2006 Softball Preview Part 3 - Detroit Titans

Feb. 2, 2006

The 2006 softball season officially started Sunday, January 15 when the Titans met at Calihan Hall to open pre-season practice. Detroit will have a little under eight weeks of practice before opening the 2006 season.

In preparation for the upcoming season, DetroitTitans.com will preview the 2006 Detroit softball team under the direction of head coach Bob Wilkerson, who is in his 10th year at the helm of the Titan program. Wilkerson is joined for 2006 by first-year assistant coach Glenn Knott.

The goals have not changed in 2006. The preseason aspirations remain the same: Win the Horizon League and advance to the NCAA Tournament. To do that, Detroit needs to combine its veteran leadership with a solid blend of new talent for a quality on-field product.

Headlining this year's squad will be returning All-League selections Michelle Baggio, Sarah Dickey, Kat Klemp, Kristen Martin, Lindsay Roy and returning starters Amanda Bley, Kari Messina and Kaleigh Rafter to a veteran-laden squad.

THE SCHEDULE
Detroit will open the season in Manoa, Hawaii, taking on Big Ten member Penn State on March 7, before playing in the Hawaii Spring Fling March 8-11. In addition to the Nittany Lions, the Titans will face off with UNLV, Longwood, UC-Santa Barbara and the host Rainbow Warriors of Hawaii.

The following weekend, the Titans head south to Cullowhee, North Carolina on March 18-19, facing off with four first-time opponents while taking part in the Best Western Catamount Classic at Western Carolina. In addition to the host Catamounts, Detroit will face off with Alabama A&M, Charleston Southern and UNC-Wilmington.

The Titans finish out the month of March with a trio of road dates starting at Bowling Green on March 25 before heading to Northwood on March 28 and to Eastern Michigan to close the month on the 29th.

April comes with Detroit scheduled to play on 16 of the possible 30 days in the month, as defending league champion UW-Green Bay comes to Buysse Ballpark to open the home and Horizon League schedules with a three game series April 1-2.

The 21-game Horizon League slate is highlighted by visits from Green Bay and defending regular season champion UIC along with Youngstown State (April 22-23 for Senior Day). This season, the home-and-home series with Wright State sees the Titans hosting the Raiders for just a single game on April 20 and traveling to Fairborn on May 4 for a doubleheader.

The road schedule for the Titans sees the Red and White traveling to Loyola (April 14-15), Butler (April 29-30) and Cleveland State on May 6-7 to close out the regular season.

In non-league action, Detroit looks to once again claim bragging rights in the unofficial "City Championship" when Wayne State makes the five mile trip up the Lodge for a May 2 twin bill.

"As usual the Horizon League is going to be a tough conference this season and will be extremely difficult week in and week out," Wilkerson said. "I feel our early season schedule will help us to prepare for the challenges that we will face every weekend in the league. You design a tough schedule so that each month you get better. You want to be better in April than you were in March and better in May than you were in April so that come tournament time you are ready to make a run."

Postseason play begins with the Horizon League Tournament, which runs from May 11-13, and will be played at McCune Park in Canfield, Ohio.

For the second consecutive season, the NCAA tournament begins with four-team NCAA Regionals that will be hosted at 16 sites from May 19-21. NCAA Super Regionals will feature (May 26-27) two teams in a best-of-three format at eight different sites.

The Women's College World Series, played in Oklahoma City, will run June 1-7 with the final two days featuring a best-of-three format between the final two teams.

THE INFIELD
Returning: Kari Messina, Michelle Baggio, Casey Raska, Sarah Dickey, Kaleigh Rafter (catcher), Kat Klemp (catcher)
Newcomers: Laura Hoste, Lisa Harper

The Detroit infield will have a very familiar look as all four starters return including All-League selections Baggio, Dickey and Klemp.

Anchoring down the left side of the infield will be Dickey. The only shortstop the Titans have known for the last two seasons, the 5-3 Canadian National team selection, has been a mainstay on the diamond for the Titans since she set foot on campus. A two-time All-League selection, Dickey will once again be called upon to help solidify the Titan infield and bat lead off in the line up. As a sophomore Dickey hit .301 in 153 at-bats, good for third on the team.

Dickey's partner in the keystone combination is fellow junior and Canadian National team veteran Michelle Baggio. Baggio entrenched herself at second base last season and has no plans on giving it up after seeing time all over the diamond as a freshman. Selected to the All-Tournament team last season, the 5-10 Windsor, Ontario native hit .305 in league play last season.

