2000 softball preview: team-by-team

By KEVIN KELLY and STEVE LEE

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2000

GULF BUCCANEERS

COACH: Lori Jaros (fourth year).

LAST SEASON: 12-13.

KEY LOSSES: Michelle Haney, 1B.

KEY RETURNEES: Bridget Murphy, Sr., SS; Gabby Henderson, Sr., 3B; Becky Stanzione, Sr., P/INF.

OUTLOOK: Gulf has hovered around .500 the past two seasons and Jaros is hoping for improvement. With five seniors, two juniors and four sophomores, the Buccaneers are older than in years past. Stanzione will start but Murphy and freshman Ericka Ernst will help out. Hitting is a concern for Jaros, who hopes Gulf can beat each opponent at least once this season.

JAROS SAYS: "This is the first season that we've had a few seniors on the team, so I'm hoping that leadership can kick us up a notch or two."

HUDSON COBRAS

COACH: Linda McQuade (10th year).

LAST SEASON: 14-14.

KEY LOSSES: None.

KEY RETURNEES: Melissa Strawser, Sr., SS; Jessie Clougher, Sr., P; Jenee Roth, Sr., C; Tracy DeForest, Sr., 3B; Kelly Qualtiere, Jr., OF.

OUTLOOK: The Cobras have won 46 games the past three seasons with help from a group of players who are now seniors. This year, McQuade is looking for more production at the plate and feels pitching will be the strong suit. Clougher is one of the county's best; she won 14 games last season and batted .299. Batterymate Roth hit .269. If and when Strawser returns from a knee injury sustained in December, Hudson will improve immediately.

McQUADE SAYS: "We should be pretty decent once I get everybody back."

LAND O'LAKES GATORS

COACH: Jerry English (24th year).

LAST SEASON: 11-12.

KEY LOSSES: Meg Reed, C; Vanessa Jacko, OF-SS.

KEY RETURNEES: Ashley Patton, Jr., P/1B; Amanda Harmon, Jr., P/1B; Jennifer Savage, Jr., C; Erica Skillman, So., 2B; Samantha Harvey, So., SS.

OUTLOOK: Harmon, out last season with an inner-ear infection, returns to the mound to join Patton, giving the Gators one of the county's most formidable pitching staffs. With Patton, Skillman, freshman outfielder Michelle Hausman, Harvey and Savage in the middle of the order, the Gators should get more extra base hits than last year's meager 30. Sophomore Amber DeYoung will play third base and freshmen Amanda Gulino and Lauren Mays play some in the outfield.

ENGLISH SAYS: "I'm really happy that we have two pitchers that are comparable. We missed Amanda last year to go along with Ashley."

PASCO PIRATES

COACH: Jim Ward (6th year).

LAST SEASON: 5-22.

KEY LOSSES: Candi Shive, CF; Trish Barthle, P.

KEY RETURNEES: Nicole Norris, Jr., C; Alavia Madani, Jr., 3B/1B; Kelli Pugh, Jr., 1B; Tara Walters, So., SS; Michelle Rubio, So., 2B-3B.

OUTLOOK: The Pirates have combined for 12 wins the past two seasons, but could win that many this year. For that to happen, co-captains Norris and Madani must produce and be team leaders. The strong-armed Walters should solidify the infield. Rubio, who batted .420 as a late-season call-up from the junior varsity, could start plenty of rallies.

WARD SAYS: "We've struggled for the last two years. I think we have a good chance to win a lot of ballgames this year."

RIDGEWOOD RAMS

COACH: Marlyn Bavetta (11th year).

LAST SEASON: 26-8.

KEY LOSSES: Brittany Fischer, 1B; Jenn Morris, P; Amy Birch, P.

KEY RETURNEES: Brandy Krieg, Jr., 3B; Bethann Blankenship, Jr., SS; Vanessa Farmer, Sr., C.

OUTLOOK: The Rams were one game from the 5A finals last season and have a strong core of talented players back. Blankenship, Krieg and Farmer batted better than .300 last season. The one question mark is pitching. The Rams lost their two top pitchers from last season and will experiment with four this year.

BAVETTA SAYS: "They want to continue the tradition we've got here, so they're putting a lot of pressure on themselves."

RIVER RIDGE ROYAL KNIGHTS

COACH: Ernie Beck (sixth year).

LAST SEASON: 16-13.

KEY LOSSES: Erin Pixton, LF; Jessie Kiesel, C/INF; Alicia Litak, INF/OF.

KEY RETURNEES: Leah Plummer, Sr., OF; Erin Derkevics, Sr., SS/P; Jessica Williams, Sr., P/INF; Christine Beck, So., P/SS/2B; Adrienne Cicirello, So., OF.

OUTLOOK: The Royal Knights balance youth, experience and talent with Beck, Cicirello and Derkevics. All three were second-team All-North Suncoast selections last year. Beck has an abundance of pitchers but doesn't have a dominant one who "can mow anybody down." Decreasing errors, mental and physical, is another concern.

BECK SAYS: "I think we're going to be a pretty good hitting team and I think we'll have adequate pitching."

WESLEY CHAPEL WILDCATS

COACH: Tom McHugh (first year).

OUTLOOK: Fundamentals is the name of the game for the first-year Wildcats. Junior P/SS/3B Tiffany Williams is the staff ace and a strong hitter. Junior 2B Meaghan McHugh, who transferred from Pasco where her father was an assistant coach, is expected to provide leadership. Melissa Reed follows in her sister's footsteps; Meg, the former Land O'Lakes catcher, is behind the plate at Pasco-Hernando Community College.

McHUGH SAYS: "Hopefully, we won't get spanked. I don't want to give teams six outs an inning. I just don't like to make the mental mistakes."

ZEPHYRHILLS BULLDOGS

COACH: Pat Moul (ninth year).

LAST SEASON: 14-17.

KEY LOSSES: Nicole Boudreaux, CF; Drulene Barthle, SS.

KEY RETURNEES: Christine Bice, So., P; Courtney Cavall, Sr., C; Ashley Tunker, Jr., P-3B; Andrea Wardell, Sr., 1B-OF; Heather Britton, Sr., OF; Ashley McGavern, Sr., SS.

OUTLOOK: Bice obliterated the school record with 208 strikeouts last season and fanned 17 in one game. She and Cavall should wind up playing a lot of pitch and catch. Britton is a solid outfielder with power and McGavern, who did not play last season while recovering from a knee injury, has good range and a strong arm.

MOUL SAYS: "Pessimistically optimistic. I'm not trying to be overconfident, but if they can come through with what they're capable of doing ... "

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