ACU hungry for first LSC title

ABILENE -- Looking to build off the success of 2009 (team record 43 wins and back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances) the 2010 Wildcat softball team is ready for the challenge of continuing the winning tradition brought to the diamond by seventh-year head coach Chantiel Wilson.

Recent success built on hard work has the Wildcats hungry for more after winning the Lone Star Conference South Division last season and reaching the NCAA South Central Regional tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

While several familiar faces appear in the Wildcat lineup there will be some new faces to replace spots left by five all-Lone Star Conference performers, including all-America catcher Jessica Shiery. On paper the Wildcats might look like a team in transition, but they do return a solid core of eight players who saw action in 2009.

"We will miss Jessica (NCAA Division II leader in walks), but I think we will have more consistent power throughout the lineup from top to bottom," Wilson said. "We have four great seniors who have done a great job so far and understand how much is expected of them not just on the field, but in a leadership role."

To help Wilson with that leadership is a solid group of seniors including all-LSC third baseman Nancy Sawyers, outfielders Jenny Kulp, Caitlin Nabors and utility Genevie Ramirez. The Wildcats also return six current players who saw action during the 2009 season and played a role in their run to the LSC South title and NCAA regional berth.

THE BATTERY
Junior Jacque Gregoire was an all-LSC pitcher last season and will return to the circle as the Wildcats' ace. Gregoire led the team in wins (22) and innings pitched (194) as she established herself as a top pitcher in the LSC. She finished the spring strong as she recorded the lone win at the NCAA regional over Missouri Western.

Gregoire will team with junior transfer Stephanie Tingle at catcher as Tingle steps in to replace Shiery at the backstop position and will bring a new look from behind the plate. Tingle comes from Mount San Antonio College where she helped the Mounties to a California Junior College state title and is a slap-hitter who can hit for power.

Also finding time in the circle will be junior Kim White who went 5-1 in her second season with ACU. White made appearances in 15 games last season striking out 30 batters in only 49 innings of work. She will most likely see time as the Wildcats' No. 2 or No. 3 starter, splitting time with two newcomers.

Transfer Brittany Rexroat will challenge White for the No. 2 spot as she brings big-game pitching experience to the Wildcats. Rexroat comes from Phoenix Community College where she was 18-1 as a freshman helping the Lady Bears to their fifth consecutive NJCAA national championship and a runner-up finish in her sophomore season. In two seasons Rexroat tallied 187 strikeouts averaging 1.6 walks per seven innings.

Another newcomer who will see time in the circle is freshman Shelby Hall. Hall comes from Red Oak High School where she was a four-year starter and two-time all-district pitcher.

THE?INFIELD
The Wildcats will have a new look in the infield where they must replace three of four starters. However, the lone returning starter is a good one in Sawyers, who returns for her senior season. Sawyers became a full-time starter at the hot corner in her third season at ACU and she was third on the team with a .333 batting average. She finished second on the team in all power categories with 10 home runs, 41 RBI, and 101 total bases. Sawyers brings a big bat to the middle of the Wildcat lineup and will be looked upon to continue that type of production in 2010.

"Nancy brings experience to the team, but more importantly she is a leader on the field. She plays the game the right way and brings the right attitude and focus to the park on a daily basis and she realizes that what is expected of her without telling her," said Wilson.

Although two new faces appear up the middle for ACU the tandem comes well prepared. Transfers Andi Anti and Shawna Barrow come to ACU after two successful seasons playing together at Palomar Junior College. Not only did the pair create a great double-play duo, they finished first and second in batting average with Barrow leading the way at .475 and Anti close behind at .430. Anti led the Comets in home runs with six while Barrow will add some speed to the Wildcats as she was the team leader with 19 stolen bases in 2009.

A trio of new faces may see time at first base as transfer Candice Miller and Abilene Wylie product Brianna Fowlkes enter the season as the leading candidates. Fowlkes saw action in 22 games as a freshman and was productive in 35 at-bats with a .229 average. Miller comes from Antelope Valley College in California where she was an all-America and all-state athlete at both corner infield positions. Adding to the competition is freshman Tori Hoffman from B.C. High in Bakersfield, Calif. Hoffman will add depth to both corner infield spots and will primarily back up Sawyers at third.

