2006 Softball Preview: Bringing it All Together
1/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
After qualifying for consecutive NCAA Softball Championships and coming within a game of the Women's College World Series last season, this year's young and talented version of the Lady Bears hopes to make the leap in 2006 and become the fist Baylor softball team in program history to reach the ultimate goal.
Although Baylor loses six seniors and seven letter-winners from last year's squad that went 51-14, won the NCAA Auburn Regional and advanced to NCAA Super Regional, several top players return as the Lady Bears enter the 2006 campaign as one of the most talented, albeit inexperienced, teams in school history.
"This year's team might be the most special, from a talent standpoint, I have coached," head coach Glenn Moore said. "We have plenty of questions that will have to be answered since we lost a lot of experienced player; however, if this team can come together from a chemistry standpoint, this might be the most successful season in program history."
The leadership for the 2006 team will be provided by four returning seniors, including all-conference selections Tessa Lynam, Kelly Osburn and Harmony Schwethelm. In addition, all-conference selection Chelsi Lake, No. 1 pitcher Lisa Ferguson and junior Kylie Conroy also return for the 2006 season to give Baylor a talented corps of players to guide a group of six newcomers who will likely see a significant amount of playing time in their first season.
With several key position players returning from a squad that re-wrote the Baylor single-season record books, the outlook for the 2006 season is bright if the newcomers can adjust to the Baylor system.
"The biggest question heading into the season is how the newcomers will adjust from high school, club and junior college ball to top-level, collegiate softball," Moore said. "There is no question as to whether or not they have the talent to do so. It's just a question of whether or not they are prepared to make the leap."
It's a leap Moore believes the newcomers can make. Heading into the 2006 season, the goals remain the same for the Baylor softball program as the Lady Bears hope to feed off of the success of the past two seasons and take the next step and advance to the pinnacle of collegiate softball.
"I think this team believes it can do something special," Moore said. "The returning players realize how close they have come to reaching their goals the last two seasons and I do not think they will settle for anything less than a Big 12 Conference title and a berth in the Women's College World Series. I think their desire to reach that high-level will have a positive effect on the newcomers who have yet to experience postseason play."
In order to prepare for the upcoming season, Moore put the Lady Bears through a rigorous training program during the fall practice schedule; and, with Osburn and Ferguson sitting out the fall season while recovering from off-season surgery, the newcomers gained valuable experience that should help them adjust to the rigors of a collegiate schedule.
"The fall season was extremely important for us because it gave us the opportunity to give the newcomers some experience in our system," Moore said. "Every player made an effort to improve and I think it will show when the season gets underway."
In order to help the Lady Bears reach their potential in 2006, Moore has created the toughest schedule in school history and one of the toughest 2006 schedules in the nation. In addition to the Big 12 Conference slate, Baylor's non-conference schedule consists of several of the nation's elite program.
The 2006 schedule includes two teams that reached last year's Women's College World Series (Texas, Arizona), 23 games against team's that qualified for the 2005 NCAA Softball Championships and 10 games against opponents from the Pac-10 Conference, consistently one of the elite softball conferences in the nation.
"Without a doubt, the 2006 schedule is the toughest in school history," Moore said. "However, I think our team is ready to play this type of schedule and it will only help the team when it is time to start conference play. This type of schedule will help us prepare for the type of opponents we will face if the team wants to meet its goal of reaching the Women's College World Series.
PITCHER
The Baylor softball team will have a talented and experienced staff heading into the 2006 season as four of five pitchers return from a season ago. Although Baylor loses Cristin Vitek, who graduated last year after one of the most successful careers in school history, the Lady Bears return four pitchers who all had a hand in the successful 2005 season.
With a healthy amount of depth heading into the 2006 season, Moore will likely use a similar approach as he took during the 2005 season: stick with the hot hand and use certain pitchers in certain situations.
"We should have plenty of depth at pitcher this year," Moore said. "It is always good to have as many pitchers as possible because it allows us to look at a number of players to see who has the best stuff on any given day. Although we do not have a pitcher who will dominate teams day-in and day-out, we do have a staff that, if one of them has their best stuff, can shut down almost any line-up they face."
More often than not, the role of shutting down the elite competition the Lady Bears will face in 2006 will fall to the right arm of Ferguson, who returns for her junior season after leading Baylor with 20 wins and a 1.94 ERA as a sophomore.
Despite being plagued by the injury-bug as a sophomore and pitching in pain throughout the season, Ferguson managed to have one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2005. At the NCAA Auburn Regional, Ferguson tossed a complete-game shutout against Florida A&M to open the tournament and picked up the final two victories as Baylor claimed its first regional title in school history. After undergoing off-season surgery to correct the problem that plagued her throughout 2005, Ferguson is poised for a successful junior campaign.
"Lisa (Ferguson) will head into the season as our number one pitcher," Moore said. "The surgery in the off-season will only help her get stronger and we think she has a good chance of having the best season of her career."
