University of Tennessee Athletics
UT Softball Set to Open Campaign at Louisville Slugger Tourney
January 31, 2001 | Softball
Jim Beitia's Club Will Face a Trio of 2000 NCAA Regional Teams in Tampa
The Lady Vol softball team will kick off its sixth season of competition this weekend at the Louisville Slugger Tournament hosted by the University of South Florida in Tampa. Under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jim Beitia, Tennessee will meet #3 Arizona, Hawaii, South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Northwestern during the three-day event. The Orange is seeking to rebound from a ineffective 2000 campaign in which it finished with the program's first-ever losing record at 29-34 overall.
"I know that everyone on our team has put the disappointment of last season behind them," said the Lady Vol mentor. "Both myself and the rest of the coaching staff are hopeful that the upcoming tourney in Florida will be a positive starting point for a successful 2001 campaign. From all indications, blending talented newcomers with experienced leaders should prove to be a winning combination for us."
Beitia has brought 11 new players into the fold and will be expecting the squad's four seniors, second baseman Annie Fletcher (.259 avg., 10 doubles in 2000), left fielder Janette Koshell (.339 avg., 39 RBI, 18 doubles), catcher Maura Mollet (.261 avg., 28 runs, 15 RBI) and shortstop Melissa Radley (.284 avg., 23 runs), to lead by example. Having lost four-year starting pitcher Jackie Beavers to graduation, UT will look to a quartet of hurlers to take turns in the circle: junior college transfer Nicole Borg, freshman southpaw Leigh Ann Ellis, and the sophomore duo of right-handers Stephanie Humphrey (4-4, 4.14 ERA, 50.2 innings) and Nicole Murray (0-2, 8.87 ERA, 23.2 innings).
The Lady Vols should have their hands full in their opener, as perennial Pac-10 powerhouse Arizona will provide the opposition at 2 p.m. on Friday. The Wildcats advanced to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., last May, where Mike Candrea's club finished third. Having captured five national titles in its illustrious history, UA returns nine starters and a whopping five All-Americans from a team that was 59-9 overall last season and 16-4 in league activity.
Junior first baseman/pitcher Jennie Finch (29-2, 204 strikeouts, 0.79 ERA; .335 avg., 16 homers), senior third baseman Toni Mascarenas (.374 avg., 46 runs, 17 doubles, 14 stolen bases), senior outfielder Lauren Bauer (.356 avg., 58 runs, 38 SB), senior outfielder Nicole Giordano (.436 avg., 98 hits, 55 runs) and senior catcher Lindsey Collins (.327 avg., 68 runs batted in, 16 HR) will make life difficult for numerous foes.
Tennessee has faced Arizona on the diamond on five previous occasions and has yet to defeat the 'Cats. The squads last met in the championship game of the Wildcat Classic in Tucson, Ariz., on Feb. 27, 1999, when the hosts claimed the title with a 3-1 triumph over UT. Arizona is one of two Pac-10 schools that the Lady Vols will play this season, as Beitia's troops will encounter Oregon State twice next weekend at the Islander Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Rainbow Wahine of Hawaii will serve as the Orange and White's second obstacle on Friday, as the teams will battle at 8 p.m. under the lights at the USF Softball Field. A member of the Western Athletic Conference, UH dipped to 25-24 overall one season after joining Tennessee at the 1999 NCAA Regional No. 3 in Seattle, Wash. With 13 returning letterwinners, including four field starters and three pitchers, coach Bob Coolen should be excited about his team's fortunes.
Players to watch for the Rainbows include senior outfielder Tyree Woodruff (.305 avg.) sophomore shortstop Kate Judd (.293 avg., 25 RBI, five HR) and senior left-hander Desiree Duran (11-5, 2.60 ERA, 96 strikeouts). Tennessee sports a 1-0 series advantage on their island neighbors after handing Hawaii a 5-2 setback at the 1999 Wildcat Classic.
The second day of the Louisville Slugger Tournament will feature a couple more familiar opponents for the Lady Vols: host South Florida at 6 p.m. and Florida Atlantic at 8 p.m. 2001 will mark the fifth consecutive year that UT has journeyed down to Tampa to face the home-standing Bulls. Ironically, the Lady Vols initial win of last season came at the expense of USF, as Tennessee came away with a 5-4 triumph behind the relief pitching of Humphrey on Feb. 4.
Piloted by Ken Eriksen, the Bulls started their new season on Jan. 27 by dropping both ends of a twinbill to Florida International, 1-0 and 5-4. USF finished 2000 at 41-33 overall and 11-7 in Conference USA. Seniors Nikki Phillips (.313, 18 stolen bases) and Jessica Kowal (24-13, 141 K, 1.46 ERA) spearhead a roster that features eight freshmen.
Although UT has emerged victorious in four of the last five meetings between the programs, the Bulls still enjoy a 7-5 all-time edge. In games played on the Green and Gold's turf, the Lady Vols are just 1-4.
The Florida Atlantic Owls are coming off a 2000 season in which they earned the Trans America Athletic Conference crown for the fourth straight time and reached NCAA Regionals for the second consecutive year. Joyce Chapman's club was 57-17 and dropped only one of 14 league tilts last spring. Top returnees include senior Kristen Stanley (.343 avg, 19 RBI), junior Nicole Myers (22-7, 325 K, 0.80 ERA; .299 avg., 39 RBI) and 11 HR), as well as senior righty Chris Sutcliffe (20-7, 124 K, 1.53 ERA).
The Lady Vols will contend with the Owls for the first time since a registering a 5-0 blanking of FAU at the Gladstone's Classic on Feb. 23, 1997. Overall, UT is 3-0 versus Florida Atlantic with three shutouts and an aggregate score of 19-0.
Tennessee will conclude its opening weekend away from Knoxville against Big Ten Conference member Northwestern at noon on Sunday. UT upended the Wildcats at last season's Louisville Slugger Tournament by a slim 7-6 margin, but NU rebounded from that defeat to compile a 30-26 mark en route to a Regional appearance. The clubs have now split two meetings entering the rubber match.
Senior Brooke Siebel, an infielder/pitcher from Brentwood, Tenn., was the 'Cats top hitter in 2000 with a .362 batting average, while sophomore pitcher Lauren Schwendimann recorded a 20-11 mark with 223 strikeouts and a 1.76 earned run average as a rookie. Junior outfielder Erin Jancic (.318 avg., 37 RBI) and sophomore infielder/outfielder Brett Nakabayashi (.303 avg.) also topped the .300 average plateau for head coach Sharon Drysdale.
Tennessee boasts a 2-3 record in season openers after enduring a 10-0 beating at the expense of top-ranked UCLA last February in Tampa. The Lady Vols will also be seeking to improve upon last season's mark of 13-23 away from the friendly confines of Tyson Park. It's no secret that UT will have to assume a 'road-warrior' type of mentality, since the club will be spending its first seven weekends on the road.
