2009 Behrend Lions Softball Season Preview
Last season the Behrend Lions
softball team won its second AMCC championship in three years. The blue and
white earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the
second time en route to a 33-14 overall mark and 13-5 record in AMCC play.
Penn State Behrend returns the core of last year’s championship team. Eight
seniors will lead the Behrend Lions on the quest to become back-to-back AMCC
Champions. Along with the veteran group of upperclassmen are five additional
letterwinners and a strong group of incoming freshmen. “We thrive on the
competition created within the team and the challenges that lie ahead of
us,” said Coach Stacy Pondo.
Coach
Pondo begins her sixth season at the helm of the Behrend softball program.
Coach Pondo surpassed the 100 win mark a year ago to solidify her as the
all-time leader in softball coaching wins at Behrend. Last year’s team
fought its way through the conference tournament in New York to earn the
AMCC championship by posting a 6-1 record over the three day event. Good
offense and outstanding pitching was the keystone in the championship run.
The Behrend Lions led the AMCC in pitching with a team ERA of 2.41. The blue
and white limited opponents to 277 hits in 311.1 innings while striking out
258 batters. At the plate the blue and white combined for a .311 batting
average. Behrend was able to utilize its opportunities batting .560 with
runners on third and less than two outs. The blue and white tallied 259
RBIs, 69 doubles and nine homeruns.
The eight seniors look to leave Behrend as the winningest team in school
history. Katie Whitby (Tyrone/Tyrone) and Allison Babish
(Coraopolis/Montour) patrol the outfield. Both Whitby and Babish are strong
at the plate as well as on the field. Whitby was second in the AMCC in hits
with 57, contributed a batting average of .388, with eight doubles and two
homeruns while also throwing out two runners from the outfield. Babish hit
two homeruns a season ago to go along with her .321 batting average.
The infield is full of senior leadership with the solid combination of
Rachelle Lawrence (Warren Center/Northeast Bradford) and Nikki Kaschauer
(South Park/South Park) up the middle. Kaschauer led the team with a .405
batting average and 34 RBIs, while Lawrence was seven for seven in stolen
base attempts and batted .273 with nine doubles and two triples. Catcher
Lindsay Baughman (Warren/Warren), handles the pitching staff that includes
two senior pitchers, Julie Koman (McKees Rocks/Montour) and Laura Frischkorn
(Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls). Baughman is a solid defensive catcher that has
great vision behind the dish and a career fielding percentage above .990.
Koman
has been dominating for the Behrend Lions. She is the career leader in wins
as well as appearances, strike outs, and shutouts with 59, 579 and 22
respectively. Koman has been a first team All-AMCC selection in her first
three years at the collegiate level. A year ago she was 20-6 with a 1.61 ERA
that was tops in the AMCC. Koman’s ability to shut down the opposition has
been an instrumental part of the success over the years.
Frischkorn gives the blue and white depth at the pitching position as well
as at first base. Last year she went 7-3 in the circle for the Behrend
Lions. She limited opponents to a .246 batting average while striking out 54
hitters. At the plate Frischkorn batted .302 with 21 RBIs.
Rounding out the senior class is third baseman Cassie Miksic
(Pittsburgh/Seton-La Salle). Miksic is returning to the blue and white after
an injury last season. Miksic played in 24 games as a sophomore and will
look to make an impact with this strong senior class.
The sophomore class includes Lia Sorce (Glenshaw/Shaler), Maddie Wieser
(Erie/Strong Vincent), and Beth Papalia (Warren/Warren). Sorce played in 31
games as a freshman hitting .293 while driving in nine runners. Papalia
played in 28 games tallying 11 hits and nine RBIs.
Coach Pondo has brought in a large freshman class that includes infielders
Brittany Simpson (Port Matilda/Bald Eagle), Ashley Gruber (Burton,
OH/Berkshire), Brittany Rockey (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) and Amy Greene
(Erie/Strong Vincent). Five outfielders, Becca Lupo (Erie/McDowell), Nicole
Ganster (Trafford/Penn-Trafford), Kimmy Pol (Erie/Central), Stacey Peterson
(Meadville/Cochranton), and Kayla Miller (Springboro/Conneaut Valley) add
depth to the outfield position. Rounding out the freshman class is first
baseman/pitcher Emma Hahn (Smethport/Smethport).
The blue and white will begin their season in Clermont, Florida where they
will play ten games. League play will begin on March 25 when the Behrend
Lions travel to Medaille College. The blue and white will then play back to
back conference games at home on March 29 and 31 against Frostburg State and
Pitt-Bradford. “It looks to be a promising year,” said Coach Pondo. “With
the experienced upperclassmen and the new additions of the freshman class we
should make another run at the 2009 AMCC championship.” The AMCC Tournament
takes place on May 1-3 with the winner moving on to the NCAA Tournament.