softball

Softball goes 7-1 in fall, looks to build strength

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Published Nov 16, in Softball, Sports

After losing superstar pitchers Jenni Holtz and Kari Chambers, speedster Anna Johnson and starting second baseman Amanda Santa Maria to graduation, things weren’t looking very bright for the Lady Bears softball squad. It also didn’t help when they got word of the sudden departure of Head Coach Mike Raynor after the spring semester of 2011. The immediate future of Mercer softball was uncertain. Step one was to find a new head coach who was capable for the job at hand. They did just that in the form of former LSU associate head coach, James DeFeo.
With five incoming freshmen and a fall schedule of eight games in their path, the softball squad began down their new track with high hopes surrounding the dugout.
Being the lone new staff member, DeFeo came fresh off the plane and into game situations to see what his new club was made of. The transition was different for both the DeFeo Family and the squad awaiting their new system behind a new head coach. When asked what she thought of her new head coach, junior pitcher Kerri Nidiffer said, “He is actually ‘coaching’ us and doing whatever he can to make us better individually and as a whole.” The whole teams seems to be in agreement with the statement as emotions and feelings toward the new face have been nothing but positive.
The fall schedule began during the first week of September. The eight-game span gave DeFeo and the players an opportunity to see what they are made of. It gives them a good idea of what issues need to be addressed and what areas could use some retuning. “The fall games are a chance for everyone to play. We get to see what we have out there,” said DeFeo. “This is my first time seeing these girls perform as well,” he added.
The new head coach and the young squad performed well with all things considered as they capped their fall season with a 7-1 overall record. They ended in great fashion as they cranked six home runs and two grand slams in a 17-2 drubbing in their final game. The team even won “Varsity Sport of the Month” for October in the “Strength and Conditioning” category. “The offense really hit their stride toward the end of the fall schedule,” DeFeo said. “They are able to score in so many ways. We are not just one-dimensional. We will have speed, power and a lot of strength overall. We will definitely be attacking in each game,” he added.
With their lone loss coming at the hands of Emory, the softball squad is showing that they are more diverse and well-rounded than others give them credit for. “Things around here have definitely changed for the better. The atmosphere is just different. People are more excited to be here and attitudes are extremely better,” said Nidiffer.
Having played against mostly junior colleges and other in-state universities, Mercer will definitely need to continue their hard work of conditioning and positive attitudes in hopes for a successful season come February.
With minimal experience on their pitching staff, DeFeo says they are breaking each pitch down to build consistency and work on getting stronger.
The 2012 spring schedule is due to be released shortly as the season is expected to begin in the second week of February. Meanwhile, the team continues to improve with weight-lifting and individual practices three times a week.
“I am new and there are lots of things changing, but these girls are committing to the process,” said the first year head coach. “I want to invite everyone out to watch us. Our goal is to win the crowd. We are going to be exciting to watch. There is no doubt about that,” he added.
After going 32-24 in 2011 under Head Coach Mike Raynor, James DeFeo hopes to pull the right strings in his first season at Mercer. Being his first year as a true head coach of a collegiate squad, he looks to continue his impressive streak of never being a part of a losing season.

Softball stays above .500 going into final week

Sweeps of ETSU, Belmont help Bears in standings

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Published Apr 27, in Softball, Sports

(photo courtesy of MercerBears.com) Sarah Stukes has provided some timely hitting as the Bears go into the final week of the softball season.

As head coach Mike Raynor’s team heads into the final week of the season, they sit in seventh in the current Atlantic Sun standings with a high probability of grabbing the sixth seed going into the season ending championship tournament. With an above .500 record of 26-22 (8-10 A-Sun), one can only hope that the Bears catch fire as they take on Kennesaw State in the final conference doubleheader of the year.

Recent struggles against USC-Upstate and Lipscomb were offset by sweeps against ETSU and Belmont. Georgia Tech and Presbyterian will serve as non-conference opponents, sandwiching the series against Kennesaw State as the 2011 season draws to a close.

ETSU Doubleheader

Playing the bottom feeding Bucs at home, Mercer jumped out to a pair of wins 8-0 and 4-0 to make quick work of their Johnson City victors. It was a special night indeed, as the second game of the doubleheader ended with a rare triple play to cap off the second shutout. In the first game, McKenzie Woody, Amanda Santa Maria, and Kassie Bailey would all account for two RBIs each in the run-rule blowout before Jenni Holtz picked up her 11th win of the season in the nightcap.

