Jan. 14, 2002
WACO, Texas - With the first pitch of the 2002 season less than three weeks away, the Baylor softball team hit the field at Getterman Stadium here Monday for the first day of preseason drills. Baylor is coming off a 38-22 season in which the Lady Bears tied the school record for victories in a season.
"All the girls came back in great shape," second-year head coach Glenn Moore said. "They all made their mile-and-a-half times, which shows they took their off-season conditioning program seriously. There is an obvious commitment with this team, it is a dedicated team. Everyone has taken goal-setting seriously and it already shows. We have a lot of ground to cover in the next three weeks, but this was a good start."
Baylor returns three starters from last year's squad, including 2001 all-Big 12 Conference second baseman Stacey Hundley and 2000 all-Big 12 Conference outfielder Sarah Caudle. Also returning is Joni Miller, herself a 2001 all-conference selection, she set school records for wins (27), ERA (1.40) and saves (5) last season.
The Lady Bears welcome 10 new faces this season, including catcher Danelle Arnold and pitcher Katie Decker, a pair of transfers from Nebraska, and infielder Kelly Levesque, a transfer from Louisiana State.
On the injury front, Moore said the Lady Bears look to be in good shape. Hundley, who missed nearly the entire fall due to a broken finger in her right (throwing) hand, is fully recovered. Decker, who also missed much of the fall, continues rehabilitation from a pectoral muscle strain, but Moore said her arm looks to be in great shape considering the circumstances.
Arnold was the only Baylor player to miss the first day of practice. She is awaiting results from blood work with possible mononucleosis symptoms.
"The next few days will show us a lot," Moore said. "But for the first day of practice, I'm extremely happy. With the girls all returning in good shape, we are in a position to move forward."
Baylor will open the 2002 season Feb. 1-3, hosting the Getterman Classic presented by Compass Bank and Hilton. The Lady Bears will host Northwestern State, Texas-Arlington and Southern for the three-day, double-round-robin event. Baylor's first games will be Feb. 1 against Southern at 4 p.m. with a game against Northwestern State to follow.
