Softball 2/21/2017 11:01:00 AM Chris Myers

Season Preview –– Cardinals Softball Looks to Build on Breakthrough Season

2017 Roster
2017 Schedule
WHEELING, W.Va. – Building upon the momentum, it will be the Cardinals task on the 2017 diamond. The Wheeling Jesuit softball team looks to build upon its breakthrough season from a year ago with a strong core and a new leader at the helm.

Coach Pelegreen's Season-Opening Coaches Corner

For the first time in seven seasons, WJU posted not only a winning season, but a statement. The Cardinals finished 35-20 for 14 more wins than the previous season. The 35-victory campaign was also the first 30-win since 2004 and the most victories since the program restarted 16 years ago.

In their 2016 breakthrough, WJU also recorded its best season of the three in the Mountain East Conference's existence with a 22-10 MEC North Division record. The Cardinals are picked in the MEC Preseason Coaches Poll for another strong run with a second-place North Division prediction, including a pair of first-place votes.

With its solid team core back, the WJU head coaching transition to assistant coach Sara Pelegreen moving into the skipper's role should be a much easier adjustment. Pelegreen, a three-year Cardinals assistant/pitching coach, is a former All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference pitcher at West Virginia State.

"Stepping into a new role, I will always be learning with it being my first year. The group of players we have on our softball team are such hard-working individuals, and it's simply a blessing to continue being a part of their family," said Pelegreen. "I want to continue to build upon the tradition that has already been set forth in this program. A commitment to excellence is what we already expect from our players, but teaching them to love, serve and care for each other will kick start them to become the outstanding people we hope they will be when they leave Wheeling Jesuit University."

For the first time, Pelegreen leads her Cardinals between the lines this Sunday, Feb. 26, in Clermont, Florida. WJU starts its 10-game in six-day opening Sunshine State trip with single games against Lake Erie College (11:30 a.m.) and Point Park (2 p.m.).

The recent success and tradition Pelegreen helped build the past three seasons has three All-Mountain East Conference performers – First Team outfielder Cassie Holstein and Second Team pitcher Mallory Chapman and outfielder Molly Welsh – set to lead the 2017 effort.

Starting in the circle, Pelegreen will call upon Chapman as the top force behind the continuation of Cardinals pitching success. Under her tutelage, Pelegreen's pitchers have decreased the team's earned run average (ERA) over three-and-a-half runs per game two seasons ago and decreased it again to 2.52 for 2016. Opponents' batting average has also decreased 67 points, .317 to .250, in two seasons as well.

In 2016, Chapman and the other WJU pitchers led the MEC with 324 strikeouts, while they tied for fourth in ERA, hits (381), runs (192), and earned runs (136) over 377.2 innings of work. The WJU staff also produced eight shutouts and 30 complete games.

Two-time All-MEC honoree Chapman has a 23-19 two-year record with a 1.80 ERA, 312 strikeouts over 353.0 innings and 9.5 shutouts. Last season, the junior left-handed pitcher ranked in the MEC Top Seven in seven pitching categories, including second in total strikeouts (169). Mallory comes off a sophomore year where she was 18-11 with a 2.20 ERA over 188.0 innings with 169 strikeouts and 5.5 shutouts in 30 games.

"Mallory is a big asset. She is strong on the mound and at the plate," said Pelegreen. "She focused on pitching last year, but we want her to be an all-around player this year."

Chapman hit only .214 (9 of 42) in limited trips to the plate last year. As a freshman, the lefty connected on 21 of 74 at bats for a .284 average and four home runs.

The sophomore pair of Erin Unterbrink and Courtney Rogers join Chapman in the WJU pitching staff. Unterbrink logged 77.1 innings her first year and she produced a 6-3 record with a 3.08 ERA. She fanned 46 batters and had a 3.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Rogers, who didn't pitch last year, came back stronger and will get innings. Her bat was called upon last year where she lined seven hits in 35 at bats with a double.

"From five pitchers down to three this year, it will be a big obstacle for us. We have implemented extra training to get stamina up so we can pitch all 54 games," noted the Cardinals coach.

The Cardinals have one of the region's best catchers, Victoria Scott, back to complete the pitching battery. For the third year in a row, Scott is slated to handle the starting catching duties and she has not disappointed her first two campaigns.

Over 52 games, Scott recorded a .994 fielding percentage with only two errors in 325 chances on defense. At the plate, the junior hit .309 with 37 hits in 120 at bats with 20 runs, five doubles and 23 runs batted in. Scott lined hits in 30 games with 10 multi-hit contests and boasted hit streaks of 10 and six games.

"Victor has primarily caught every game since she came here. She is one of our most consistent players as you can always count on her for a hit per game. She is a hidden gem, but doesn't get much attention and runners don't steal on her," added Pelegreen.

Backing up at catcher, freshman Ashley Ledbetter should give Scott the luxury of not having to catch every game. The first-year player from Staley, N.C., came to the Cardinals ready to work with a great swing. She will also look to fill in some at first base.

Along with Ledbetter, freshmen Candace Drzik and Sam Olbrich look to get healthy before adding to the catching depth.

Turning to the green, All-Conference players Holstein and Welsh aim to anchor two of the three outfield positions. The two quick outfielders produced two of the top four MEC batting averages for a combined 126 of 318 (.396) at the plate, while they ranked in the MEC top 10 in four offensive categories.

