University of Massachusets Athletics
Softball 2010 Season Preview
February 10, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 10, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass Softball tradition, along with the respect and responsibility that goes with it, now passes to the 2010 edition of the Minutewomen. Despite the program's long track record of excellence, 2009 was one of the most successful seasons in the program's history, and the 2010 squad will be looking to build upon that.
This season's team will look different from the squad that took the field last spring. Elaine Sortino, in her 31st season as head coach at UMass, will be replacing one of the best pitchers in NCAA history in Brandice Balschmiter, as well as four other graduated seniors, including career RBI-leader Whitney Mollica and season home run-champ Samantha Salato.
UMass does return a very experienced at decorated core of veterans. Leading that group is senior centerfielder and 2009 All-American Carly Normandin. The reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year will serve as team co-captain along with fellow senior and two-time All-Conference first baseman Sarah Reeves. Other returning starters from a season ago are senior catcher Jessica Serio, senior shortstop Whitney Williams, senior outfielder Michelle Libby, and sophomore second baseman Kyllie Magill.
Sortino also brings in a strong freshman class that could contribute immediately. Three true freshman: infielder Christine Della Vecchia, outfielder Cyndil Matthew, and infielder Teea Rogers, along with redshirt freshman infielder Tawny Palmieri have all looked strong in the fall and preseason.
The Battery
Replacing Balschmiter is objective No. 1 for UMass in 2010, and the duo of senior Bailey Sanders and Sara Plourde look up to the task. The pair have shown steady improvement over the off-season and provide differing styles that complement each other well.
Sanders comes into her senior year with the most experience of the two, making 52 appearances and amassing a 22-12 record with two saves. The 6-2 righty has held opposing batters to a .206 batting average.
Plourde burst onto the scene in 2009 with a 6-1 record, 1.83 ERA, and 67 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings. The 5-9 righthander tossed a no-hitter at Dayton in just her second career start, after fanning 13 and allowing just two hits in her first career start.
Sure to play a major role in the development and success of the pitching staff will be Serio behind the plate. A starter her first three years in a UMass uniform, she has demonstrated the ability to handle the pitcher and play great defense at the catcher position, all while improving her performance at the plate. She set a new career high with six home runs in 2009 and saved her best for the postseason, being named A-10 All-Championship Team.
Serio will begin 2010 recovering from a shoulder injury, but Sortino expects not to miss a beat with junior Meghan Carta and redshirt sophomore Stephanie Mayne filling in. Carta made seven starts behind the dish in 2009, not committing an error in 87 chances. Both Carta and Mayne also provide formidable offense from the catcher position as well.
The Infield
The infield looks to be a strength of this team heading into the season. The Minutewomen return three of four starters, Reeves, Magill, and Williams. At third base, Sortino will replace four-year starter Mollica with the rookie duo of Rogers and Palmieri. Both provide excellent gloves at the hot corner with accurate arms. Offensively, both have shown great improvement and promise as they wait to see their first collegiate at-bats.
Reeves, with 10 home runs each of the last two seasons along with All-Conference honors both years, will be leaned on for much of the run production in the middle of the lineup. Pushing her at first base and likely to see many of the plate appearances at designated hitter is junior Audrey Boutin. The lefty batter came on strong late in the season in 2009, batting .323 with a .475 on-base percentage over the last 15 games.
Magill impressed at second base as a freshman, batting .315 and being named A-10 All-Conference and All-Rookie. Sortino is looking for even better performance at the plate from her in 2010, while saying her defense has improved as well.
Williams has been a mainstay at shortstop over the last three seasons, starting her entire career and being named All-Conference three times. She will be looked to for leadership on the infield in 2010 while still providing range and a strong arm. At the plate she was the toughest Minutewoman to get out in 2009 with a .454 on-base percentage.
Della Vecchia will provide depth on the middle infield. The freshman impressed the coaching staff in the fall with her incredible range in the field and reliable arm. With some of the best speed on the team, she could also develop into a weapon on the basepaths.
The Outfield
Normandin remains the heart and soul of the outfield, providing some of the best defense in the country in center field, all while being one of the nation's biggest threats at the plate. Named to the USA Softball Preseason Player of the Year Watch List, the All-American will be looking to follow up her season of a .403 average, 10 home runs, 53 runs, and 21 steals, with even bigger numbers in 2010.
Normandin will have two new starters on each side of her in 2010 after the graduation of leftfielder Salato (UMass record 19 home runs in '09) and rightfielder Davina Hernandez, an exceptional defensive outfielder. Senior Libby looks sure to take over one of the spots, likely in left. She makes the move to the outfield, where her versatility and strong arm make her a natural fit after serving mostly as a designated player and corner infielder in 2009 when she broke out by hitting .312.
Senior Jill Andrews saw action in 30 games last season, starting in the outfield in seven. She provides experience, solid defense and base-running. Also vying for the other starting outfield spot is a group of talented young players. Sophomore Katie Bettencourt has shown the potential to become a major threat at the plate, highlighted by a pinch-hit in extra innings of the NCAA Regional final against Washington. Sophomores Stephanie Mix and Jordan Storro saw extensive action as pinch-runners in 2009, but had limited opportunities in the field. Both show growth with a year in the program under their belts. Rounding out the outfield group and perhaps one that might make a name for herself quickly is freshman Matthew. The left-handed batter provides some of the best speed UMass has ever seen and could wreak havoc as a slapper and base-runner.
The Schedule
As always, UMass will face an extremely challenging out-of-conference schedule that pits it against some of the nation's elite. Eight games (seven teams) will come against NCAA Tournament teams from 2009, including one Women's College World Series team (Missouri).
UMass will play two teams ranked in the NFCA preseason top 25 this season, #9 Missouri on Feb. 27 and #24 Louisiana on Feb. 28. It will also play four teams that received votes in the poll: Southern Illinois on Feb. 13, Mississippi State on Feb. 26, San Diego State on March 18, and Texas A&M on March 20.
After its four early season tournaments (in Miami, Columbus, Ga., Clearwater, Fla., and San Diego), UMass returns north to once again begin its quest for another A-10 championship. Besides it's A-10 schedule, the Minutewomen will also face tradional regional non-conference rivals such as UConn, Boston College, and Boston University.
UMass hosts 16 games at the UMass Softball Complex, beginning with the home-opening doubleheader on March 30 vs. Dartmouth. The Minutewomen close the regular season on a 10-game homestand from April 27 to May 9.
The Minutewomen will remain home as they host the Atlantic 10 Championship at the UMass Softball Complex on May 12-15.
Outlook
The 2010 UMass team will undoubtedly have a different look than the UMass teams of the last few years. While the Minutewomen still possess a great deal of long-ball and gap power, and expect to receive great pitching, Sortino expects this season's squad to use its increased speed to its advantage and become a more diversified attack. Sortino also believes that this team has the potential to be one of the best defensive teams in the program's history.
With an impressive core of returning players and plenty of new faces looking to establish themselves as contributors, this season's edition of UMass softball promises to be an intriguing and exciting team that will keep the Minutewomen tradition alive as they try to take it to new levels.
