BEREA, OHIO -- Baldwin-Wallace College softball coach Tom Spencer expects his 2009 edition of the Yellow Jackets to be much improved compared to his 2008 squad.

 

Spencer returns 10 letterwinners and five everyday starters as well as two pitchers from last season's squad that finished 17-23 overall

 

"We return a number of veteran players and we have some strong recruits and two transfers who will make us possibly better at every position," said Spencer, in his first season back in Berea and fourth overall as B-W's head coach. "We are still seeking to improve our pitching staff any way possible. Both offensively and defensively, we should be much better."

 

Offensively, sophomore preseason All-American catcher Tanya Davis (Hinckley/ Medina Highland), record-setting senior first baseman Caitlin Myor (Sheffield Lake/ Elyria/ Senior), junior third baseman Megan Coyne (Valley City/ LaGrange Keystone), sophomore shortstop Katrina Resek (Strongsville) and junior outfielderMonica Brasee (Wellington) all return after solid seasons a year ago.

 

Davis earned first-team All-OAC and All-Central Region honors as she led the team with a .421 batting average (a team-leading 56 base hits in 133 at-bats) with a single-season record 42 runs scored and 17 doubles to go with two triples, six homeruns, 39 runs batted-in and nine stolen bases in 10 attempts. Myor also was All-OAC as she hit .286 with nine doubles and school single-season records of 12 homers and 46 RBI. Coyne hit .360 with eight doubles, five homers and 23 RBI despite missing 11 games with an injury. Resek batted .303 with 31 runs scored, 10 doubles, two triples, a homer, 19 RBI and a team-leading 15 steals in 15 attempts. Brasee hit .267 with four doubles and 12 RBI in 23 contests.

 

On the mound, sophomores Mackenzie Rohrbacher (Sandusky) and Samantha Swineford (Nova/ Mapleton)both return and will compete with freshman Sarah Baker (Mentor/ Lake Catholic) and sophomore Alyssa Brosious (Westfield, N.Y./ Westfield Academy and Central School). A year ago, Rohrbacher had a 4-9 record with two saves, a 5.09 earned run average in 88 innings pitched and struck out 30 batters. Swinefordhad a 3-4 mark with a 4.45 ERA in 33 innings pitched.

 

In terms of newcomers, Spencer expects Baker to help on the mound, transfer outfielders Mallory Kobak (Independence via Cuyahoga Community College) and Chelsea Saunders (Medina Highland via Walsh University) to solidify his outfield and freshman catcher Kim Parkinson (Stow) to give him the opportunity to move Davis out from behind the plate where she can help him more in the field.

 

"We are looking forward to the season," said Spencer. "We have a group of young women who are talented and work hard every day in practice.  We feel that we have an opportunity to be pretty good, but also know that we have some areas to work on to get better and to be able to play with the best in this conference."

 

The Yellow Jackets open the 2009 season on their spring break trip to Tucson, Arizona from March 8-12 where they will play in the Tucson Softball Classic Tournament (www.tucsonsoftball.com). B-W opens play against Wartburg (Iowa) College on March 8 at 9:00 a.m. and then plays Bethany Lutheran (Minn.) College at 11:00 a.m. On the trip, B-W plays 10 games. B-W also will travel to Maryville, Tennessee from March 21-22. The first northern game is on March 24 when B-W hosts Ohio Wesleyan University in a doubleheader at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Field at 3:30 p.m.