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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Open Season This Weekend
February 20, 2002 | Softball
Feb. 20, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
The Falcon softball team opens the 2002 season this weekend. BGSU plays a Friday (Feb. 22) doubleheader at Tennessee State, then will play four games in the Worth/Icebreaker Tournament, hosted by Tennessee Tech, on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 23-24). The Brown and Orange will face Bradley, Louisville, Virginia and host TTU in that tourney. The following is the BGSU 2002 season outlook:
In just three years, Leigh Ross-Shaw has molded the Bowling Green State University softball program into a Mid-American Conference power.
Now, her goal is to keep the Falcons at that elite level.
Ross-Shaw guided the Brown and Orange to a MAC East Division co-championship two years ago, and her team won the divisional crown outright last year. Clearly, BGSU has experienced great success in MAC regular-season play. Ross-Shaw would like to continue that success, and extend it into MAC Tournament play.
The job will not be easy, though. The Falcons are a marked team, and BG lost a solid group of players from the 2001 season.
"It is great to win the East," said Ross-Shaw, the 2001 MAC Coach of the Year. "I've been pleased with our success in the regular season over the past few years.
"But, I'm tired of coming up short in the (MAC) tournament. I think we're all tired of it. We don't want to be happy just to get there. Our goals will continue to be to win the division and to win the tournament.
"And, from the first day of practice (in the fall), those have been the goals of the kids."
BGSU lost one of the top senior classes in school history from last year's squad. Twins Angie and Jen Domschot, Lynsey Ebel and Nikki Rouhana helped BG to four MAC Tournament appearances, and their names can be found all over the school recordbooks.
But, Ross-Shaw welcomes back a total of 15 letterwinners from the 2001 team, a team that went 35-19 overall and 19-5 in conference play. That group includes the entire pitching staff, as well as six positional starters from a year ago.
That pitching staff has Ross-Shaw optimistic about her team's chances for success again in 2002. The group includes a trio of seniors in Andrea Genter, Jessie Milosek and Rebekah Tipton, as well as junior McKenna Houle and sophomore Jody Johnson.
"The pitching is really going to be our strength," said the head coach. "We are very deep and have a lot of experience on the mound. We may not score as many runs, but I'm hoping that we can hold the other team to less.
"Also, some of these pitchers don't want to be in a rotation any more. They want to be the number-one or number-two pitcher. So there's some good competition going on. It's a good thing to have, and I think it will make the pitching staff that much stronger."
Houle was an All-MAC First-Team selection last season, after posting an 11-8 record and leading the team in earned-run average, appearances, games started and innings pitched. She started nearly half of the Falcons' conference games. Houle, along with seniors Holly Frantz and Renee Rosemeier, is a captain of the 2002 team.
"McKenna is a gamer," said Ross-Shaw. "She's going to go out there and be a leader. She was an All-MAC pitcher with pretty much just a fastball and a drop. To be all-league by throwing just your fastball is pretty amazing.
"She has really worked on her changeup. She's worked with (assistant coach) Tami (Summers), and now has a very good changeup and an improved drop as well. She will be a real leader for us."
Milosek had a deceptive 8-7 record last year, but finished just behind Houle in ERA. She was 4-1 in league games, with an ERA of 1.04.
"Jessie is pretty much always the same," said Ross-Shaw. "When she is on her game, she can be one of the top pitchers in this conference."
Genter had a 6-2 record, while Johnson was 10-2 in her initial season. Genter has shown flashes of brilliance in her first three years, as evidenced by her three-hit shutout of Ohio last season. She allowed opponents to hit just .190 against her in MAC play.
Johnson, used primarily as a reliever, won her last nine decisions of the year. She was 5-0 with a 0.58 ERA in league games, and fanned 10 batters in a complete-game win at Ohio State in non-league play.
"Genter has such a great curveball," said Ross-Shaw. "There are certain teams that really have trouble hitting her.
