Boston College Athletics
Softball: 2009 Season Outlook
February 04, 2009 | Softball
Feb. 4, 2009
Boston College Softball head coach Jennifer Finley has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the 2009 season. Entering her 14th year as head coach at BC, Finley returns the core of a team that played the most rigorous schedule (63 games) in program history. The team responded with a 32-31 record, marking BC's first winning season since 2004. Now, the task for Finley is to continue to improve, as the Eagles embark on another challenging campaign in 2009. The team was dealt a blow before the season began with the loss of All-ACC second baseman Renee Ramos to injury. But the fall season showed that the team had responded to the adversity well.
"When you take out that main star, everybody else knows that they have to bring their A-game," Finley said. "You could see how the team started to develop once we beat UMass in the fall. I think we have the mentality of, `Hey, we're out here to win, no matter what.'
The win over the Minutemen, considered by many the best team in the region, was significant because Finley would like to see the Eagles inherit the title of New England's best team in the near future.
"Our goal this is season is to be one of the top teams in the Northeast," Finley said. "We're looking to be one of the top four teams in the ACC."
Last season, the top four teams in the ACC made the NCAA Tournament. This is BC's ultimate goal at the end of the season.
"We haven't been there in a few years, and that's what the team has been working for," Finley said.
The team elected seniors Angela Pandolfo, Renee Ramos, and Danielle Pandolfo as captains before the season. Under their guidance, the Eagles have been productive in the preseason and head into the spring with a lot of momentum.
"I really enjoyed the team this fall," Finley said "They worked really hard. Though we're missing one of our big players in Renee, everybody is coming together."
On offense, the Eagles return three of their top four top run producers from last season. Finley hopes that the trio of juniors, Dani Weir, Amy Tunstall and Taylor Peyton, can make up for the loss of Ramos' bat from the lineup.
"When it comes to offense, we're really expecting that junior class to step up," Finley said. "We expect them to pick up the numbers with Renee's bat missing."
With a schedule that includes nine teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, the Eagles have their work cut out for them if they want to achieve their ultimate goal. Yet Finley is optimistic that the Eagles will be able to build on last season's success based upon the character the team showed in the fall season.
"In the fall this team had a lot of enthusiasm," Finley said of the team. "They never gave up in any game. If we were behind we ended up coming back and winning. I really attribute that to the leadership we have."
Pitching
Much of last season's success can be attributed to standout performances from the 2008 pitching staff. With the demanding schedule, they were asked to shoulder a load that no BC pitching staff had previously had to before. Allison Gage and Taylor Peyton combined for 87 appearances, the most of any pitching duo in BC history. Gage, in her freshman year, set the school record for wins in a season (19) while Peyton won a personal-best 13 games, including a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over Rhode Island last April.
"I think our pitchers came back stronger, and we added another pitcher to the staff in freshman Morgan Kidd," Finley said. "Our pitching staff will indicate how successful we're going to be."
Junior Taylor Peyton begins her third campaign after finishing last season 13-11 with a 3.16 ERA in 36 appearances. Peyton improved in nearly every pitching category last season, and Coach Finley looks forward to her continued development
"Last year, she stepped up in a huge way as a sophomore," Finley said of Peyton. "She's just an all-around great player."
Sophomore Allison Gage returns after shattering the BC record books during an outstanding freshman season. Gage finished the year with a 19-19 record and a staff-leading 2.76 ERA. She made a school record 35 starts, and pitched 21 complete games.
"Allison is coming off of a great freshman season," Finley said. "She pitched a lot of innings for us last year. We expect her to pitch the same amount this year, if not more."
The two veterans will be complimented by freshman Morgan Kidd, who enters her rookie season after a standout career at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, Ga. In her scholastic career, Kidd set the school record for career strikeouts at McIntosh, and was named to the All-State First Team.
"We brought in Morgan, who is a little different from the other two," Finley said. "Even though she is a freshman, we expect her to give us innings."
