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Season Preview |
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2009 Softball Season Preview
The Point Loma Nazarene softball team is geared up for another exciting season in 2009. The Sea Lions garnered the most votes to finish atop the Golden State Athletic Conference standings and are the NAIA preseason No. 2-ranked team. These accolades are due in part to the years of success that the program has enjoyed. PLNU softball has reached the NAIA National Tournament for eight straight seasons with four top-three finishes. In 2008, the Sea Lions reached No. 2 in the rankings, placed third at nationals and five players were selected as NAIA All-Americans.
The good news is that three of those honorees return in 2009 and the Sea Lions are the only team in the nation to return a pair of All-American pitchers: senior Melissa Gomez (1st team) and junior Tyler Lent (2nd team). Also coming back is second baseman, senior Kayla Luttmers, an honorable mention pick. Coaches Dave Williams and Cheryl Schaefer will also be able to count on a few other proven returnees. Among those are third baseman Jill Schaefer (JR) and outfielder Samantha Hall (JR).
That’s the good news. The bad news is that two All-Americans: Amanda Addie (1st team) and Paige Powell (2nd team), the team’s top two run producers and stolen base leaders, graduated. Another four starters, including former All-American catcher Allie Boeckelman, have also moved on. Gone is the entire starting outfield who were the top three batters in the lineup.
The Sea Lions have a core of underclassmen and a fresh crop of newcomers that are looking to fill the shoes of the departed stars. The catching position is between sophomore slugger Taran Lent (SO) and freshman Alexandra Wilkinson (Carlsbad HS). The leading candidates for the outfield are Hall, sophomore returner Tina Keys and junior transfers Jenel Guadagno (Cerritos JC) and Jessica Amador (Long Beach City College). Sophomore Trisha Sappington (Paradise Valley College) starts the year in a reserve role.
Penciled in to be at the top of the Sea Lion batting order are Amador, Hall, Luttmers and Guadagno. Gomez, Tyler Lent, Schaefer and freshman shortstop Jessica Tieszen (Langley Christian HS) will make up the heart of the PLNU lineup. Junior Tracy Dean (UC Davis) has a chance to win the first baseman job.
Coach Williams is keeping his options open, however, meaning that players will start based on their production at the plate and in the field.
“We lost our two top run scorers (Addie and Powell),” he said. “Our focus is on our pitching and defense. We will still put runs on the board, but I believe our emphasis this year has to be perfect defense.”
Williams has little to be concerned about when it comes to his pitchers. Aces Gomez and Tyler Lent anchor a deep and talented staff but PLNU has three other strong hurlers who will have opportunities to relieve and spot start: Katie Nagler (SO), Kira Wommer (JR) and Cassie Monahan (FR). When they aren’t in the circle, Gomez and Monahan might also see time at first base.
As always, the Sea Lions face a huge obstacle: teams in their own division. Preseason No. 3 California Baptist, last year’s top-ranked squad, has claimed the last four GSAC crowns and should be motivated by starting off this season in an unaccustomed underdog role. No. 20 Biola handed PLNU a loss last season while both Vanguard and Concordia are just two years removed from being national tournament participants. Azusa Pacific and Hope International have steadily improved and, as the rest of the GSAC, are capable of knocking off any team.
The Sea Lions open the year on February 3 with a home twinbill against Cal State San Bernardino. Three more non-conference tilts at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park follow against Cal State San Marcos, Chapman and Academy of Art. On February 24, the Green and Gold head to La Mirada for the first of 24 GSAC games. PLNU then plays four non-conference teams at the Tucson Invitational and return to take on Bethany before hosting GSAC rivals Vanguard.
Contests versus Dominican and Hope International precede a showdown in Riverside against California Baptist. North Dakota pays Point Loma a visit on March 16, a day before the Sea Lions play Rio Grande and Holy Names in Orange as part of the Sunwest Tournament. Four more home double headers are next on the schedule including GSAC foes Concordia, Azusa Pacific, Biola and non-conference Cal State East Bay.
The remainder of PLNU’s regular season is grueling. The Sea Lions play 12 of their last 14 games on the road (Vanguard, La Verne, CSU San Marcos, Concordia and Azusa Pacific). The exception is the final home game on April 7 against California Baptist.
Playoffs will have a different format this season. Gone are the regional playoffs. In their place are 22 conference tournaments with the winners earning automatic berths to the expanded 32-team NAIA National Championships. Up to three other berths are awarded to independents/ unaffiliated teams with the remaining seven or eight at-large slots to be filled according to rankings.
The GSAC tournament features six teams and starts on April 28. Nationals in Decatur, Alabama, begin on May 14. Thirty two teams compete in eight, four-team pools. The winner of each pool advances into an eight-team, double-elimination championship bracket.
“Our first goal is the same every year – win the GSAC,” said Williams. “Anything less will be a major disappointment. We also aim for a .300 plus team batting average, .960 plus team fielding percentage and a sub 1.0 team ERA. But our number goal is a national championship. We don't have the most talented team, so we will have to outwork everyone in the country.”
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