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Owls Softball; Well Armed for the Future
There isn't much Head Coach Charlie Beach hasn't experienced in his 23 years sitting in the Owls' dugout. But this season will be a first for the long-time Keene State coach who welcomes 10 newcomers, including nine freshmen, to his program.
With seven letter-winners and four starters back, the 2009 Keene State softball team will bear only a slight resemblance to last year's team that posted a 28-14 (8-6/4th LEC) and reached the championship round of the Little East and ECAC tournaments.
On one hand, Beach knows what he has in his veterans that include senior captains and All-LEC players Katie Allenson, Jenna Patnode, and Allie D'Amato. What he doesn't know is how his freshmen will react to playing college ball. "These are some very talented freshmen, but we don't know how they will respond to the pressure and expectations at this level," said Beach.
Some things won't change. Despite having a roster full of newcomers, Beach expects his players to be versatile and play multiple positions.
Allenson, named a preseason All-American by D3 Softball - The Newsletter after leading the Owls in home runs (9), RBIs (42), and hitting (.477 BA), will see playing time at third and behind the plate as well as have designated player duties. Patnode, who set school records for runs scored (51) and hits (64) in a season, will split time between center and the hot corner, while D'Amato will shuttle between center and left field.
Going around the diamond, red-shirt freshman Katie Bradford, who missed last season with a broken finger, will play both first base and shortstop. She will share the job with Courtney Savoie and Ashley Clark, a pair of freshmen pitchers, who will see time at first when they're not in the circle.
The freshman duo of Laura Chandler and Haley Botti will battle sophomore Jessie Williams for playing time at second base. Williams moves to the field after pitching last season.
Bradford and freshman Haley Chandler give Keene State a couple of solid fielder shortstops with good gloves and productive bats. If the opposition tends to play small-ball, look for Patnode at third. If not, Allenson or first-year Tiana Liu will cover the base.
Beach has plenty of options in the outfield. When she's not at third, Patnode will be patrolling center field. D'Amato will be the Owls' starting left fielder. She will move over to center when Patnode goes to third. Sophomore Ashley Annis and freshmen Lauren Baird and Elizabeth McNamara are all corner outfield candidates.
Allenson will share the catching duties with improving junior Stephanie Lavado and Annis.
A good deal of Keene State's success will fall on the shoulders of freshmen pitchers Samantha Pratt, Emily Albin, Clark, and Savoie. With the loss of Ashlee Nicholson, KSC's all-time leader in wins (53) and strikeouts (532), the foursome will be thrown right in the fire and asked to keep opposing LEC hitters at bay.
While pitching is a concern, KSC appears to have a formidable line-up that features power and speed.
Picked fourth in the LEC preseason poll, the jury is out on how the young Owls will fly in their first loop around the conference. While Keene State's senior captains will certainly need to lead by example, the newcomers will determine the team's fortunes this season. Youth will be served as several young Owl players venture out of the dugout for the first time. The ability of the team's freshmen players to come of age will determine the success of the flight.