In the top of the seventh, ETSU’s first two batters reached base before the spectators witnessed the triple play from the hands of Kassie Bailey. With a line drive to her position at first base, Bailey made the catch, stepped on first and then threw to second to complete the trifecta.

USC-Upstate Doubleheader

After a thriller the night before, Mercer fell to the Spartans 3-1 and 5-2 in Saturday’s games. Stellar pitching from USCU’s Morgan Childers saw her become the conference’s all-time wins leader with the victory, allowing only two hits all game.

After grabbing an early 2-0 lead in the second game, Mercer was able to push across a run courtesy of Sarah Santana’s RBI single, but the effort would fall short in the end. Allison Jones would add a solo homerun in the seventh, but the Spartans improved to 36-11 with the win.

Georgia State Doubleheader

The split with the Panthers helped MU rebound from a tough go with USC-Upstate as Kari Chambers had the offense behind her in the team’s 8-2 victory in game one. Unfortunately, the same offense would not show up as Georgia State would take game two, 3-2.

Kassie Bailey would have another monster game to start off the afternoon, eventually batting in four runners, extending her hitting streak to nine games in doing so. The Bears mustered ten hits in the nightcap, but were only able to push across two runs in the seven inning contest.

Belmont Doubleheader

The Bruins provided mince meat for the Bears to get back on track as the Nashville team fell 1-0 and 5-3 to Mercer. Throwing in both games, Kari Chambers had an incredible afternoon with 10.2 innings pitched while striking out ten batters. Using small ball to win the first game as Tiffany Phillips scored the winning run on a passed ball, the offense would come alive in the second game with Sarah Santana going 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Lipscomb Doubleheader

There were two games, but they ended with the same outcome, 1-0. The Bison defeated Mercer in pivotal contests as the Bears lost both due to fielding errors. The only bright spot of the series was McKenzie Woody who extended her hitting streak by knocking singles in both games against the stingy counterparts from Nashville.

 

 

 

 

 

Softball splits with FGCU, Auburn, sweeps rival Stetson in recent Atlantic Sun play

Holtz wins 65th game to move into top spot in school history

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Published Apr 13, in Breaking, Softball, Sports

 

(Alex Lockwood / Cluster Staff) Mercer’s softball team has been slowly improving throughout the season, keeping their record above the .500 mark with a pair of big wins over the Stetson Hatters.

The Mercer Bears softball team entered April on a sour note, having lost five of six, but they have turned it around, going 4-4 this month already with games still ahead against ACC and Atlantic Sun foes. They currently have a three-game losing streak as of April 12.

Mercer Bears Softball: 21-17 overall, 4-6 Atlantic Sun

Mercer 1-1 FGCU

Mercer lost their second match in a row, but they split the series by winning the second game of the doubleheader. This was a great end to an up-and-down start of the season. A walkoff win in game two by Sara Stukes helped jumpstart the Bears for the season and the rest of conference play. Kari Chambers picked up the win.

Mercer 2-0 Stetson

At home in a series that they needed to win, the Bears won each game, but they were close. They won 3-2 and 3-0. Jenni Holtz’s tenth win on the season was her 65th career victory, making her the winningest pitcher in Mercer history and 10th in Atlantic Sun’s recordbooks. Game One saw a late rally by the Bears capitulated by Kassie Bailey’s walkoff home run. Game Two was just a masterful pitching display by the Bears’ leader Holtz.

Mercer 1-1 Auburn

Mercer traveled to Auburn, Ala., and upset SEC power Auburn 3-0 in the first game, splitting the series after a tough afternoon loss. Auburn was ranked No. 22 in the country at the time. Coach Mike Raynor and the Bears defeated a ranked opponent for the first time this season, and they are 4-3 against Auburn since 2007. This is the second time this season that the Bears knocked off a SEC opponent (Mississippi State, the other). The second game saw errors that were uncommon as the Bears spurred a rally by the Tiger bats.

