2011 Softball Season Preview

The Penn State Behrend softball team is returning nine players from last year's squad which finished 17-21 and 8-12 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) play. This year, the Lions are young but have reason to believe they have what it takes to return to the AMCC championships which they last won in 2009.

Head coach Stacy Pondo, a three-time AMCC Coach of the Year, is entering her eighth season behind the Lions attack. Under Pondo, Behrend has won three AMCC Championships including two back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009, and has ventured to the NCAA tournament in each of those three years. Pondo hopes to build upon this success in 2011.

Directing this year's 2011 softball team from the field will be junior co-captains Morgan Griffin and Ashley Gruber. With a roster absent of seniors, these women will look to guide the program for the upcoming season. Gruber, who was named to the 2010 all-conference team, started all but one game a year ago and leads the returning players in RBIs with 20. Griffin, who will line up behind the plate and at second base, is an all-around player. In 2010, she batted a .305 and committed no errors in 32 games.

"Ashley and Griffin bring a type of poise that this year's team needs," said Pondo. The remaining juniors are Amy Greene and Kayla Miller. Greene, an offensive powerhouse, led the Lions with a .384 batting average and in hits (33) a year ago. Miller has worked hard in the off-season and will look to push for more time in the outfield in her third season.

The sophomore class has to step up and play a much larger role this year after taking 2010 as a learning experience. "I am really excited about the maturity of this year's sophomore class," said Pondo. "As freshmen they had an immediate impact on the team and played great under pressure." Juile Heinl is a tested pitcher and will carry a bulk of the load from the hill. Kessi Osborne and Laura Spiridon will play the middle infield positions and look to make contributions from the plate. A year ago, Osborne was third on the team in batting average (.317) and will continue to make positive offensive strides. Marissa Lisanti is a multi-positional player that adds consistency and depth to the program, while Yourish will provide energy to the squad playing the corner.

There are seven players making debuts in the Behrend lineup. The three to watch out for will be Sydney Sherrieb, Chelsi Riordan and Kelsey Fuller. Fuller has numerous accolades coming out of high school and will bring her athleticism to the mound and the middle infield. Sherreib and Rioridan are also talented young players who will push for time in the outfield. Both women have the skills needed to be successful at the collegiate level. Samantha Grismore, Kayla Frawley, Kourtney Walsh and Chloe Vernon are the remaining freshmen that will battle for time in the lineup.

"We are a young but determined team," said Pondo. "We want to continue our winning traditions by getting better each day."

Coach Pondo and her staff which include first-year assistants, Cheryl Peterson, Casee Piquet and William Strub, believe that the 2011 group needs to get back to the basics.

"The focus this year is to learn how each player reacts to different situations and to be fundamentally sound," said Pondo. "Our goal is to finish strong in everything we do and get the most out of our players."

Over the years, the Lions have established a winning tradition, however, with such a young squad Pondo does not want to overlook the importance of team camaraderie.

"In order to be successful we must have fun, trust each other and enjoy all the memories that are built throughout the year," said Pondo.

Behrend's season will kick off in Clermont, FL where the team will participate in 10 spring games starting March 6, before returning home to open up AMCC play against Franciscan on March 26. A key matchup will be against last year's regular-season champs, Mount Aloysius on April 2. The Lions will close out the season at home against the 2010 AMCC Runner-Up, Medaille on April 27.