, drop to 19th in Division II

Recap:
Tuesday, April 22 vs. #2 Lock Haven:
Game 1: L 1-2
They say history tends to repeat itself and game one certainly proved “them” right. Just like a season ago with a PSAC playoff game on the line, the Lady Eagles were down to their last strike before managing a comeback win over KU. This time it was LHU’s Britt Muthard blasting a two-out, two-strike Kait Arbogast pitch over the left center field fence to put the Lady Eagles ahead 2-1 in the top of the seventh. KU could not answer in the bottom of the inning and LHU held on for the 2-1 win in game one.

Loss aside, Arbogast had a stellar outing, allowing just two earned runs on six hits in a complete game effort. KU managed six hits against Kristin Erb, Division II’s top pitcher. Kim Morrison, Maria Schiavo, Ashley Fitzgerald, Caitlin Hague, Krista Tedjeske, and Kathy Gregg each had one hit. Schiavo had an RBI single that scored Maggie Reifsnyder.

Game 2: L 0-16
Three freshman pitchers combined to allow 16 runs, eight earned, on 16 hits in game two, as Lock Haven rocked KU 16-0 in five innings. Monica Glomb started the game, was replaced by Mary Hoch, re-entered the game, and then retired for the day in favor of Lauren Doering. The KU defense was not very helpful, committing five errors in the loss. KU had just one hit against Kristin Erb, a single in the fourth inning by Kim Morrison, which ended Erb’s bid for a perfect game.

What we liked:
If you’ve been following this rivalry since last May, this might make you laugh out loud, but I’m going to say it anyways: At least we know it’s possible for the Golden Bears to beat Lock Haven.

Last season, not only did KU beat Kristin Erb once, they also were one strike away from beating her twice. On Tuesday, the Golden Bears were, again, one strike away from beating her, before another last ditch effort resulted in a miracle win for the Lady Eagles. That couldn’t possibly happen a third time…could it?

The offense looked decent in game one, building scoring opportunities in almost every inning. Unfortunately, Erb got herself out of every jam except one—and that was partially due to an error by her right fielder. These teams are likely to meet again come playoff time and regardless of yesterday’s sweep, KU is more than capable of beating Erb and the Lady Eagles. They just need to catch a few breaks.

What we didn’t like:
I was extremely disappointed with the effort in game two. The Golden Bears came into the first game with a lot of enthusiasm and confidence, but after the late LHU win, KU came out sloppy in game two and never seemed to have a chance. Lock Haven jumped all over the young KU pitching staff for 16 runs including two grand slams.

Come the playoffs, not only will the freshmen pitchers need to be a lot better, the offense is going to have to find ways to manufacture runs against Erb. The offense was nowhere to be found and the defense was as flat as ever. Five errors in five innings is not going to cut it for a team that has hopes to compete on the national level.

If the sweep by Bloomsburg was your average, everyday wake up call, this sweep by Lock Haven should serve as a bucket of freezing cold water, a slap in the face, an 80 pound dog on the bed, or a trio of infants jumping on the bed screaming on Christmas morning. As the playoffs draw near, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.

Impact:
The new NFCA Division II rankings were released Wednesday morning, but did not include the results of the doubleheader with Lock Haven. Last week’s losses to Bloomsburg did cost KU, however, as they fell from 10^th to 19^th in the poll. Meanwhile, Lock Haven dropped one spot to third and Bloomsburg jumped back up to tenth.

The Golden Bears (17-3) have already clinched a playoff spot and are still in line to win the PSAC East, as they hold a two-game lead over Bloomsburg (15-5). KU has four games still to play—a set of doubleheaders at Shippensburg and West Chester this Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Golden Bears, now 40-10 overall this season, will then head to a PSAC West team’s campus (site yet to be determined) for the PSAC Tournament before competing in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals, which will likely be hosted by KU during the second weekend in May.

Senior Day Photos

Here are four photos taken by Tony Vazquez on Tuesday during the Senior Day festivities at North Campus Field.
(From top to bottom)
1. 2008 Team Photo
2. The Canadians. (L to R: Fitzgerald, Morrison, Cameron, Doering)
3. Senior DP/CA Caitlin Hague
4. Senior CF Kathy Gregg

KU swept by #2 Lady Eagles

Down to it's last strike in game one, Lock Haven's Britt Muthard hit a 2-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to beat KU 2-1. The letdown carried over to game two as the Lady Eagles, ranked second in the nation, pounded the 10th-ranked Golden Bears 16-0 in five innings.

Check back for a full recap tomorrow.