Coming into 2014, the Siena Heights softball team is working hard to take the next step from being competitive to coming away with wins regularly in tightly-contested games against quality opposition. The Saints will play nine games against NAIA Tournament teams, facing three squads that received votes in the NAIA Top 25, including a regular season-ending doubleheader against the No. 5-ranked team in the NAIA.
In 2013, the Saints placed seventh in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, but then knocked two teams out of the WHAC Tournament and then came within two outs of eliminating regular season champ Cornerstone, which would have advanced SHU to the final four.
The 2014 season will see the Saints return seven of ten starters including two who have received national accolades in the past two seasons. A strong incoming class will look to boost the team's athleticism and help them take that next step.
Senior Katie O'Hotzke and junior Taylor Hayes are two middle-of-the-lineup offensive forces that will be leaned on for another year of strong contributions.
Hayes is coming off what was one of the best individual seasons in SHU history, earning her an All-America Honorable Mention nod. Her batting average of .450 was the third-highest in SHU history along with the third-most home runs (7), fourth-most RBI (42) and sixth-most doubles (14). These numbers were amassed despite missing six games due to injury and another ten games cancelled due to weather.
O'Hotzke comes back after a stronger offensive year in 2013 than in her All-America First Team year of 2012. She hit .353 with 12 doubles, 5 homers, and 37 RBI, helping provide a 3-4 punch in the Saints lineup along with Hayes who hit a combined .419 with runners in scoring position, .393 with runners on base, and 58.3 percent success rate in driving in runs with a runner on third and less than two outs.
"The middle of our lineup has proven over the last couple of seasons to be able to compete with the best around," SHU coach Laura Klutsarits said. "O'Hotzke and Hayes are two of the more clutch players who will once again be the heart of our order. Despite their individual accolades of the last couple of years, I believe they are still underrated by some of our opposition. That should make them even more dangerous. We're very excited to have the two of them back together for one more year. The work they have put in shows."
O'Hotzke and Hayes will also be looked upon for their prowess in the pitcher's circle. They, along with junior Morgan Warfield, will see the majority of innings on the mound with junior Jenn Sylvester most likely working relief innings when necessary.
"We have a very solid and strong top three in O'Hotzke, Warfield, and Hayes," Klutsarits added. "All three are very talented on the mound and we are looking forward to very good things from them. Sylvester makes a nice addition to our pitching staff in that she brings a totally different dimension to the mound. She is taking on the challenge to transition back into pitching to be able to serve as that mix-it up-presence in the circle."
Behind the dish, junior Bitty Treece is the incumbent coming off an All-WHAC Honorable Mention performance in 2013. Treece hit just under .300 and contributed 29 RBI on the year. Freshmen Courtney Craig and Micayla Buike and junior transfer Morgan Huttenlocker are also in the mix for time behind the plate.
"Treece had a very strong year for us last year and will be looked towards as another big presence in the middle of our lineup," Klutsarits said. "We're also happy with the progression we've seen out of our new catchers and are excited to see them continue to develop and fight for playing time."
On the corners, the Saints will likely have a veteran presence. Hayes will slot in as the regular first baseman when she isn't on the mound. When Hayes is in the circle, sophomore Tiffany Jones or Huttenlocker will likely take over. Across the diamond on the hot corner, senior Ashley O'Leary will make the transition from second base over to third. The Saints have depth there as well with Buike and fellow freshmen Alli Erickson and Nikki Broshious competing and improving as well.
The middle infield will be the most intriguing part of the lineup with a slew of options, but no real frontrunner at this point. Between the two keystone positions, the competition for playing time is fierce. Junior Megan Higdon returns with the most experience at second base, but is being challenged by sophomore Liz Polmanteer and freshmen Megan Jones and Courtney Fritzler. At shortstop, several options exist, including Warfield and Sylvester along with freshmen Kenya Keller, Kelsey Lampkowski and Megan Jones.
"We're excited about our infield this season," said Klutsarits. "We have a lot of options all around the infield, especially the competition for our two middle infield spots. We have a lot of talent and look forward to seeing how it plays out throughout the season. With the internal competition, that should make us that much better as a team."
In the outfield, the Saints also have a lot of options. Sophomore Mariah Boss returns after an All-WHAC Honorable Mention performance as a freshman. There are several other candidates to fill the three outfield spots including Warfield, sophomores Sam Bellovary, Morgan Yoder, and Tiffany Jones, along with freshmen Hanna Johnston and Megan Jones.
"Our outfield will have many interchangeable parts," Klutsarits added, "and depending on how some of the battles in the middle infield work out, that may dictate some of what we do on the grass."
The Saints will open their season in Tucson, Ariz., for the sixth straight season; they will see several strong opponents including four games against opponents who won at least 67 percent of their games a year ago.
The Saints will face four opponents who are rated in the preseason poll with two games against Indiana-Southeast (RV), three games against Bethel (RV), two games against WHAC foe Davenport (RV), and two games against fifth-ranked Saint Xavier.
Klutsarits is excited to get back on the field for the start of her ninth season.
"It's time for us to turn the corner," she said "We're playing a competitive schedule in non-conference to help us prepare for conference play and postseason play. The conference is ridiculously tight; any day, any team can beat anyone. Every game is much more meaningful. It opens up so many possibilities of coming out and having a great year. We made strides in 2013, but we still didn't make the strides within the conference in terms of final ratings. Now is the time to make that step. Now is the time for us to take control of our own destiny and dictate how our season will go."