Behind Ferguson on the pitching depth chart are three returning pitchers and a pair of newcomers who should provide an immediate impact. One newcomer who will see significant time in the circle is freshman Brittany Turner, a high school all-state selection from Fort Worth, Texas.
"Brittany (Turner) threw extremely well for us during the fall season," Moore said. "She is a hard-thrower who has tremendous up-side. Her learning curve is high and she will see a lot of innings for us this season."
Another newcomer who could potentially see a significant amount of innings is junior college transfer Ashley Monceaux. Although the right-handed hurler has not seen time in the circle for over a year, she was one of the most highly touted pitchers in the nation coming out of high school. If the junior right-hander can shake the rust off, Baylor might have one of its most talented pitchers in school history.
"Ashley (Monceaux) has great speed and great ball movement," Moore said. "She is an extremely talented pitcher who could prove to be one of our best pitchers on the team if she adjusts to returning back to the circle. She may be a year away from being a dominant force; however, we expect her to contribute immediately."
In addition to the pair of newcomers, Lynam returns for her senior season after a successful stint in the circle a year ago. While earning all-conference honors last season, Lynam was a solid pitcher for Baylor in 2005, posting an impressive 11-2 record while leading the team with a .206 batting average against. Just as in 2005, Lynam will likely see significant time in the circle for Baylor in 2006.
"Tessa (Lynam) did an outstanding job for us last season," Moore said. "She did not throw many innings in the fall; however, she will likely play an important role for the pitching staff in 2006."
Sophomore Nicole Jackson returns after serving as a spot-relief pitcher for Baylor as a freshman. A left-handed, change-up specialist, Jackson proved effective against left-handed hitters a year ago and pitched effectively in several key situations. For the 2005 season, Jackson posted a perfect 5-0 record while allowing only 14 earned runs on the year.
Senior Sarah Hausner rounds out the 2006 pitching staff as the right-hander returns after making nine appearances a year ago. In 17.2 innings of work in 2005, Hausner posted a perfect 2-0 record while allowing only seven earned runs all year.
"Sarah (Hausner) and Nicole (Jackson) will play similar types of roles as they did a year ago," Moore said. "Both pitchers worked extremely hard in the off-season and will likely see action in some key situations this season."
CATCHER
With the departure of last year's starter Melissa Huffhines to graduation and no back-up catcher from last year's squad returning, the position is one of the few question marks for Baylor heading into the 2006 season.
"As a coaching staff, we made the decision to not sign a catcher for the upcoming year," Moore said. "Instead, we decided to move Chelsi (Lake) into the position in hopes we can fill the void."
After an extremely successful season at the plate a season ago, Lake hopes to become a force behind the plate as well in 2006. Last season, Lake earned All-Big 12 Conference and NFCA All-Midwest Region honors after establishing new school records with 15 home runs and 65 RBI. The 65 RBI led the Big 12 Conference and her 1.0 RBI per game ranked 12th in the nation. Although Lake will certainly continue her success on the offensive side of the ball, it is how she handles the adjustment defensively that could determine the fortunes of the 2006 team.
"She improved every day defensively during the fall," Moore said. "She had a great fall season and has the potential to turn into a really good catcher. Playing catcher will help her stay in the game mentally, which should only improve how well she plays offensively. How she adjusts to the position will be one of the keys to our season."
In addition to Lake, Alex Colyer, a four-year all-district selection out of Stratford High School in Houston, Texas, will serve in a back-up role at the position throughout the season.
FIRST BASE
With Lake moving from first base to catcher, it allows Moore to keep two other big bats in the line-up on a regular basis. Lynam returns at the position for her senior season after earning NFCA All-Midwest Region honors while the addition of Monceaux gives Baylor two powerful offensive weapons at the position.
With the luxury of two experienced first baseman, Moore will likely choose on a game-by-game basis as to who will play first and who will serve as the designated player in order to keep both powerful hitters in the line-up.
"Tessa (Lynam) and Ashley (Monceaux) are both extremely proven hitters," Moore said. "In order to be successful, we have to keep them in the line-up. Tessa (Lynam) showed what a force she can be last year while Ashley (Monceaux) has the potential to be the best first baseman I have ever coached."
The numbers seem to prove Moore's point. Last season, Lynam ranked second on the team with 13 home runs and 54 RBI. She established a new school record with 19 doubles on the season as she earned ASA Softball National Player of the Week honors for her performance at the Crowne Plaza Classic.
Monceaux comes to Baylor after an outstanding career at Pima (Ariz.) Community College. A two-time junior college All-American, Monceaux helped lead Pima to the national title her freshman season and to the conference title her sophomore year. Originally recruited by Arizona out of high school, Monceaux hit a whopping .501 with 21 home runs, 92 RBI and 80 runs scored as a sophomore. While earning conference player of the year honors as a freshman, Monceaux hit .482 with 19 doubles and 79 RBI.