Mercer 0-2 Florida State

Mercer’s brutal non-conference schedule took a turn for the worse as a close 5-4 loss punctuated the efforts of the Bears against non-conference foes this entire season. Jenni Holtz became the first pitcher in Mercer history to record 900 strikeouts. In addition, she is  the third pitcher in Atlantic Sun history to reach that milestone. Mercer dropped a three-run lead against the Seminoles, as the senior pitcher was unable to keep the home team from scoring, including a three-run home run that tied the game. In the second game, Kari Chambers only allowed three runs, but a lack of finishing crippled the Bears. Seven base runners were left stranded for the Bears.

On the Porch

Slow Pitch Subtleties

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Published Apr 13, in Columns, Sports

(photo courtesy of uniwatchblog.com) Let’s face the facts; intramural softball has plenty of unwritten rules that include etiquette on trash-talking and diving, among other things. On Zach’s porch, the season is just starting.

If polo is the sport of kings, then slow pitch softball is the sport of beer-bellied plumbers who love Miller Highlife and wife beaters and who, ironically, quite possibly touch their wives up on occasion. There is a common perception that anyone can play slow pitch softball. As one of my friends who I interviewed for this article put it, “Grandmas and old wrinkly men are capable of playing slow pitch softball at a high level.” I understand the reasons behind this theory, but the truth is that it takes a special athlete to excel at this sport. There are many intricacies to the sport that the average individual might not take into account. With the Mercer Intramural softball season in full swing, I thought I might give a few tips as to the imperatives of being an intramural softball athlete.

Trash-talking cannot be underestimated as a means of disrupting the chi of the opposing team, or as a motivational tool for your teammates. For instance, one of the players on my team, Kevin Canevari, could barely hit the ball at the beginning of the season until we started referring to him as “the beast.” This was obviously meant to be an ironic comment on his diminutive size, but he took it seriously and has been hitting lasers ever since. Everybody wins in this situation — we all get a good laugh at Kevin’s expense and in the meantime his confidence and batting average has sky rocketed. That is a perfect example of how trash-talking your own teammates can be extremely beneficial to the team. As far as trash-talking the opposing team’s players, the rule book (where is this rule book? Has anyone seen it?) states that speaking of any kind as the ball is pitched is against the rules. However, it is not clear what the penalty is for this infraction, and if there is one I have never seen it enforced. So it’s perfectly okay for the catcher to yell “Move in” toward the outfield, or “My balls are sweaty” to distract the batter as the ball is traveling towards home plate. Try this and watch the opposing team’s batting average plummet.

Willingness to give your body up for the team is also important, but limited to only a few situations. There is a time to sacrifice your body, like when you could settle for a single but decide to turn it into a double and pull your groin in the process. Diving and sliding, however, should be avoided at all costs. The only thing you will achieve by doing so is ripping the skin off whichever part of your body happens to hit the infield dirt. Let’s face it — if you think you need to slide, you probably don’t, because the last time the person throwing the ball played at a competitive level was coach-pitch in the third grade. If you happen to be in left field and a line drive is headed your way, but just out of reach and think you need to dive, don’t be stupid and think twice. You’re not going to catch the ball. So save yourself the pain, suffering and embarrassment of sliding or diving and stay on your feet. Or don’t, and everyone can have a good laugh as the ball flies by your glove or you face-plant two feet away from second base.

Lastly, a healthy fear of the ball should be a major point of emphasis in intramural softball. If you hit a grounder to the left side of the infield, do not look away from the person who infields the ball and wings it towards first base. If you decide to focus on the base and run as hard as you can, the chances of you getting nailed in the head are about the same as Rebecca Black having a drug addiction in the near future (I will refrain from bashing her hit song, “It’s Friday,” because everyone is doing it … but that song is more abominable than genocide and if I hear it one more time I might take a scouring iron and burn my eardrums to a bloody pulp, because total silence for the remainder of my life is more appealing than even the slight chance that I might hear a passerby humming that terrible, terrible song. I’d like to add that she is probably a great person and a very talented singer, and I hope she does not become addicted to drugs. And also, genocide is not worse than her song, but I would be open to a debate on the subject). So block out the memory of your dad or little league coach yelling at you, “Don’t be scared of the ball!” They didn’t know what they were talking about. If you think I am lying to you, there are some people walking around campus with brand new teeth and short-term memory loss who would back me up.