"Jody wants to be in the rotation. I hope that means she will pitch the way she did at Ohio State last year. She's also picked up a curve in the offseason."
Tipton has not seen a great deal of game time in the past few years, but seems to be on track toward a solid senior season.
"The catchers have always told me that 'Bekah's ball moves more than any other pitcher on our team in practice," said Ross-Shaw. "Tami, without knowing our pitchers, told me the same thing when she got her. It's unbelievable. If we can get her to just throw in games like she does in practice, watch out."
Regardless of which pitcher is in the game, Ross-Shaw knows that Frantz will be a stabilizing presence at the catching spot. Frantz, in her first year as a starter, showed glimpses of hitting prowess last year, but has displayed nearly impeccable defense. She had a .992 fielding percentage in 2001, bringing her career pct. to .989. Sophomore Jenifer Kernahan will spell Frantz behind the plate.
"Holly, definitely, will be our leader on the field," said Ross-Shaw. "She's fun to watch, and she takes control of the team. Holly will be a key to our play this year.
"There are a few pitchers, I think, that throw better to 'Kerny' at times. I'll make an effort, when we play certain teams, to put her behind the plate."
The infield will feature several new faces, as three All-MAC performers have departed. Over her first few years at the helm, Ross-Shaw has shown the ability to plug the backup players in a starting role when their time comes. With a few exceptions, her players move into the lineup after a year or two of watching and learning from their older teammates. Such will be the case at the corners in 2002, Ross-Shaw says.
Senior Natalie Phillips is in line for the starting job at first base, while redshirt sophomore Liz Tuza will battle Johnson for the third-base job.
"Natalie Phillips is a great kid," said Ross-Shaw. "She is the best first baseman that we've had, defensively.
"Natalie sat by for three years, playing sparingly. Then, she jumped in (to the starting lineup in the fall), and we haven't missed a beat."
Sophomore Candace Fenton and freshman Lauren Lennox also will look for time at first base.
"Candace is the kind of kid that finds a way to make it happen in games. You've got to put her into a game to let her go, and see what happens. She'll get her chances.
"We've already seen improvement from Lauren in the fall. She has a good bat, and a good eye at the plate."
At third, Ross-Shaw anticipates a spirited battle. Tuza saw limited action there in her first playing season, while Johnson spent the bulk of her time at the pitcher's spot last year. Both players have the tools to play at the hot corner, though, according to the coach.
"Tuza hit well in the fall. We put her at the number-two spot in the order, because she's kind of quick, and also can hit the ball hard.
"I really like Jody at third, too. She's got a cannon for an arm, one of the best arms I've ever seen. But, it always comes down to who is hitting well at a particular time."
Freshman Sara Edwards may see some time at third as well.
The second-base spot will likely be filled by a freshman, as redshirt freshman Marla Murphy and true frosh Sara "Sam" Moore are the candidates. Murphy played in just three games last year, all as a pinch-runner, before breaking her hand and sitting out the rest of the season.
"Marla really is a threat at the plate," said Ross-Shaw. "She has looked good, and is incredibly fast from home plate to first base. Marla was right-handed when she came here, and we moved her to the left side.
"That can be a difficult transition to make, but she is feeling more comfortable now, and looking a lot better.
"Sam is unbelievable, a blue-chipper. She is a little firecracker out there, that people like to watch."
BGSU's veteran in the infield will be junior shortstop Libby Voshell. Voshell has been a starter from day one with the Falcons, and could slide into the cleanup spot of the batting order in 2002. Moore could see some time at short as well.
"Libby is a prototypical number-four hitter," said Ross-Shaw. "We threw her right into the fire her freshman year, but she has two years under her belt now.
"If she continues to work hard, she should continue to hold down the shortstop position, and could do some big things for us."
Despite the loss of Jen Domschot, Ross-Shaw enjoys the luxury of having four outfielders that have starting experience, plus several younger players that will look to make an impact as well.
