Softball Preview, Part 5: Detroit

Feb. 14, 2007

The 2006 Titans set a school record with 13 wins in the Horizon League. They went into the final weekend of the season battling for the conference crown, finishing just one game short. Unfortunately, they also lost 11 players from their roster.

For some, these accomplishments would bring a sense of gratification, while the defections would see a lowering of expectations.

Don't tell that to coach Bob Wilkerson. While he lost more than half his roster from a year ago, the 2006 Horizon League Coach of the Year believes that his returning starters, along with a number of very talented newcomers, bring a feeling of excitement as the 2007 season approaches.

"Last year we were battling for first on the last day of the season and fell short," Wilkerson said. "This year I think we can have the same expectations."

While many of his players are new, Wilkerson also believes that the things his team experienced a year ago will help the team as it moves forward.

"Having the experience last year will likely help us this year."

Despite the many departures from a year ago, Wilkerson's confidence in his team is not blind hope. This year's squad returns the reigning Horizon League Player of the Year in Kaleigh Rafter, as well as first team all-League selection Sarah Dickey and second teamer Michelle Baggio. These players provide a solid foundation for the young 2007 roster.

The biggest reason for optimism for 2007 rests in the infield and behind the plate. Rafter returns at catcher for her junior season after winning conference Player of the Year honors as a sophomore, while Dickey and Baggio enter their fourth season as the starters at shortstop and second base.

Rafter returns at catcher and third base after setting a school record a year ago with 12 home runs. She led the Horizon League in home runs, runs batted in (35), slugging percentage (725), and total bases (95) in 2006. She also led the team in batting average (.359), on-base percentage (.410), hits (47), and doubles (12).

While Rafter prefers to catch, she will rotate between third base and catcher during the team's double headers this season with newcomer Courtney Gill.

While hoping to help her team capture a conference title with a repeat performance from a year ago, the Ontario slugger is also hoping to help her country by making the Canadian Olympic team this winter. She was named one of 40 players to Canadian Olympic pool and hopes to be on the team that wears the Maple Leaf at the 2008 Olympics in China.

Dickey, a first-team All-Horizon League choice a year ago and a two-time second team all-League selection earlier in her career, returns to anchor the infield at shortstop and bat in the top spot in the order for Wilkerson. The senior led the Horizon League in hits during the conference season with 29 hits. She also hit at a dazzling .420 clip during loop play, good for third in the conference, and led the team in stolen bases with eight.

Baggio will join her long-time double play partner at second base. While Dickey brings speed and on-base ability to the top of the order, Baggio brings pop and the ability to drive in runs to the middle of the line-up. Her six home runs were good for second on the team, while her 20 runs batted were good were third best.

"We are still strong up the middle with Baggio and Dickey at second base and shortstop and Rafter at catcher" Wilkerson said. "While we graduated six seniors, we still have veterans at the key positions."

While experience mans the positions up the middle of the infield, the coaching staff is also excited about the newcomers that will play the corners and provide depth for the Titans this season.

"While we have experience up the middle, our corners are going to be new with Jessica Liebner and Courtney Gill," Wilkerson said.

Gill, a freshman from Surrey, British Columbia, will alternate with Rafter between catcher and third base. Gill brings a wealth of experience from playing for the White Rock Renegades in Canada. She played for the team from 2003-2005, and was named captain of the team in 2003 and 2004. Gill helped her Renegades squad to a gold medal at the Canada Cup in 2006 after falling just short to Rafter's Guelph Gators team in 2005.

Liebner, from Ortonville, MI, looks to take over at first base. The high school outfielder was an All-District, as well as a second-team All-Flint Metro performer during her junior and senior seasons.

Youth will also be served in the back-up positions along the infield. Freshman Caitlin McPartlin, from Trenton, MI, made the team during the as a walk-on and impressed the coaching staff during the fall season. She should provide competition and depth at first base behind Liebner.

Erica Houthoofd will also provide depth in the infield. The freshman from Unionville, MI, was named to the All-State team as a senior, and voted to the All-State second team as a sophomore. While she can play several different positions, Wilkerson believes that the high school shortstop might be best suited to play second base for the Titans.

"We've got great depth with Houthoofd and McPartlin," Wilkerson said. "They can give us great depth as two incoming freshman, and we also have a good back-up shortstop. "

That back-up shortstop is sophomore outfielder Jacqueline Nortman. While Nortman looks to be the primary starter in left field this season, Wilkerson believes that she might provide the best option to take over the reigns at shortstop when Dickey graduates after this season, or in any emergency situation this year.

While the infield is very experienced, the outfield positions are a little less settled. While Wilkerson believes he has his starters set, they do not have the track record like the experienced infield to put the mind at ease.

The projected starter in center field is freshman Jessica Barclay. The Delta, British Columbia, native hopes to give the Titans a good left-handed hitter in the line-up, as well as bringing the athleticism necessary to anchor the outfield. While playing center field can be intimidating for a young player because of the leadership qualities the position demands, Barclay seems to be a natural. She was twice named captain of her high school team, and also one the school's award for leadership, skill, and attitude.

