2010 Behrend Lions Softball Season Preview

Last season the Behrend Lions softball team won its second consecutive AMCC championship and their third in four years. The blue and white earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the third time en route to a 33-8 overall mark and an undefeated record of 18-0 in AMCC play. 

Penn State Behrend will have to replace some of the best players in the program's history in 2010.  A very young group of players will lead the Behrend Lions on the quest to return to the AMCC Championships and continue their dominant success.  The program will lack senior leadership as zero seniors return to the squad, but a young talented group of individuals will strive lead the team to their ultimate goal.  "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 seventh season at the helm of the Behrend softball program.  Coach Pondo surpassed the 100 win mark two years ago to solidify her as the all-time leader in softball coaching wins at Behrend with a total of 151.  Last year's team went unblemished through the regular season of the AMCC and it ended with an undefeated record.  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 1.91.  The blue and white limited opponents to 196 hits in 267.1 innings while striking out 251 batters.  At the plate the blue and white combined for a .349 batting average. Behrend was able to utilize its opportunities on the bases going 41-50 on stolen bases and producing an on-base percentage of over .400.  The blue and white also tallied 268 RBIs, 75 doubles and an outstanding mark of 20 homeruns while at the dish.

The eight seniors that left Behrend a year ago were the winningest class to ever come through the program.  Coach Pondo believes that this year's team is a young but determined team.  "We may be young but are determined to get back to the AMCC Championships.  Our focus is to learn how each team member works and reacts to different situations and to be fundamentally sound," said Coach Pondo.

The two juniors that the incoming freshman and current sophomores will be looking for to provide leadership are infielders Beth Papalia (Warren/Warren) and Maddie Wieser (Erie/Strong Vincent).  Papalia is a second basemen who got valuable experience and playing time a year ago, playing in 24 games and starting in 11 of them.  She is a team leader and a steady performer who will have a tremendous impact in the middle infield.  Papalia totaled 17 hits with a double and eight RBIs last season and will look to increase those numbers heading into the spring.  Wieser is another team leader that younger players will view as a role model.  Wieser saw action in 27 games in 2009 and started in 26 of them.  She went on to tally 21 RBIs and batted .269 while fielding at a clip of .992.  Wieser came up big against Ithaca College last year by driving in the winning run in a 5-4 Behrend victory. 

The sophomore class includes outfielders Nicole Ganster (Trafford/Penn Trafford), Stacey Peterson (Meadville/Cochranton), and Brittany Simpson (Port Matilda/Bald Eagle).  Ganster saw action in 23 games a year ago and batted .262 with 12 RBIs, while Peterson saw time in the outfield and in the circle for Coach Pondo.  The rest of the sophomore class includes infielders Ashley Gruber (Burton/Berkshire), and Kayla Miller (Springboro/Conneaut Valley).  Morgan Griffin (Springboro/Conneaut Valley) transfers in for her first year with the Behrend Lions.  At catcher is Amy Greene (Erie/Strong Vincent) and Emma Hahn (Smethport/Smethport) will once again be on the mound.  Gruber, Greene, and Hahn will be three sophomores to keep your eye on throughout the season.  They had an immediate impact on the team a year ago and will look to continue that success heading into the spring.  Gruber was third on the 2009 team with 29 RBIs and batted an impressive .351 in the process.  Hahn was a force on the mound and went 10-4 in her freshman season.  She recorded a miniscule ERA of 1.51 and had 91 strikeouts while limiting her opponents to a .136 batting average.  Greene may have had the best season out of anyone going on to be rewarded with the Newcomer of the Year award for the AMCC as well as ECAC Southern Rookie of the Year.  Greene was a force at the plate with a batting average of .409, 16 doubles and drove in 30 RBIs.  Coach Pondo is confident that the sophomore class will come up big for the team again this year.

Coach Pondo has brought in a large freshman class that includes infielders Beth Chidester (Wexford/North Allegheny), Mary DeMino (Wexford/North Allegheny), Jocelyn Dimpel (Wexford/North Allegheny), Marissa Lisanti (Pittsburgh/Shaler), Kalli Osborne (Ellwood City/Ellwood City,  Kessi Osborne (Ellwood City/Ellwood City), Laura Spiridon (Warren/Warren), and Jenna Yourish (Gibsonia/Deer Lakes).  Seeing time on the mound will be Julie Heinl (Pittsburgh/North Allegheny), and Leah Dietrich (Brookville/Brookville).  Rounding out the freshman class is Brooke Tarasovich (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) who will see time in the outfield as well as the mound.

The blue and white will begin their season in Clermont, Florida where they will play ten games.  League play will begin on March 27 when the Behrend Lions travel to Penn State Altoona.  The blue and white will end the AMCC regular season at home on April 27 and May 1 against D'Youville and Frostburg State.  "Our goal is to finish strong whether it is with an at-bat, fielding, throwing, pitching or catching," said Coach Pondo. "With a strong class of incoming players and experience of our returners, we should make another run at the crown."  The AMCC Tournament takes place on May 7-9 with the winner moving on to the NCAA Tournament.