"I have no doubts that Michelle and Sarah are two of the best middle infielders in our conference and in the history of Titan softball," added Wilkerson. "What they can bring to the diamond with their international experience and knowledge of the game is hard to beat. Sarah will be asked to do a lot of things this season, but we know she is capable of them and will be a great leader for us. Michelle is one of those kinds of players who seem to sneak up on teams at the right time. She had a bunch of clutch hits last season and especially in the tournament to help us reach the semi-finals. I expect big things from this duo once again in 2006."

Wilkerson will turn to a senior and a sophomore to hold down the corners of the infield with senior Kari Messina at first and sophomore Kaleigh Rafter at the hot corner.

Messina, who is already in the top-five all-time in school history in putouts, is one of the top defensive first basemen in the league and has been the starter at first since her freshman season. She posted a .990 fielding percentage, making just three errors in 297 chances as a junior one year ago.

Rafter, who won a Canadian National Championship this summer with her Guelph Gators club, comes back to the Titans this season after, by her own standards, a sub-par freshman season. The 6-1 slugger from Ontario had a break out fall season and will be looked upon to provide some additional power in the middle of the Detroit line up. Rafter will also be called upon to spell Klemp behind the plate or to possibly see time as the designated player to keep her potent bat in the game.

Backing up Rafter at third is newcomer Laura Hoste. The Sterling Heights, Michigan native was a two-time All-State selection at Stevenson High and showed flashes of what is to come during the fall season. Sophomore Casey Raska saw limited action last season, mostly in pinch running roles and will provide a valuable back up in the middle of the Titan infield. Hoste's classmate, Lisa Harper joined the club after walk-on try outs and will be looked upon to provide a valuable back-up role anywhere on the infield.

The field general the last three years for the Titans returns for her final season, as senior Kat Klemp will once again be looked upon by the coaching staff to lead the Titans on the field. Klemp, a three-time All-League selection batted .314 with four home runs, 18 RBIs and a team high 12 walks. Already in the top-five in school history in home runs, slugging percentage and career batting average, the Listowel, Ontario, native will look to put a finishing stamp on her career with a Horizon League title.

"The catcher position is not just about defense, but about being the field general and having a good sense of the game and how it is going to play out," Wilkerson said. "Kat has been that person for us through out her career and she will once again fill that role as a senior. She has matured throughout her time here and knows the game and how to control a pitching staff so much better than she did as a freshman. As one of our captains in 2006, she will be called upon to take control of the pitchers between the lines and be the vocal presence we need her to be."

THE OUTFIELD
Returning: Amanda Bley, Kristin Martin, Krista Switzer
Newcomers: Morgan Papke, Jacqueline Nortman

The outfield, much like the infield, has little turnover from last season. The biggest piece of the puzzle that Wilkerson must replace is All-American Anna Ollgaard.

Ollgaard, a three time All-League selection and Academic All-American in 2005, led the team in average, RBIs and was second in home runs, while being the Titans' everyday center fielder when not in the pitchers circle. Her loss will be made up for with a combination of veterans and newcomers.

The most likely candidate to fill in for Ollgaard is senior and two-time, First Team All-League selection Kristin Martin. Martin, who played center last season when Ollgaard pitched, is coming off of shoulder surgery following fall practice. When Martin, who was limited to a hitting role in the fall, is healthy she combines with Klemp for one of the most formidable combos in the league. The right handed hitting slugger, who hit .377 in league games as a junior, will most likely hit in the number three spot in the line up for the fourth straight season. She may also play first base, depending on how quickly the rehab process goes.

"Kristin was not 100-percent last season. Her shoulder is finally (we hope) back to the best it has been and will once again allow her to be the All-League player she has shown in the past," said Wilkerson. "To have her and Kat bat third and fourth in our line up presents challenges for opposing pitchers. A healthy Kristin Martin helps to solidify our outfield and our line up."

Joining Martin in patrolling the outfield is fellow senior and three-year starter Amanda Bley. Bley, who has spent the last two seasons in right field returns to that spot for her final season in the Red and White. Bley posted a .987 fielding percentage, making just one error last season. She will more than likely be moved to the number two spot in the line up this season to provide a skilled bat behind Dickey.

"We are asking a lot of Amanda this season," said Wilkerson. "She will be moved up to the number two slot in the line-up to give us speed right behind Dickey. She can lay down the bunt and put the ball in play very well. Her speed will help to make it tough for the other team to turn a double play on us as well."

The most wide open race this season may be for the starting spot in left field. The front runner coming out of fall practice is newcomer Jacqueline Nortman. The first Texas native on the Titan roster, Nortman comes to Detroit after capturing a Texas state championship last year with her Monsignor Kelly squad and garnering All-State honors along the way. The 5-0 speedster can track balls down in the gaps and could also see time in centerfield if needed. Her versatility also makes her a candidate to see time in the middle infield.