In addition to Monceaux and Lynam, the versatile Jordan Daniels returns for her sophomore season and will provide depth at the position for Baylor. Last season, Daniels saw action in 50 games, serving primarily as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement, and stole 10-of-11 bases on the year.
SECOND BASE
With all-conference selection Carrie Leerberg gone following graduation, second base might be the biggest question mark for Baylor heading into 2006. However, the return of Conroy should give Baylor some stability at the position.
Last season, Conroy occasionally filled in at the position for an injured Leerberg and managed to put up impressive numbers. In 57 games, Conroy ranked sixth on the team with a .330 average and stole 19-of-21 bases on the season. Conroy was one of six players to score at least 30 runs last year as the junior looks to earn a permanent spot in the Baylor line-up.
"Although second base is likely the biggest question mark heading into the season, we do have a couple of players who are capable at playing the position at a high level," Moore said. "Kylie (Conroy) did some good things for us last season and Lauren (Parker) has shown promise in the fall. One of those two will likely see a majority of time at second base."
Lauren Parker enters her freshman season at Baylor after an outstanding high school career. As a senior, she helped lead Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School to the 005 Texas TAPPS 5A state championship while earning all-state honors. She led the team with a .511 batting average while earning numerous accolades along the way.
SHORTSTOP
With the loss of three-year starter and all-conference selection Kim Wilmoth, the shortstop position is another one where Moore will shift players around from a year ago. Schwethelm, who earned NFCA All-America honors after a stellar junior year in center field, will start the season out at shortstop in 2006. The senior, who played the position as a freshman, will provide the key role of senior leadership for a revamped infield.
"We need Harmony's leadership in the infield," Moore said. "We have a completely new infield this year and a player with Harmony's ability can provide the stability we need defensively. She is a little unorthodox in her approach to the position; but, she should be extremely successful and should make the other players around her better."
Like Lake, who moves from first to catcher this season, the question mark for Schwethelm will not be on the offensive side of the ball. Last season, Schwethelm set a new single-season record at Baylor with 81 hits as she ranked second on the team with 54 runs scored. The senior provided valuable speed in the line-up as she recorded new school records in stolen bases and attempts, going 36-of-40 on the season.
Should Baylor need Schwethelm to return to her more familiar role in the outfield, Parker would likely move over from second base to shortstop.
THIRD BASE
Another position which lost a starter from a year ago is third base after Stephanie Pomes finished her eligibility last season. Freshman Brette Reagan steps into the position after a stand-out career at Tomball (Texas) High School. The highly-touted freshman should provide an immediate boost for the Baylor softball team in 2006.
"Brette (Reagan) is one of the best third basemen I have ever seen," Moore said. "She is extremely good right now and will only continue to get better. She covers a lot of ground and has an extremely strong arm. Brette (Reagan) is also an extremely talented hitter who will only get better as the season goes along."
Reagan, who was named the 2005 All State Player of the Year as a senior, posted a .400 average with nine home runs and 43 RBI while helping lead Tomball to a third-place finish at the state tournament. For her performance throughout the year, she earned NFCA All-South Region honors while being named the most valuable player by the Houston Chronicle.
OUTFIELD
Osburn, who underwent off-season surgery, returns for her senior season to lead a talented outfield into the 2006 campaign. Osburn, who will start the season in left field, will provide the senior leadership in the outfield after establishing a new school record with 59 runs scored last season. The all-conference and All-Big 12 Tournament selection enters the season at or near the top of several career charts as she looks to close out her career as one of the most decorated softball players in school history.
"Kelly (Osburn) worked extremely hard in the off-season after undergoing surgery," Moore said. "She will be the leader of the outfield and should have another outstanding year. Although she did not get recognized for it, she had an All-American type of year as a junior and I know she is extremely eager to return to form after suffering an injury last season."
With Schwethelm moving from center field to shortstop, junior college transfer Miriam Romero will assume the role of starting center fielder for Baylor this season. Romero, who played her junior college softball with Monceaux at Pima (Ariz.) CC, provides Baylor with a versatile speedster who excels defensively. Romero led the nation in stolen bases as a sophomore with 68 as she earned all-conference and all-region honors.
"Miriam (Romero) has as good of jump on the ball as any outfielder we have ever had," Moore said. "She has an average arm and is an extremely hard worker who should play an important role for the team over the next couple of years."
Daniels, who will also see time at first base, and Conroy, who will start the season at second base, will split time in right field for Baylor to round out the outfield.
Despite the revamped defensive line-up fans will see for Baylor in 2006, Moore believes the team will come together to potentially have the most successful season in program history.
"This may be the strongest offensive team I have ever coached," Moore said. "Although we will have to come together as a team defensively, I believe this team has the potential to do some great things. Although we might go through a learning process early, this team has the talent to become the best in school history."
