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Tiger softball set to start season
2/11/2011
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
The Fort Hays State University softball team was picked third, right where coach Julie LeMaire figured, in the MIAA preseason poll.
"I was pleased with our preseason rankings," LeMaire said. "I thought 3 was where we should come out; 9 and 8 my previous two years."
Last season, Fort Hays finished 31-21 overall and 10-10 in the MIAA, good enough for third place.
The Tigers return four all-MIAA picks this season, which starts Saturday in Golden Colo., with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Colorado School of Mines. On Saturday, FHSU will be in Denver for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against 14th-ranked Metropolitan State College of Denver.
Last year, Fort Hays came away with a pair of wins in the season opener in the Denver area. Maddie Holub picked up a win, and at the plate homered twice and drove in seven runs in four games.
Holub, now a sophomore, will be one of two pitchers the Tigers will use this weekend. The other starter will be senior left-hander Kayla Rupa.
A right-hander, Holub was 14-10 with a 3.56 earned-run average last season. At the plate, Holub led the Tigers with a .384 batting average with nine homers and a team-high 52 RBIs.
"She had a great freshman year," LeMaire said.
Rupa, second-team all-MIAA as a pitcher, was 16-10 with a team-best 2.98 ERA. A right fielder when she doesn't pitch, Rupa batted ninth and hit .314, with four homers and 17 RBIs.
"She's like a second leadoff hitter," LeMaire said.
Holub, who played in the infield last year when she didn't pitch, will move to left field this season when Rupa pitches. Holub was second-team all-MIAA as a utility player last year.
"Maddie's just such an athlete, can move anywhere," LeMaire said.
LeMaire moved Holub so she can have more of a set infield.
"Trying to keep the infield a little more stable," LeMaire said.
Returning at catcher is sophomore Malinee Powell, who started all 52 games last year. Powell batted .314 with five homers and 34 RBIs.
"Malinee Powell will still be behind the plate for the majority of the time," LeMaire said. "She had a great freshman year for being thrown to the wolves."
Returning at first base is junior Adriana Wortley, a second-team all-MIAA pick who started every game in 2010. Last year, Wortley hit .324 with a team-high 12 home runs and had 42 RBIs. Wortley has a sore shoulder and won't be able to play in the field this weekend, but she will be able to hit. Junior Christine Moses, who hit .225 and played third last year, will be at first base this weekend.
Battling for playing time at second base is sophomore Britney Workman and newcomer Taylor Nelson, a junior transfer from Johnson County Community College. Workman started 45 games last season and batted .216 with one homer and 12 RBIs.
A pair of newcomers will start on the left side of the infield. Erin Dyok, a junior transfer, will be at third base, and sophomore Danie Brinkmann will play shortstop.
Dyok hit .315 with two homers and 20 RBIs at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M last season. Brinkmann played sparingly for NCAA Division I Creighton University.
"Defensively, a huge impact right from the get-go," LeMaire said of Brinkmann. "Not your typical body type for a shortstop, should have a ton of range."
Sophomore Tia Irwin, sophomore Brittany Schieferecke or Dyok could start in one of the corner outfield spots when Holub and Rupa take turns pitching.
Irwin is a transfer from Northwest Florida State College, while Schieferecke saw limited action for the Tigers last year.
"Looking at who can give us the most offensive output," LeMaire said.
Returning in center field field will be senior Sara Tani, the team's leadoff hitter who was honorable mention all-MIAA last year. Tani started every game and hit .330. She was first-team all-conference as a sophomore.
"Tani's been great at leadoff the last couple years," LeMaire said. "Each year, she's stepped up her role a little bit."
Fort Hays' home opener will be March 25, against University of Nebraska-Omaha.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |