2008 Wooster Softball Season Outlook

More Experienced Scots Aiming for Significant Improvements in 2008

The Scots will rely on the experience of senior Katelynn Caywood to lead them back to a spot in the NCAC Tournament in 2008.

Following a challenging 2007 campaign, in which The College of Wooster struggled to find its identity, a more experienced Fighting Scots’ softball team is ready to improve on its overall record (10-28) and make a push for a spot in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

The team’s main focus for 2008 will be to work hard day-in and day-out, and then reaching the postseason will take care of itself, according to ninth-year head coach Lori Schimmel. “Each and every year, there is always a great deal of parity in the conference where anybody can beat anybody on a given day, and if we bring ‘our’ game on every day, we can challenge teams in every contest throughout the season,” she said.

In order to be competitive and have the opportunity to make the conference postseason tournament, Schimmel is counting on three of her seniors. “I expect Katelynn Caywood, Molly Gaffney, and Kate Kiley to be our offensive leaders, and I hope all three will rise to the occasion and be leaders both with their bats and out in the field.”

At the plate, Wooster admittedly struggled last spring, pushing across just 2.8 runs per game, but Schimmel thinks her squad can establish a new swagger this year. Caywood, a senior first baseman and team tri-captain, has the potential to lead the way, following a junior season which saw her either lead the Scots or rate second in nearly every category – batting average (.302), runs scored (12), doubles (5), home runs (3), RBI (13), and slugging percentage (.448). Caywood’s three homers tied for third-most in the NCAC.

Gaffney has been one of Wooster’s top players each of her first three seasons with the program as the starting shortstop. A .289 career hitter with 16 doubles, 41 RBI, 32 walks, and a .359 on-base percentage, she’s on pace to set the school record for games played. Gaffney has been a defensive standout as well, compiling a .924 career fielding percentage at one of the most challenging positions.

In addition to Caywood and Gaffney, the infield has several other veterans. Battling it out for the second base position could be senior Ali Barone and sophomore Priscilla Staples. They split time throughout most of last year. Barone started in 25 of the 30 contests she appeared in, batting .205 with four runs, two doubles, and four RBI. Staples, also a member of the Scots’ basketball team, was a starter 18 times and she posted a .136 average, eight runs, three doubles, a homer, and four RBI.

Third base appears to be up for grabs, as a slew of candidates are vying for time there. Sophomore Rachel Gaines spent the most time at the hot corner last spring, starting 20 games while hitting .234 with four doubles, one home run, and five RBI. Freshman Caitlin Gaffney will be in the mix there as well as Barone, when she’s not at second base.

Kiley, one of the team’s fastest players, and two-time all-NCAC award winner Kim Skully will anchor the outfield. Kiley utilizes her speed to be a defensive force in centerfield where she was the primary starter last year as well as with the bat in her hands, as she produced a .286 average and seven stolen bases. Skully, a junior, spent the most time in left field of anybody on the squad and led Wooster in doubles (6) and total extra-base hits (8) while batting .244, including .323 against NCAC competition.

Another experienced outfielder is junior Courtney Joliat, while other possibilities include newcomers Natalie Worcester and Ashley Wells, who both joined the team this year as sophomores. Offensively, Joliat owns a .213 career average and is adept at moving over runners (16 sacrifice hits).

Joliat spent most of her playing time behind the plate last spring with 15 such starts, however, freshman Lauren Sargi has the potential to step in there, depending on how smooth her transition is from the high school to the collegiate game.

The Scots’ top-two pitchers return in sophomore Andrea Kelley and junior Katie Pifer, as they split starts throughout the 2007 season. Kelley, who could see action at first base, too, had a solid freshman campaign, tallying five wins, a 4.03 ERA, and 81 strikeouts (third-best in the NCAC) in 118.0 innings pitched. Pifer looks to build on her experience, which includes a 16-27 record, 4.29 ERA, and 104 strikeouts, during 267.2 career innings pitched.

Expected to take some of the load off of Kelley and Pifer are sophomores Katie Long and Worcester, along with freshman Ronni Wasmuth.