You now know everything you need to know to have a successful intramural softball season. If you are not a slow pitch athlete but one of the plethora of intramural softball fanatics who fill the bleachers on a nightly basis, then hopefully you have a better understanding of the game. Next time a base runner for your favorite team misses first base because he ducked to avoid an errant missile coming from the other side of the field, you should applaud him for his acute awareness of what is going on around him. If you hear the catcher for your team yell something that effectively disrupts the batter’s concentration, a loud cheer should be the result. If your favorite softball athlete chooses to let a ground ball roll through to the outfield instead of risking his safety and self-respect by diving, don’t think any less of him — he obviously understands the fundamentals of the game and that should be appreciated.

Softball slumps in A-Sun play

Bears lose series against Campbell, JU

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Published Mar 30, in Softball, Sports

 

(photo courtesy of MercerBears.com) Mercer's struggles on the diamond recently have brought the team's record back to 17-13 midway through the 2011 campaign.

After the cancellation of the doubleheader with Florida A&M, the Mercer Bears went on an Atlantic Sun road trip to take on conference rivals Campbell, Jacksonville, and North Florida to start A-Sun play. The start of the A-Sun slate has not gone quite as well as the Bears and their senior stars would have hoped. Recent setbacks have the team hovering around the .500 mark halfway into the 2011 season. Series losses against Campbell and Jacksonville in conjunction with a doubleheader split against the UNF Osprey have Mercer near the bottom of the A-Sun as April approaches.

Softball: 17-13 overall,
1-5 Atlantic Sun

Campbell 0-2

Despite outhitting the Camels in their conference opener, the Mercer Bears dropped both games in their doubleheader. This will be the last time the two teams are slated to play regularly in conference play, as Campbell heads for the Big South conference next season. They lost 3-2 and 6-3. Sara Stukes performed well, going 4-for-7. Kari Chambers and Jenni Holtz each picked up losses, and they went to 7-5 and 8-5 respectively on the year. Kassie Bailey performed well in relief.

Jacksonville 0-2

Despite having a week off before the doubleheader versus the Dolphins of Jacksonville, the Mercer Bears did not perform well at all, failing to muster any offense at the plate with no runs, even as Jenni Holtz had eight superb innings before finally getting scored on in the bottom of the ninth. The Bears were blown out 7-0 in the first game, and then lost 1-0 in the nightcap. Kristin Marko went 3-for-5 in the doubleheader, including the only hit in the first game. Jacksonville’s ace pitcher Sarah Sigrest won both games against the Bears, facing 37 batters.

North Florida 1-1

An eight run sixth inning in game one led to the Mercer Bears righting the ship, halting a losing streak that stretched back to March 10. They won 9-3, but they dropped the second game 3-2, despite holding a lead into the sixth inning. This was the first conference win on the year for the Bears, and Jenni Holtz recorded her ninth win of her senior season, facing 36 batters along the way. McKenzie Woody went 4-for-8, helping spark a lot of offense at the top of the order. Amanda Santa Maria went 3-for-6. The Bears were just unable to muster enough late in the second game.

The Bears next see action with doubleheaders versus Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson at home on April 2 and 3. After this, they travel to Auburn and Florida State. The Bears look to build momentum for the middle of their conference schedule.

Softball dominating competition, ready for A-Sun play

Randi Rea's walk-off homerun over Samford propels Mercer

By:
Published Mar 16, in Softball, Sports

(photo courtesy of MercerBears.com) The softball team hopes to extend their recent hot streak into A-Sun play in March.

It appears as if 2011 will bring about a more promising result in the A-Sun tournament, as the softball team currently stands at 16-8 after four tournaments worth of play and a busy time on the road.  The Bears took three of five games at the Kennesaw State tournament and split games in the rain-shortened Georgia Tech “Buzz Classic” before a split with UConn and sweep of Samford at Sikes Field.

The Bears start conference play Saturday, March 19. Their lone non-conference matchups for the remainder of the season are against Auburn (April 6) and Georgia State (April 19).

Mercer 8, Sav. St. 0
The Bears added to their winning streak against the lowly Tigers in a 14-hit game for the women in orange and black.  Kassie Bailey picked up her first win of the year for Mercer as freshman centerfielder McKenzie Woody would go 5 for 7 with two RBIs and five stolen bases. Sara Stukes would also show the power of her bat, finishing the game with two hits and four RBIs.

