Softball Preview, Part 1: Butler
Feb. 8, 2007
Jeanne Rayman was named Butler's third head softball coach in as many seasons in September, leaving her with a lot of work to and not a lot of time to do it. Fortunately, the new Butler coach inherited a team that returned most of the key players from the 2006 season including nine players who saw action in at least 25 games.
Rayman, who had a successful softball career as a player at Butler, 1987-90, will look to her veteran cast to improve on last season's 17-30-1 campaign. The Bulldogs won just four of 20 games in the Horizon League in 2006, but Rayman isn't dwelling on the past.
"We've put in a lot of hard work, and we have the building blocks in place to have a successful season," noted the new Butler coach, who was a four-year all-conference performer as a player for the Bulldogs. "This team has some very talented players. Our challenge right now is getting the players settled into a position where they're comfortable and where they can perform at a consistent and steady level."
Two players who should lead Butler's bid this spring are juniors Amy Hyerczyk and Jenny Jacobs. Hyerczyk earned first team All-Horizon League recognition as a first baseman last season, when she led the Bulldogs with a .333 batting average. She started all 48 Butler games and recorded team-highs of 14 doubles and four triples, while sharing the team lead in home runs with five. Jacobs was a second team All-League performer as an outfielder. She batted .289 with five home runs, while starting 46 games for the Bulldogs.
Rayman can also call on veterans Annie Dolan, Alex Boros, infielder/outfielder Lindsay Schluge, outfielder Jill Meinhold, outfielder Macy McMullen, catcher Tara Long and infielder JoAnna Zumbrun, all of whom started 25 or more games last season. Dolan, an infielder, batted .234 with eight doubles, while Boros, who can play both infield and outfield, hit .220 with nine doubles. Zumbrun, formerly JoAnna Gonzalez, started 26 games before being sidelined with a shoulder injury, and she's recovering from summer shoulder surgery. If healthy, she figures to be one of the team's top performers.
The Bulldogs also can look to veterans on the pitching staff, with the return of starters Jamie Wonderly and Nikki Naffziger. Wonderly started a team-high 24 games last season and pitched a team-high 153.2 innings. She led the team with 59 strikeouts and posted six victories. Naffziger started 11 games and posted four wins and 40 strikeouts. The two returnees will be joined several promising newcomers, including freshmen Kristen Malinkey and Jennifer Chasteen. Malinkey was 26-0 as a high school senior, while Chasteen was a first team All-State pitcher.
"We've been getting good leadership from our upperclassmen, and our new players have worked very hard," continued Rayman. "The players just need to experience some success for all of their hard work. Our goal this season is to challenge every team we play."