In right field, Holstein had a true breakthrough sophomore season. Following a .343 average with 24 hits in 70 at bats as a freshman, the Millersport, Ohio product rocketed to the MEC's second-best average of .400 (76 of 190). Her 76 hits were the conference's fourth-best along with the fifth-most stolen bases of 18. Cassie finished with one 15-game hit streak, hit safely in 43 of 55 games and six three-hit and two four-hit contests. She rounded out her line with a team-high 38 runs scored to go with two doubles, a triple, a .421 slugging percentage and 11 walks.

"Cassie is a giant tool for us – bunting, slapping and hitting. She stepped up in the outfield for us," noted Pelegreen.

Standing to Holstein's right, Welsh aims for an even bigger sophomore season of her own. The returning MEC Freshman of the Year was solid defensively, as well as, having the fourth-best league batting average of .391 with 50 hits in 128 at bats. She also ranked seventh in the MEC with 15 doubles and ninth in stolen bases (16), while scoring 26 runs, driving in 24 runners and slugging .523.

With Holstein and Welch, the Cardinals will have trio fighting for the left field position – sophomore Taylor DiPerna and freshmen Morgan Hodge and Kayla Shauer.

DiPerna started eight games and saw limited action in 24 contests. The second-year player has worked hard on hitting and has a tough mentality. She lined four hits in 17 at bats with five runs and a double last season.

Hodge comes from the same Willoughby High as Scott where she was a two-time All-District performer. Morgan, who reads the ball well, finished her Rebels career with a .481 batting average. Schauer of Wellsboro, Pa., brings a good resume with her. The quick Cowanesque Valley High grad earned PIAA All-State first team and District 4 Outstanding Female Athlete honors. She hit .400 for her career and .538 as a senior.

Turning to the infield, three Cardinals seniors – Morgan Stohlman, Kelsi Thompson, and Dana Achille – are slated to be lineup stalwarts again.

The definition of a utility player according to coach Pelegreen, Stohlman practices in each of first, second and third bases and can get it done at each of them. The veteran player will start either at second or third base in the lineup.

In her first three years, Stohlman has a .292 average with 97 hits and 21 doubles. Last spring, the senior hit .286 (42 of 147) with the second-most doubles on the team (9) to go with 15 runs and 19 RBI.

Thompson has logged the most combined at bats the last three seasons with 395. In those at bats, the Hebron, Ohio native produced a .286 average with 113 hits, 21 doubles and six homers. Thompson looks to return to short stop where she moved from third base last year. Kelsi led the Cardinals with 37 RBI and second with nine doubles, while she added 23 runs and three home runs.

At first base, Achille has built upon each of her previous WJU seasons. The power bat has a three-year .464 slugging percentage over 276 at bats with 10 home runs. Dana improved to a .288 average last year with a team-high five round-trippers, 24 runs and 24 RBI.

Coming off surgery, senior Amy Rotriga has worked hard in the offseason. She looks to add another hitter to the lineup and good glove to plug in at first base.

After filling in the outfield for the fall, sophomore Jackie Cramer is a floater, who is adamant to be on the field, and is ready for more consistent time at second base. She did the job when she played her 13 games last spring and came in this year in top shape. Over 29 at bats, Cramer hit .276 with eight hits, four runs, two RBI and two walks.

Also at second base, sophomore Rachel Rittelmann and transfer sophomore Caryce McGurn will be in the mix. Rittelmann stepped to the plate three times last season, while McGurn, who may see time at first base, was an All-District player two years ago for Oakleaf High.

Behind Thompson at short stop, sophomore Michaela Miller and newcomer Brianna Grimes are ready to be called upon. Miller started six games at shortstop in her first campaign and should play a substantial role when she gets healthy off a broken hand. She hit .320 with eight hits in 25 at bats with 14 runs, three RBI and two stolen bases.

Hard-working Grimes gives the team another middle infield option. The William Mason High product registered a .374 career batting average and set a Greater Miami Conference record with 36 stolen bases.

The third base position is yet to be determined between Stohlman, Cramer and juniors Kelly Albers and Carolyn Blattler. Albers saw action in four games a year ago, while Blattler redshirt.

With the winning program momentum and solid core in the fold, where does coach Pelegreen see the keys to success for her inaugural Cardinals team.

"One of our biggest downfalls has been playing in the postseason. We have played well during the season, but we need to be stronger for the MEC Tournament (team is 1-4 the last two tournaments)," said Pelegreen.

Her team's strengths will start in the circle and on the defensive side of the coin.

"It helps to have one of the best pitchers (Chapman) in the MEC as not many succeed versus her. We also should be stronger through the lineup and not just at the top of it," explained the WJU coach. "We will be strong defensively (team held a .955 team fielding percentage last year) and will be looking to equal it out offensively (averaged 4.1 runs per game)."

The WJU coaching staff has taken it upon themselves to implement some new strategies in hopes for overall team improvement.

"We should be improved hitting the most this year. We have added more strategy to our hitters to where they can understand more of what their body is doing when they hit. We also put in new drills both defensively and offensively," added Pelegreen. "I have changed a lot of practice structure so we can get offense and defense in each day."

The 54-game 2017 road will be a challenging one with NCAA Division II Regional winner and No. 9 Charleston and No. 14 West Virginia Wesleyan as the MEC's top teams and both boast strong lineups again. WJU is set to battle MEC North Division favorite Shepherd in its Division. The Cardinals also face four solid Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams – Indiana (Pa.), East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven and Bloomsburg – after the Florida trip in the early docket.

The Cardinals, though, are set to
soar under Pelegreen and have the veteran core and young talent for the program's growth to continue in a promising 2017 season.

-GoCards-