University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Softball 2008 Preview: Different Strokes on Offense
2/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
With the 2008 Gopher softball season set to get underway in just a few days, check out part three of gophersports.com's exclusive season preview. Minnesota will begin play Feb. 7 against Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Fla.
After hitting just 10 home runs in 50 games as a team in 2006, the Golden Gophers nearly tripled that output with 28 round-trippers in 46 games in 2007. With the graduation of nearly all their legitimate power threats from a year ago, Minnesota will most likely revert back to its previous “small ball” brand of softball. However, the program boasts a number of outstanding athletes that will put on an exciting show at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium this spring.
“We’re not going to be as powerful as we were last year,” said Berstein. “Our goal this year is to make contact, put the ball in play and make the defense have to make plays. It’s great to have the longball, and a few of our kids have that potential, but we know that’s not the way we’re going to score most of our runs this year. We’re going to have to move runners over, take care of the short game and work to score runs one or two at a time.”
Leading the charge on offense will be returning junior captain and leadoff hitter Colleen Conway. Minnesota’s new third baseman brings a veteran presence to the top of the order and has a knack for putting the ball in play she had seven-game hit streak last year and finished second in the Big Ten with 16 sacrifice bunts.
“Colleen can steal bases and really brings a lot to our lineup,” said Bernstein about the Woodbury, Minn. native, who was 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts last season. “She’s a great student of the game and a true team leader.”
Other returnees from the team that went 24-22 overall last season include outfielders Colleen Powers, Casey Wheeler and Sila Fernandez, as well as catcher Shannon Stemper. Powers is a smart player who excels at moving runners around the basepaths, while Fernandez is a former transfer and speedy player who will get an opportunity to start this season. Minnesota is counting on Wheeler, a transfer player out of Arizona, to provide some much-needed pop in the middle of the order. Wheeler was second on the team with seven doubles a year ago and also hit two three-run home runs.
“Casey is the quarterback of that outfield,” Standering said. “She’s a fierce competitor and wants to win. She’s going to step up and drive in runs in from the three, four or five spots in the lineup.”
Stemper, an outstanding defensive catcher, will also have to make more of an impact on offense to help the Gophers score runs this season. The junior out of Burnsville struggled at the plate at times in her first year as Minnesota’s starter, but displayed a keen eye and surprising power.
“Shannon is going to be one of our key RBI players,” said Standering. “She’s a gritty player and a tough out that hits to all fields. She’s another junior that is evolving into her potential, and we expect big things from her.”
Providing depth behind the plate will be sophomores Heidi Carls and Kate Cowger. Carls also figures to see time in the Gopher outfield.
Minnesota’s infield will receive important contributions from newcomers Brianna Sudenga, Sammie Howard and Malisa Barnes, freshman that will anchor three-fifths of the Gophers’ new-look infield. Sudenga and Howard are middle infielders that can hit for average and have extra-base potential, while Barnes is a first baseman that boasts a sweet lefthanded stroke. The Gophers will need contributions up and down the lineup if they hope to score runs in the always-competitive Big Ten.
Bethany Wolvington will serve as one of Minnesota’s pinch runners and bring an influx of speed to the Gophers’ roster.
Log on to Gophersports.com next week for the final parts of the 2008 Minnesota softball season preview!
After hitting just 10 home runs in 50 games as a team in 2006, the Golden Gophers nearly tripled that output with 28 round-trippers in 46 games in 2007. With the graduation of nearly all their legitimate power threats from a year ago, Minnesota will most likely revert back to its previous “small ball” brand of softball. However, the program boasts a number of outstanding athletes that will put on an exciting show at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium this spring.
“We’re not going to be as powerful as we were last year,” said Berstein. “Our goal this year is to make contact, put the ball in play and make the defense have to make plays. It’s great to have the longball, and a few of our kids have that potential, but we know that’s not the way we’re going to score most of our runs this year. We’re going to have to move runners over, take care of the short game and work to score runs one or two at a time.”
Leading the charge on offense will be returning junior captain and leadoff hitter Colleen Conway. Minnesota’s new third baseman brings a veteran presence to the top of the order and has a knack for putting the ball in play she had seven-game hit streak last year and finished second in the Big Ten with 16 sacrifice bunts.
“Colleen can steal bases and really brings a lot to our lineup,” said Bernstein about the Woodbury, Minn. native, who was 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts last season. “She’s a great student of the game and a true team leader.”
Other returnees from the team that went 24-22 overall last season include outfielders Colleen Powers, Casey Wheeler and Sila Fernandez, as well as catcher Shannon Stemper. Powers is a smart player who excels at moving runners around the basepaths, while Fernandez is a former transfer and speedy player who will get an opportunity to start this season. Minnesota is counting on Wheeler, a transfer player out of Arizona, to provide some much-needed pop in the middle of the order. Wheeler was second on the team with seven doubles a year ago and also hit two three-run home runs.
“Casey is the quarterback of that outfield,” Standering said. “She’s a fierce competitor and wants to win. She’s going to step up and drive in runs in from the three, four or five spots in the lineup.”
Stemper, an outstanding defensive catcher, will also have to make more of an impact on offense to help the Gophers score runs this season. The junior out of Burnsville struggled at the plate at times in her first year as Minnesota’s starter, but displayed a keen eye and surprising power.
“Shannon is going to be one of our key RBI players,” said Standering. “She’s a gritty player and a tough out that hits to all fields. She’s another junior that is evolving into her potential, and we expect big things from her.”
Providing depth behind the plate will be sophomores Heidi Carls and Kate Cowger. Carls also figures to see time in the Gopher outfield.
Minnesota’s infield will receive important contributions from newcomers Brianna Sudenga, Sammie Howard and Malisa Barnes, freshman that will anchor three-fifths of the Gophers’ new-look infield. Sudenga and Howard are middle infielders that can hit for average and have extra-base potential, while Barnes is a first baseman that boasts a sweet lefthanded stroke. The Gophers will need contributions up and down the lineup if they hope to score runs in the always-competitive Big Ten.
Bethany Wolvington will serve as one of Minnesota’s pinch runners and bring an influx of speed to the Gophers’ roster.
Log on to Gophersports.com next week for the final parts of the 2008 Minnesota softball season preview!
Players Mentioned
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Saturday, February 21
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Friday, February 13