Also in the mix is senior Genevie Ramirez. She will see action primarily at the middle infield positions and can play all three spots in the outfield. Ramirez scored 12 runs last season seeing time as a pinch runner and should see increased duties on the diamond in a number of different spot. Another utility player who could see action at the DP as well as the infield and outfield is transfer Ashley Peterson. Peterson comes to ACU from the College of San Mateo where she led the Bulldogs in batting average each of her two seasons, including a .489 clip her sophomore season. Her 38 RBI were second best for San Mateo as she will be looked to help add power to the ACU lineup.

"We have a good group of returning players and transfers who have put in the work to become good hitters. We will obviously miss the offensive production left by Shiery, but we should have more power throughout our lineup. A good combination of slap hitters and power hitters should make for some tough outs," said Wilson.

THE OUTFIELD
A key piece to the Wildcats will be their outfield where they return the most experience with seniors Jenny Kulp and Caitlin Nabors patrolling the outfield. Kulp, who was a first-year Wildcat last season, earned 47starts in the outfield hitting .261 and driving in 27 runs. Roaming the outfield with Kulp will be Nabors, who started in all but one game in center field for ACU last season. Nabors will add speed to the Wildcat lineup as she hit .307 and tied for the team lead with seven stolen bases.

Also returning is junior Erin Fudge, who will battle for an outfield spot after seeing action in 26 games last season. Fudge will also add speed to the Wildcat lineup as she was a perfect 4-4 on the base paths. Two newcomers to ACU will help add competition to the outfield positions; transfers Melissa Mendoza, Peterson and freshmen Amy Bransford.

Mendoza, who was a teammate of Tingle's at Mount San Antonio College, will be another power bat in the ACU lineup. She helped the Mounties to a California state title as she hit four home runs in the playoffs, including a game-winning walk-off shot in the championship game earning her tournament MVP honors. Bransford comes from Clear Brook High School where she was a four-year starter and will add depth to the outfield.

THE SCHEDULE
The 2010 schedule for the Wildcats offers tough competition as they open the season for the fifth consecutive season at the St. Mary's Tournament in San Antonio. Always a tough field, ACU will open with UT-Permian Basin and on the final day play LSC foe and North Division Champion Southeastern Oklahoma State. Also during February the Wildcats will again play host the CBS Insurance Classic again with a strong field including Southeastern, Cameron University, and MIAA opponent Emporia State.

Highlighted in the conference season the Wildcats open LSC play in Kingsville with a four game set before returning home. ACU opens April with perennial national power and NCAA National Semifinalist Angelo State visits Polly Wells Field for a three game series. The Wildcats will end the regular season on the road in Canyon in a two game set with West Texas A&M.

And for the first time since 2005 the LSC post-season tournament has been moved to a neutral site in Seguin, Texas. The tournament will resume its original format with the top four teams from the North and South Divisions qualifying for the LSC Championships.

After finishing second in the South and winning the LSC tournament Angelo State was picked as the South Division favorite with 14 of the 20 first place votes and is No. 19 in the NFCA Pre-season poll. The Wildcats, who are the highest ranked LSC team in the NFCA poll at No. 17, finished right behind the Rambelles with five first place votes. West Texas A&M follows the group at No. 22 in the NFCA Poll and third in the LSC pre-season rankings earning their first LSC tournament bid in program history. Rounding out the South is Tarleton State in fourth with A&M-Kingsville, Texas Woman's and Eastern New Mexico picked to finish seventh.

The North Division is headed by Midwestern State who has claimed three North Division titles and is receiving votes in the NFCA Pre-Season poll. Last year's North Division Champion, Southeastern Oklahoma collected six first-place votes while Central Oklahoma was picked to finish third. Cameron was picked to finish fourth, followed by Northeastern and Southwestern Oklahoma with East Central picked to finish in the final seventh spot.

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ACU hungry for first LSC title

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