Undoubtedly one of the strengths of the 2008 squad, the pitching staff will once again be relied upon in 2009 as a key part of Boston College's success.
"That group as a rotation is going to work as one, and their success will be that of the team as well," said Finley.
Infield
Boston College returns many familiar faces from the infield this season, which will help make up for the absence of its most recognizable one. Though second baseman Renee Ramos will miss the 2009 season due to injury, she will still play an integral part of the team, as a captain.
"Her role this year will be almost like a coach-type role where she will be the eyes and ears of the team," Finley said. "She'll still stay involved and help everybody out."
Filling her spot at second base will be junior Blair Destito, who has proven to be a steady glove in two years as an infielder thus far at The Heights, or Alison Kooistra. Last season Destito registered a fielding percentage of .987 with 226 putouts and only three errors.
"Blair played some time there her freshman year, and will work at second base," Finley said.
Kooistra, will be available to play other positions for the Eagles as well.
"Allison's a pretty versatile player for us. She can play pretty much wherever we put her," Finley said.
Junior Dani Weir will be starting her third consecutive year in the infield, moving to first base, where she will be backed up by sophomore Gemma Ypparila.
"Dani Weir will be the mainstay at first base," Finley said. "Once in a while she may have to catch for us, and in that case, Gemma Ypparila who has been working very hard, should fit in there nicely. Gemma also has a good bat, so she could be vying for the DP slot as well."
Sophomore Irene Delagrammaticas will return as the starting shortstop after starting 62 games for the Eagles last season. Delagrammaticas was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team as well as the All-Academic Team as a freshman.
"She held the position last year and she should keep that position this year," Finley said. "Someone who might see some time behind her is freshman Lizzy Ploen."
Ploen, a native of Naperville, Ill., was a four-year starter on the Naperville Central High School team, earning All-City and All-Conference honors during her career.
When she's not pitching, Taylor Peyton will play at third base, although there are several players who are familiar with the position on the team, including freshmen Brittany Wilkins and Allie Lynette-Krech,
Lynette-Krech, from Toronto, competed at the Canadian Nationals, and was named an All-Star at the position in 2004 and 2006.
Wilkins, a native of Suffolk, Va., was a four-year starter for Nansemond Suffolk Academy and earned All-State honors in 2006, 2007, and 2008. She will also see time at catcher, a position she played regularly in high school.
The mainstay behind the plate will be junior Amy Tunstall, who made just three errors last season and was second to Ramos on the team with a batting average of .263.
Outfield
The Eagles lost two senior captains in the outfield from last season, Carley McNary and Amanda Booth. Both played an integral role in the team's success last season, and will be difficult to replace. Fifth year senior Angela Pandolfo will help to provide stability in the outfield as Coach Finley rotates different players. Finley had high praise for the job Pandolfo has done so far in her second year as team captain.
It's Angela's fifth year, her last hurrah here. With her it's all about getting it done. She's getting it done in the weight room, she's pushing people nonstop, and she's also being more of a leader by example."
While Angela Pandolfo is penciled in as the Eagles' starter in right field, it is in centerfield where different players will get an opportunity to play.
"In centerfield, trying to fill Carley (McNary)'s shoes has been tough, so we're still up in the air as to who is going to be there," Finley said. "It could be Carolyn Jones, it could be Angela Pandolfo, and it could be Allison Kooistra,
Junior Katrina Vasquez will move from the infield, where she played in both her freshman and sophomore years, to start in left field. Freshman Veronica Pennick may also see some time in left field.
Two veterans, junior Allie Thunstrom, who also plays hockey for BC, as well as junior Lisa Omoto will be among those who will see time in the outfield for the Eagles as well.
The team will compete in 58 contests this season, and this year's slate of games promises to be every bit as challenging as last year's. The team kicks off the season with four tournaments in February and March, which will take place in Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia.
The ACC schedule begins on March 14 and 15, when the Eagles play a three game series against Virginia. BC will make its home debut on March 25 against Boston University.