Nortman returns for her sophomore season as the projected starter in left field. While Wilkerson likes the Groves, TX, native's potential at shortstop, he is also comfortable with her abilities in the outfield. The versatile sophomore struggled at the plate a year ago with a .168 batting average, but Wilkerson hopes that her athletic ability will help her adjust and improve at the plate in her second season.

While Krista Switzer is a senior, in some ways the Titan right fielder is also a newcomer. Switzer, from Windsor, ON, will be on the diamond full-time for the first time in her career at Detroit. For the past three seasons, she has split time between the track and softball teams, but will be taking a redshirt season from the track team to concentrate on softball this year. Wilkerson hopes that this added concentration on one sport will help the athletic outfielder improve upon her .171 batting average from last season.

Sophomore Laura Hoste, a native of Sterling Heights, MI, will be counted on to play a utility role for this year's squad. After playing third base a year ago, she has moved to the outfield and hopes to get a little more action as a sophomore. She was only able to play in seven games last season, starting only one, and was held without a hit in seven at-bats.

Freshman Katelyn McCutcheon walked on to the team in the fall and hopes to contribute in any way possible. McCutcheon was a three-time all-League performer at Ferndale High School as a pitcher, but hopes to contribute to the Titans as an outfielder during her career.

The inexperience of the 2007 Titans might be most evident on the mound. With only one returning pitcher, and only three pitchers on the roster, the Titans will rely on some unproven talents to get them where they want to go.

Adrienne Baran, a fifth-year senior from Richmond, MI, is the lone returner in the circle. Baran saw action in 22 games a year ago and compiled a 3-7 record with a 4.63 ERA. Coach Wilkerson knows that he needs Baran to not only give his team quality innings, but also to become a leader of the staff.

"As a fifth-year player," Wilkerson said, "Baran needs to provide a solid presence on the mound for us, and give us some leadership at the position."

Joining Baran will be newcomers Kelli Short and Jill Perry. Short, a transfer from Owens Community College will be looked upon as another veteran pitcher, even though this is her first experience at the Division I level. Short comes to Detroit after a stellar two-year career at OCC. She won the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year award after compiling a 15-3 record. She finished 11th in the nation with 203 strikeouts in 162 1/3 innings, as well as a dazzling 1.9 ERA. While she might be short on experience, her coach believes that 6-1 righty could be the ace of his staff before long.

Perry, while also new to the Titan roster, also provides variety to the staff. The lefty hurler from Ortonville, MI, hopes to give batters a new look as the only lefthander on the staff.

"Jill Perry is our first lefty we ever recruited," Wilkerson said. "She can give batters a different look and with only three pitchers on staff she will get a lot of work."

Overall, while the number of pitchers on the roster might be a little thin, Wilkerson believes that the talent he has will allow his team to compete for the conference title, providing that his hurlers can stay healthy.

"If one of our starters goes down," Wilkerson said, "we could be in some trouble."

The Titans will begin their season at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, FL, on March 4-9. Wilkerson hopes that playing in this tournament, along with other northern schools, should provide a better chance for his young roster to gain experience and confidence.

"Pre-season has always been a challenge for us," Wilkerson said, "being a northern team. This year, we are back in the Rebel Classic, with other northern teams, and we need to get off to a good start. Getting off to a good start is going to be the key to our season."

Following the Rebel Spring Games, the Red and White will play in the Catamount Classic in Culowhee, NC, on March 16-18. From there, they will return to Detroit to host Central Michigan (March 28), Michigan State (April 3), Eastern Michigan (April 4), and IPFW (April 14). The lone out of conference road tilts will be trips to Oakland (April 10) and Wayne State (May 1).

The conference season starts early for the Titans, as they welcome Loyola to Detroit on March 31-April 1. Other conference home games include Butler (April 14-15), Wright State (May 3), and Cleveland State (May 5-6).

The Horizon League road schedule kicks off with a trip to defending champion Youngstown State on April 6-7. The Titans will also visit UIC (April 21-22) and UW-Green Bay (April 28-29).

The Horizon League Tournament will be hosted this year by Cleveland State. The tournament will be played on May 10-12.

While the Titans must replace many experienced players from a year ago, Wilkerson and Assistant Coach Glen Knott believe that they have a very good chance in the League this season.

"Our conference is always very competitive," Knott said, "but I think we are going to surprise some people this year."

While the Titans enjoyed some of their best success ever on the field last year, they are just as proud of the work they do in the classroom. The 2006 Detroit team finished the nation with the fourth highest GPA in the nation at 3.481, and ended the season with ten players making the Horizon League's Spring 2006 Academic Honor Roll.

"We took a step forward last year in combining the athletic and academic parts of being a team," Knott said. "We have always been a smart team, but last year we started combining that with our athleticism."