Rosemeier returns after an All-MAC season. Rosemeier had 39 RBI last year, which would have set a school record had teammate Lynsey Ebel not had 40. Rosemeier, a team captain for 2002 along with Houle and Frantz, likely will play in right. Ross-Shaw may bat Rosemeier in the third spot in the order, to maximize her RBI capabilities.
"The girls really look to Renee, along with Holly, as a good leader," said the coach. "Offensively, Renee is my clutch kid. When you've got two outs, a full count and the bases loaded, she is the person you want at the plate."
Junior Kandice Machain and Kernahan, a sophomore, have both been working in left and center throughout the fall. Machain blossomed toward the end of last season, hitting .323 in MAC games with a .446 slugging percentage. Kernahan showed her capabilities as well, with nine hits in one 12-at-bat stretch.
"Kernahan reminds me a lot of Jen Domschot," said Ross-Shaw. "She's the big, strong kid that you can put in center. 'Kerny' has a strong arm, great range, and gets a good jump on the ball.
"Kandice is my picture-perfect outfielder. She does everything correctly. She has great form, plays each ball correctly, and is smart. She has the mentality you need in center.
"I'm torn between those two right now. We had Kandice in the leadoff spot in the order during the fall, and we really liked her there, she was unbelievable. Her hitting, beginning with the second half of last season, has really come around. She's just got that attitude, that confidence.'
Junior Crystal Wilson started 16 games in rightfield last year, but broke her hand in early April. She will see time in both left and right, according to her coach.
"Crystal reminds me of Renee," said Ross-Shaw. "She's got a good bat, a good arm, and is a solid fielder.
"All four of those outfielders may be in the lineup at the same time, with one at the d.p. spot, or with Kernahan giving Holly a day off behind the plate. We have a lot of options."
Another option is sophomore Val Tipton. Tipton saw little action early in her freshman campaign, but made seven starts down the stretch. She primarily played at the d.p. spot, but could see additional time in the outfield this year.
"Val doesn't have the most conventional swing, but she makes good contact," said Ross-Shaw. "She has good hands and a good eye.
"I think she's feeling more confident this year, and has a better understanding of how to relax. Her defense is a lot better."
In fact, that last statement by Ross-Shaw could be about any number of her players. The Falcons set a school record for fielding percentage last season, and their coach is pleased with the steady progress in that area.
"Our defense, finally, is very strong. We've really worked hard on that, and it has improved each year. We have played a lot of kids at a lot of different places and they've played well together."
Obviously, the Falcons saw a very talented senior class finish their careers last spring, but Ross-Shaw has been pleased with this year's senior group as well.
"We lost a great senior class, but this year's senior class has been great, too. No one really expected them to turn out the way that they have this year. They have been great leaders and role models during the offseason.
"And, they have worked so hard. They may have more heart than any senior class we've ever had."
The six seniors also fit into Ross-Shaw's system very well.
"They are perfect examples of kids that know how hard you need to work to get out there on that field. They had to sit and wait their turn, and they know this is their chance. I'm excited with the way the senior class is handling the team and keeping the kids focused.
The 2002 schedule, as usual, is daunting. The Falcons play in tournaments in Tennessee, Virginia and Florida prior to the MAC season, and also face national powers Michigan and Notre Dame.
The 24-game conference slate features 14 contests against East Division foes, and 10 games against teams from the West. The 2002 season marks BGSU's last in the East Division before moving to the West.
Despite the challenging schedule, Ross-Shaw feels that her team is prepared for a run at defending the East Division crown one last time.
"Offensively, I think some people will be surprised this year," she said. "We have some people that are ready to step up and be leaders at the plate. They're not going to sit around and wait for Ebel, 'Ro' (Rouhana) or the Domschot twins to do it. These kids feel like, 'hey, it's my turn now. I've got to be the one.
"These kids are very positive. Whatever needs to be done, they feel they can do it."