Mercer 18, Sav. St. 0
Six players had multiple hits in an even more lopsided contest against their I-16 opponents. Kristin Marko and Allison Jones would both slug home runs in the five-inning rout of the Tigers, the 24th win for Mercer in the all-time series against their easterly rivals.

Kennesaw St. Tournament
For three busy days of softball, Mercer came out with three wins and only two loses in an early test against a mixture of big schools and mid-major opponents. To start the tournament, Mercer won a close contest over Mississippi State 6-5 before defeating Tennessee State 6-1. In blowout fashion, the Bears also disposed of the Bowling Green Falcons 13-0 in five innings. However, their run of success would fall short against Ball State (8-1) and Purdue (7-4) in the final two games of the tournament. The big win against Bowling Green would give Jenni Holtz the seventh win of the 2011 season as she struck out five and only allowed one hit.

GT Buzz Tournament
Returning to Atlanta the next weekend for the Georgia Tech tournament, Mercer recorded two games in the books: a 8-0 win over Austin Peay and a 4-1 loss to Boston University before inclement weather canceled the final two days and three games for the Bears. The multitalented Randi Rea went 1-2 with four RBIs to lead Mercer in a quick contest over the Lady Govs before a lack of offense would lead to Mercer’s demise against their opponent from the Northeast.

Mercer 4, UConn 0
Kari Chambers struck out 12 batters in the complete game shutout of the Huskies to start the two game homestand. Kassie Bailey provided the spark the offense needed with a two-RBI effort as Mercer scored three runs in the second inning to make the difference.

UConn 4, Mercer 3
The Bears rallied behind pitcher Jenni Holtz, scoring runs late, but ultimately couldn’t come from behind in the team’s third loss of the season to the Huskies. Sarah Santana hit her first home run of the season after a breakout 2010 season in the fifth inning to give the orange and black hope, but UConn would prevail in the nightcap to even the series at 1-1.

Mercer 6, GA. Southern 1
Finishing the first of a doubleheader before rain moved into the forecast in Statesboro, Mercer made the most of their trip down I-16  as Kari Chambers surrendered only two hits and one earned run to the Eagles. Despite only five hits on the night, MU made the most of their base runners, scoring two runs in the second, third and sixth innings.

Mercer 9, Samford 0
Another short contest due to Mercer piling on the runs during the first inning gave Chambers a quick and efficient four-inning outing to pick up her seventh win of the year. Kristin Marko (1-1, 4 RBI) had a monster home run along with Sara Stukes and Randi Rea for the blowout win.

Mercer 8, Samford 6
A walk-off home run from up-and-coming star Randi Rea helped Mercer capture both games in the series against the Bulldogs. Going into extra innings, Jenni Holtz allowed a run at the top of the eighth inning, but after Sara Stukes and McKenzie Woody got on base Rea would bring the crowd to its feet with a resounding slam to seal the game for Mercer.

Player Spotlight: Lilli Luke

Veteran softball player gives the lowdown

By:
Published Feb 9, in Sports

(photo courtesy of MercerBears.com) Lilli Luke will look to help lead the softball team back into the A-Sun title race after a 25-30 record last season.

 

A native of Arabi, Ga., junior Lilli Luke helped the Lady Bears softball team claw their way to victory, starting in 32 out of 40 games from her position at third base last season. Luke received many awards during her high school career before she made the transition to Mercer.

Luke sat down with the Cluster during her busy softball pre-season to answer a few questions.

Cluster: When did you begin playing softball?

Luke: I started out playing T-ball and absolutely hated it. I would sit in the outfield and take my glove off and pout. I refused to play, but a lot of my friends started signing up for Little League. So, I was like, “Dad, teach me how to play.” I fell in love with it, and completely loved the sport from there on out.

C: What sports did you play during high school?

L: I played softball for varsity for five years, and I played basketball for three years. It just got to be too much, since I played travel softball. It was hard doing both.

C: What led you to come to Mercer?

L: A lot of my family went to Mercer and it’s a great school. I had always wanted to come to Mercer. Then, I got a chance to play softball here. It kind of all fell into place.

C: Did you consider other schools besides Mercer?

L: I considered other schools, but it was always Mercer.

