Softball Preview, Part 4: Cleveland State

Feb. 13, 2007

First-year head coach Angie Nicholson thinks if Cleveland State's young pitching staff can round into form during the first couple months of the season, the rest of the pieces are there for her alma mater to be right in the middle of the title race the first week of May.

"Obviously, replacing what we lost in the circle last year is going to be tough, but I firmly believe that our offense and defense will be on par with anyone in the League."In 2006, CSU became just the third team to lead the League in all three team categories and this year's incoming freshmen have made the team better defensively and more dangerous on the basepaths.

"We're really going to challenge the other team's defense on every pitch," Nicholson said. "We want to take them out of their comfort zone and make them react to what we're doing.

"Defensively, as long as our pitchers keep the ball out of the middle of the plate, we're going to make a lot of plays behind them. We're solid everywhere but second base, and I feel that by the time the season rolls around that won't even be an issue any more."

And Nicholson makes no bones about the team she inherited.

"A lot of times when you take over a new team, it's because there were some negative issues with the program. I'm fortunate to have the opposite situation. This team is loaded talent-wise and has been among the League's best teams the past three or four seasons. I'm counting on that experience to carry us this year."

Junior Christina Swierz has the distinction of being CSU's only pitcher with any collegiate experience. However, she threw a grand total of eight innings last year.

Meanwhile, freshman Amanda Macenko arrives on campus as the probable number one starter this season. Sophomore Tara Meyer and freshman Jessica Burt will round out the staff.

"With this group being so inexperienced at the college level, it's going to take a while for them to adjust, but I am confident in their abilities," Nicholson said. "We've been working on learning to set batters up and hitting spots. As long as we don't give up too many home runs, the defense is going to make a lot of plays behind them."

Senior Sarah Milosek -- one of the top fielders in the history of the program -- returns to anchor the infield from her spot at first base.

"It's hard to know where to start with Sarah," Nicholson said. "She's a very vocal leader and a great first baseman. At the plate she really stepped it up last year and we're going to need that production out of her again in the middle of the lineup."

She will be joined by sophomores Christa Coppus and Amanda Houchin at shortstop and third base, respectively. Coppus has a cannon for an arm and great range, while Houchin set the school record last year with 130 assists at the hot corner.

"Christa can do it all in the field, but her bat in the middle of the order may be the biggest key for us," Nicholson said. "Not only did she score a lot of runs, but she was second on the team in RBI, which was unusual for a freshman. That kind of production is going to be important to our success.

"Amanda was solid at third base last year, but we've encouraged her to be more aggressive in the field and that mindset has carried over to the plate, where I think you'll see a totally different player this year."

As for second base, freshman Erica Remshard, who played shortstop in high school, may be the odds-on favorite to win the job, but junior Whitney Willard and sophomore Amanda Kern are both natural athletes that could convert to the position.

"We just don't have many true infielders on the roster," Nicholson said. "But I'm confident in one of these players stepping up and getting the job done."

The Vikings are somewhat inexperienced at catcher as well. Sophomore Haley Keller, who played in five games last year, is the incumbent.

"Haley is a very smart and aggressive catcher, has a great arm and is excellent at handling the pitching staff," Nicholson said. "I'm not worried about her at all defensively -- I don't think we'll miss a beat with her behind the plate."

While Keller is expected to handle the bulk of the catching duties during the year, freshmen Lia Gordon and Remshard as well as Michele Penney -- who was recruited to CSU as a catcher -- are capable of spelling her when the need arises.

"Regardless of who is behind the plate, I have confidence in their ability to get the job done," Nicholson said. "I'm hoping that one of the freshmen can handle the roll, because we'd love to leave Michele in center field."

The reason that Nicholson is so intent on keeping Penney in the outfield is that she is one of the top center fielders in the Horizon League, as evidenced by her garnering First-Team All-League accolades in 2006. A team leader by example, Penney anchors the middle of the order and is a two-time League All-Tournament selection -- further proof that she comes up big when it matters most.

"Michele is the kind of player that you ca build a team around," Nicholson said. "She's competitive at whatever she does and has the ability to make everyone around her better."Flanking Penney will more than likely be Willard in left field and Burt in right, with sophomores Danielle Young and Kern and freshman Shelicia Brown vying for playing time at both spots.

"Whitney emerged as one of the top hitters in the League last season, while her speed makes her not only a great outfielder, but a disruption on the basepaths as well," Nicholson said. "I expect Jessica to be that type of player as well. As a matter of fact, she may be the fastest player on the team.

"As for Danielle, Amanda and Shelicia, we don't want them to be happy with being back-ups. They are all capable of contributing both offensively and defensively."

Nicholson has the benefit of being able to call on a group of talented -- if relatively inexperienced -- hitters at designated player in Young, Burt and Gordon.

"Regardless of who we plug in at DP, we need them to come in with an aggressive mindset that they are going to help us at the plate."

While Cleveland State doesn't technically open its schedule until the last weekend of February, the Vikings will have been playing since they came back for classes in early January.

"We've been scrimmaging every Friday in the dome to get ready for the real thing," Nicholson said. "Having a facility like this allows us to be 100 percent ready the first time we step outside."

For CSU, that comes on Feb. 24-25 at the Longwood Spring Classic in Farmville, Va., where the Vikings will tackle Canisius, Norfolk State and the host Lancers.

CSU then makes their traditional trip to Kissimmee, Fla. to play 10 contests at the Rebel Spring Games from March 11-15. The Vikings wrap up tournament play on March 24-25 at the Maryland Baltimore-County Spring Classic.

After returning north to play at Oakland on March 27, CSU begins a five-game homestand with a twin bill against Ohio on March 28. The Vikings then kick off Horizon League play with a three-game set against UW-Green Bay on March 31-April 1 at Viking Field.

"I think the early part of the schedule will be a nice lead-up to League play," Nicholson said. "It will not only give some of our younger players some much-needed experience, but will allow us to move some people around and see who fits best where."

CSU then hits the road for an eight-game trip that will include visits to Youngstown State (April 3), Kent State (April 4), Butler (April 6-7) and IPFW (April 9).

The Vikings are rewarded for their travels by getting to return home for 10 of their next 11 contests. The stay in Cleveland is highlighted by League tilts with Wright State (April 14-15), Loyola (April 21-22) and Youngstown State (April 25).

CSU then closes out the regular season by sandwiching League weekends at UIC (April 28-29) and Detroit (May 5-6) around a home twin bill.

The Vikings then have the honor of hosting the Horizon League Championship for the third time, having previously done so in 1995 and 2003. This year, the tournament runs from May 10-12.

"It will be nice to host the championship, but it's not like we get a bye or anything," Nicholson said. "We'll have to work as hard as everyone else if we hope to come away with the title."

Despite her obvious bias, Nicholson completely understands why the rest of the League's coaches would have picked the Vikings to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack after four straight years of competing for the conference title.

It's not every team that can recover from the loss of its entire pitching staff as well as a trio of key seniors in the field and in the lineup.

Just don't underestimate, the 2007 edition of the Vikings. Nicholson thinks they're a special group.

"We have a core group of experienced upperclassmen that have helped build this program into a perennial winner and they don't want that to change this year," Nicholson said. "Once our pitchers adjust to the college game, I think we'll be able to compete with anyone. And don't forget, our opponents are going to have to deal with a new Cleveland State team that pressures them every chance we get.

"I can't wait to get on the field and see what this group can accomplish."