Also vying for time in the outfield is junior Krista Switzer, who pulls double duty as a member of the Titan track and field squad, where she hold the Horizon League record in the javelin. Joining Switzer is newcomer Morgan Papke. Papke was an Honorable Mention All-State selection at Birmingham Groves High School. She was given a shot in fall workouts with the injury to Martin and was impressive.

"Our outfield, much like our infield is veteran-laden," commented Wilkerson. "With the experience of Kristin and Amanda combined with the speed and talent of our newcomers, I feel very confident with any of the possible combinations we can put out there. Jacqueline and Morgan are both very capable and skilled players who will provide us with many options. They are both learning the college game quickly, which is a big help to us. When Krista is with us and not fulfilling her duties with the track team, she is also going to provide a valuable roll filling in spots in the outfield and on the bases with her speed."

IN THE CIRCLE
Returning: Lindsay Roy, Adrienne Baran, Christin Bienenstein
Newcomers: Brittany Hire

The biggest loss to graduation may be in the circle as the Titans have to replace departed seniors Lisa Ferguson and Ollgaard.

Ferguson, the team's ace out of the bullpen the last two seasons posted the first save in over five seasons a year ago and picked up five wins against just two losses in 43 innings of work. Ollgaard led the Titans with eight wins, including a pair on the first day of the league championship. Her 110 innings and 49 strikeouts also led the club.

Looking to fill that void will be a healthy Lindsay Roy. The Canadian right hander played the entire 2005 season with a tear in the labrum of her pitching shoulder that limited her to one appearance in the circle per series. Roy struggled to a 2-8 record in 61.1 innings (a career low). The injury also impacted her performance at the plate, but not enough to see her name taken off the All-League award list as Roy was selected to the Second Team as the designated player after posting a .298 overall average and hitting .333 in league play. A team co-captain, Roy will be called upon to lead a veteran staff in her final campaign. Healthy for the first time in over a year, Roy will look to make her final season her best yet.

"I'm really rooting for Lindsay to have a great season," Wilkerson said. "She has overcome so much adversity and has gained so much respect from her teammates in the process. Despite missing the fall season after her summer surgery, she has really worked hard to get back to where she was and we are looking for big things from her in 2006."

Joining Roy in the circle is fellow senior Christin Bienenstein. The New Baltimore, Mich. Native posted a 3-4 record with a 4.50 ERA in 37 innings as a junior. She will once again be a key cog in Wilkerson's bullpen and will see time at first base when not pitching.

Junior Adrienne Baran came back in 2005 after missing most of the 2004 season with a back injury and appeared in 13 games, making eight starts along the way. Baran showed her maturity in the fall season as she was one of the mainstays in the rotation while Roy continued to rehab her shoulder.

New to the mix this season is freshman Brittney Hire. Hire comes to Detroit after picking up All-State honors as a junior and senior at Concord High in Elkhart, Indiana. She was also a two-time selection to the South Bend Tribune Sports Fest. The hard-throwing right hander was pressed into action this fall and did not disappoint, showing the coaching staff the potential that she has to be an impact player in the conference.

"This fall we played some of the top teams in our region in Michigan State and Notre Dame along with a variety of others. Our pitchers were tested against some of the best talent around and we were very pleased with what we saw," commented Wilkerson. "Brittany is going to be special for us and will surprise a lot of people around the league. She is a power pitcher and the combination of her and Lindsay will be difficult for teams to face."

"Biener (Bienenstein) is going to come out and give you everything she has day in and day out. She will be a bulldog out there for us and be available to also play the infield if needed. AB (Baran) had a disappointing season last year with quite a few tough losses. But she has made great strides in her game and we are going to need her this season. She worked a lot of innings for us in the fall and was impressive. Both Christin and Adrienne will play huge roles for us out of the pen and can be spot starters if needed."

"I am very excited to get things going with this year's club," said Wilkerson when asked after the team's first practice. "The leadership we have in our seniors is rare for a club. We have six outstanding senior student-athletes. They got a glimpse of what it takes to make that jump to the next level in the conference last season. The fact that once again we had the nation's highest team grade point average is also something we can't overlook. These kids are not only getting it done on the field, but are taking care of business in the classroom as well."

"Our mix of veterans and the newcomers I think will have us playing well at the right time. We see the success of other teams here at Detroit and know that we can get to that level with the right amount of hard work and a little bit of luck. I'm looking forward to another year of Titan softball."

Click here for more on Detroit softball.

Story provided by Patrick Moore, Detroit Assistant Director of Sports Information.