C: Looking back at the previous season, how well do you feel your team did?

L: We had a tough season last year. We never could catch a break. In some games our pitching would be off or we could not get a hit where we needed it, and vice versa. We had the talent, but just could not put the pieces of the puzzle together.

C: What are your hopes for you and your team in the upcoming season?

L: Play the best, win and have fun while playing and just to enjoy the game while you can. We are all like a family, so I know can depend on them.

C: Is there a motto that you live by, or play by?

L: My dad always tells me, “If this was easy, then everyone would do it.” This really helps me now because we have 6:00 a.m. workouts and 9:00 p.m. meetings. It’s just hard, but looking back, not many people get the opportunity to be a student-athlete. You love the game, play the game and just have fun with it.

C: Who has inspired you the most?

L: My parents. They are always there for me one hundred percent of the time. My dad was a college athlete. He played football and baseball at Georgia Tech. I can talk to them about anything.

C: What is your most memorable sports experience?

L: Last season we played in the Georgia Tech tournament, which was fun because I have a friend on the team. I was up to bat, and I hit it out and made a hole in the shed in left field. I went back to the dugout and it was just a big joke with my friends.

Come out and support Lilli Luke and the rest of the Mercer Bears softball team as they kick off their 2011 season in mid-February.

Softball hopes to rebound in 2011

Jenni Holtz on track to break 1,000 career K's

By:
Published Feb 9, in Sports

(photo courtesy of mercer.edu) Jenni Holtz hopes to lead the softball team's rebound from a 25-30 record in 2010.

 

Despite accumulating a school-best 40-win season just two years ago and playing in the Atlantic Sun championship series in 2009, the Mercer Bears softball team simply did not live up to expectations last year. A dismal 25-30 record was not the great follow-up expected in Coach Mike Raynor’s fourth season. He did record his 100th win as Mercer’s coach last season, but that was one of the few highlights in the first campaign without a postseason run since 2005.

 Looking to improve on a 7-13 record in conference play last year, the Bears will have to rely on senior pitcher Jenni Holtz for guidance and leadership. The all-time Mercer leader in strikeouts looks to get to 1,000 Ks for her career this season. She currently has 723, and she was third last season in Atlantic Sun with 332 strikeouts. Her current total is a new Mercer single season record. In conjunction with her 17 wins (fourth in the A-Sun), an extra innings no-hitter and eight complete game shutouts, Holtz will aim to make history this season.

 While Holtz is vital to the team’s success, Mercer must look for a dependable second pitcher who can back up Holtz. They managed just eight wins outside of Holtz’s total and one of those wins was actually a save by Holtz. However, with every pitcher coming back, the experience gained will be paramount to success.

 Offense tended to be the larger issue last season as the Bears were eighth out of 11 teams last year in batting average as a team, hitting just .230.

 If experience was the issue, then it’s been fixed somewhat. Sixteen players return from a tough year, as Mercer only lost three seniors to graduation. However, there were no Bears named to the preseason All-Atlantic Sun team and key centerfielder Holly Oglesbee has now graduated.

 Despite a losing record last year, Mercer will face an uphill battle all year. The 34 game non-conference schedule includes matchups with powers from the SEC, ACC and Big Ten. Mercer opens the year with a doubleheader against Alcorn State on Feb. 10. The team has asked all fans to wear black for a “Blackout” for this home opener. They follow the home opener with four tournaments on the road at Georgia Southern, Charleston Southern, Kennesaw State and Georgia Tech for the “Buzz Classic”.

 With a few home series sprinkled throughout the next two months before conference play against Oakland, Savannah State, Samford and Florida A&M, the Bears have their work cut out for them. They’ll also look to improve their 6-14 record on the road and 7-9 record at a neutral sites.

 Mercer was picked eighth in the media’s preseason Atlantic Sun poll. Coach Raynor has looked to improve team chemistry over last year. The seniors have acknowledged that they were affected by the pressure upon them to perform after one of the best seasons in school history. Assistant Coach Kelley Bretscher (a former softball player from 2003 to 2007) told MercerBears.com that they have done mental training sessions to help the seniors lead the team and be cool under pressure. They have also been using sports psychology to improve their presence and feelings at the plate. Hopefully, this will aid the returning seniors and boost their confidence for the upcoming 2011 season.