You have to figure your softball program is in great shape when
you fail to win the conference title and still earn an NCAA
Division III tournament bid.
The Pitt-Bradford Lady Panthers saw their three-year Allegheny
Mountain Collegiate Conference championship streak terminated in
2006, but a school-record 35-9 campaign sent Tina Phillips’ squad
to their second straight NCAA playoff appearance.
“That (NCAA bid) says a lot for us and also having a regional
ranking helped,” said Phillips, who commences her fourth year
(89-31-1) at Pitt-Bradford. “It did bother us in the AMCC
tournament to see another team celebrate. We have a lot of pride
and we didn’t take that very well. We just didn’t play well that
day.”
One of the 2007 goals is another NCAA berth as the Lady Panthers
return an impressive core of eight players to accomplish the
feat.
“We have a very strong outfield with Jamie Keane, Catrina
Retterer and Michele Kushner,” Phillips noted. “We have a strong
pitcher in Kristy Zavinski and defensively one of the best players
in the conference in LeeAnn Kramer at second base.”
Zavinski, who is a senior right-hander from Warren, is the ace
of the staff and was a Second Team all-AMCC hurler last season.
Zavinski was third in the AMCC in wins at 18-5 and was second in
ERA at 1.43. Zavinski also led the Lady Panthers in hitting last
year with a .357 average.
Freshman right-hander Jillian Kreitzer of Horseheads, N.Y., and
freshman southpaw Jessica Stein of Pittsburgh are the backups.
“Kristy (Zavinski) is still looking very strong and her back –
knock on wood – is healthy,” Phillips declared. “She is the
all-time wins leader (43-14) here and the defense loves to play
behind her. She will lead us.
“My two freshmen have a lot of travel ball experience,” Phillips
continued. “It will be nothing they haven’t seen before in the
quality lineups we will face. They are ready to play at this
level.”
Receiving the trio will be freshman catcher Andrea Degenhart
from Bellbrook, Ohio. Junior Tiffany Washington (.283) of York, who
will also be the designated player on occasion, and Kushner will
back up Degenhart.
“The pitchers really like her (Degenhart) and she has a strong
arm,” Phillips boasted. “Not too many people are going to run on
her.”
Junior Nicole Ewings (.273) of Olean, N.Y., is the starting
first baseman and Kramer, who is a sophomore from Perkasie, returns
at second. Kramer hit .287 with 25 RBIs and had a .964 fielding
percentage last year.
“Nicole Ewings is a good defensive first baseman,” Phillips
stated. “LeeAnn (Kramer) is the only returning infielder and I
think she is going to have a breakout year. She has great hands,
and I expect her to step up and anchor this infield.”
Phillips will start two freshmen on the left side of the diamond
in Megan Clyde of Falls Creek (DuBois High School) at shortstop and
Tori Sanchez of Aurora, Ohio, at third base.
“Megan Clyde has a great arm and we’re looking to increase her
range,” Phillips offered. “She’s coming along and will get us some
outs. We had a lot of errors at shortstop last year and hopefully
we’ve solidified that spot. Tori Sanchez has a strong arm and is
not afraid to play the hot corner.”
The outfield has the most experience with senior Keane of
Bradford in left, senior Retterer of Clarendon (Sheffield High
School) in center and sophomore Kushner of McKees Rocks in right.
Keane hit .327 with three home runs and 11 RBIs, Retterer was First
Team all-AMCC at .341 and 24 RBIs, and Kushner was also selected to
the First Team after stroking .333 with 31 RBIs a year ago.
The reserve outfielders are senior Nicole Fries (.261) of
Dunshore, and freshmen Natalie Wilson of McMurray and Elizabeth
Courson of New Castle.
“I don’t expect too many balls to drop out there in the
outfield,” Phillips said. “That’s where our speed is and it puts us
at ease. Defensively this is the best team we’ve had since I’ve
been here. The only thing that scares me – we are so young in the
infield. We’ve been in the gym so it’s hard to tell how they will
perform.”
The Lady Panthers open their slate on March 4 with 10 games in
the Orange County Tournament in Southern California, including
match ups with 13th-ranked Chapman University and 14th-ranked
Gustavus Adolphus University.
“Our non-conference schedule is great,” Phillips noted. “In
California we play two ranked teams and two NAIA ranked teams in
the first week. The California trip will definitely prepare us for
the season. We also added St. John Fisher, Westminster and Juniata
later in the season.”
In the league the Lady Panthers will have to contend with
defending champion Penn State Behrend (34-10) and its ace sophomore
pitcher Julie Koman (20-5, 0.99 ERA), who was Freshman of the Year
and Player of the Year in the AMCC last season.
“I think we’re one of the top two teams,” Phillips stated. “We
have a strong pitching staff and have to come with the defense
every game. We don’t have a lot of team speed, so we have to take
advantage of our opportunities and produce runs when we can.
“I’m excited about this team,” Phillips added. “We got a taste
of the NCAA’s last year and that’s our goal from day one. We don’t
have a lot of depth, so we have to stay healthy. My freshmen can’t
be freshmen for very long and we have to come out and play hard
every game.”
Phillips will be assisted by Crystal Wilczewski and Julie
Galbraith.
“They (assistant coaches) help me out and are a nice addition to
the team,” Phillips concluded. “When I have to be the bully, they
take the edge off a little bit.”
