Softball

Lake Forest, Monmouth Top Softball Preseason Poll

Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157

GRINNELL, Iowa – The Lake Forest College softball team has won three straight Midwest Conference (MWC) championships, but has tied with Monmouth College at the top of the league’s preseason coaches’ poll. 

The Foresters earned six first-place tallies, while Monmouth College earned four, but both teams finished with 76 total points.  The Fighting Scots finished second in last year’s standings.  Illinois College is expected to get back to the MWC Tournament after finishing third in the poll with 63 points.  Cornell College is also projected to get back to the postseason after earning 60 points in the rankings. 

Grinnell College finished fifth in the rankings with 44 points, barely edging out Lawrence University with 43.  St. Norbert College came in seventh (35), followed by Beloit College (25) and Ripon College (19).  Knox College completed the rankings (9). 

Beloit College Buccaneers
Head Coach: Kim Zarling (10th season) 80-226, 36-76 MWC
2016: 10-26, 6-14 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 8th
Returning Starters: 5

Beloit brings back 10 letterwinners and five starters from last season’s squad.  The infield should be the Bucs strength as they return starters at every position but third base.  First basemen Emalie Thern is the Bucs’ top returning hitter after she batted .367 and slugged .449 in 2016.  Shortstop Erica Stalo also hit over .300 last season, while Tatiyana Rodriguez hit .280 and knocked in 14 runs. 

Cornell College Rams
Head Coach: Shanda Ness (11th season) 208-157-1, 41-19 MWC
2016: 20-16, 13-7 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 4th
Returning Starters: 9
All-Conference Returners: Melissa Griffin, Haley Harmon, Melissa Orton, Kendra Christensen

The Rams bring back a strong collection of talent this spring and are expected to get back to the postseason.  Cornell should have one of the best pitching staffs in the conference with the return of Haley Harmon and Jesse Applehans.  Applehans was a First Team All-MWC Performer in 2015, while Harmon was named to the First Team after her freshman year.  Last season, she won 11 games and had a 1.99 ERA.  She set Cornell season records for strikeouts (136), and lowest opponent batting average (.199).  The tandem will be throwing to all-conference catcher Kendra Christensen, who hit a team-best .388 last spring.  All-region second basemen Melissa Griffin also returns to the lineup as does All-MWC designated player Melissa Orton.  Cody Stockert and Stephanie Xavier will also be patrolling the outfield again this season. 

Grinnell College Pioneers
Head Coach: Amanda Reckamp (7th season) 25-147, 14-66
2016: 16-19, 8-12 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 5th
Returning Starters: 11
All-Conference Returners: Kayla Morrissey, Sage Juveland

Kayla Morrissey leads an experienced and improving group of Pioneers into the 2017 season.  Grinnell brings back every important player from last season’s team that finished seventh in the MWC standings.  Morrissey was third in the league last season with a .414 average and second in the league with 29 knocked in.  Sage Juveland returns to the outfield and earned all-conference honors as an at-large player after hitting .348.  Mikyla Murphy will also be a critical bat in the lineup as she hit .360.  In the circle, Maggie Remus and Melissa Anderson will be the go-to arms once again.  Remus made 14 starts last season and finished the year with a 7-9 record.  Anderson won nine games in 2016 and produced 11 complete games in her 21 starts. 

Illinois College Lady Blues
Head Coach: Megan Roman (5th season) 67-70, 32-28 MWC
2016: 21-17, 13-7
Projected MWC Finish: 3rd
Returning Starters: 8
All-Conference Returners: Jackie Reilly, Shelby Koehler, Elyce Trout

A trio of all-conference returners produce increased expectations down in Jacksonville, as the Lady Blues aim to make a second straight conference tournament.  The middle infield should be a strength for Illinois College with the return of Second Team All-MWC honorees Shelby Koehler and Elyce Trout.  Koehler led the team in slugging (.538) and RBI last season (25) from her shortstop position, while Trout produced an impressive .972 fielding percentage at second base and a .315 average at the plate.  As a freshman, Jackie Reilly was one of the top outfielders in the entire conference and earned First Team All-MWC honors after hitting .370 with 10 doubles.  Reilly was also a perfect, 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts.  Corner infielder Katie Prizer led the Lady Blues with a .385 average last spring and slugger Lea Hall also returns to the lineup.  Mariah Hedges is IC’s top pitcher after she won eight games last season in 12 starts and produced a 3.23 ERA.   

Knox College Prairie Fire
Head Coach: Erin Rutledge (3rd season) 3-62, 3-34 MWC
2016: 1-33, 1-19 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 10th
Returning Starters: 6

The Prairie Fire bring back six starters from last season as they hope to add a few more tallies in the win column.  Chelsey Howard was second on the squad in 2016 with a .315 average and led the team with 16 RBI.  Kaley Davidson also hit over .300 last spring (.302) and played numerous critical positions in the field including; catcher, center field and shortstop.  Beatriz Jimenez, Emily Stevenson and Suzy Vargas also return for the Prairie Fire.  Kristen Koviekis is Knox’s top returning pitcher and made 17 starts last season.  Knox will also welcome three first-year players to the roster. 

Lake Forest College Foresters
Head Coach: Joe Kinsella (11th season) 223-151-1, 109-18
2016: 30-14, 18-2 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 1st
Returning Starters: 5
All-Conference Returners: Jenny McTague

The Foresters will embark on their fourth straight title defense in 2017, but will have plenty of new faces in the lineup.  Lake Forest lost four All-MWC players from last season including Player of the Year Alex Hemmer.  Leading the way this spring will be senior pitcher Jenny McTague.  McTague was 12-8 in 22 starts in 2016 and finished the year with a 2.77 ERA.  McTague has been named First Team All-MWC all three years of her career and was the South Division Pitcher of the Year in 2014.  Maria Zepeda is Lake Forest’s top returning hitter after she hit .372 with five homers last season.  Also returning to the outfield will be Sydney Gardner, while Kat Beall and Alyssa Grimm will continue to form a strong middle infield.   

Lawrence University Vikings
Head Coach: Kim Tatro (23rd season) 385-335-3, 151-117-1 MWC
2016: 18-14-2, 11-8-1 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 6th  
Returning Starters: 4

After missing all of last season due to injury, former All-MWC and All-Great Lakes Region catcher Samantha Belletini returns to the backstop for the Vikings.  Madeline MacLean was Lawrence’s top pitcher last season and is hoping for even more success this season.  In 2016, she was 10-8 with a 3.67 ERA.  Returning starters Kori Looker, Rachel Urich and Sofie Pedersen provide some experience for the Vikings. 

Monmouth College Fighting Scots
Head Coach: John Goddard (10th season) 160-159, 75-39 MWC
2016: 28-12, 16-4 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 1st
Returning Starters: 8
All-Conference Returners: Liz Hippen, Kirstyn Ozga, Elena Sakellaropoulos

Reigning MWC Coach of the Year John Goddard should be expecting big things from his club in 2017 as they return three All-MWC Performers including Pitcher of the Year Liz Hippen.  Hippen dazzled in the circle last spring, holding opposing hitters to a .206 average, winning 15 games and striking out 163 hitters in just 145 innings pitched.  Outfielder Kirstyn Ozga led the team with a .382 average last season and was a First Team All-MWC selection.  As a freshman, Elena Sakellaropoulos was the league’s top shortstop after hitting .313 with six doubles.  Sakellaropoulos made just three errors in the field on the season.  Kaylee Kurtz and Brianna Perschall will team with Hippen to form one of the top pitching staffs in the conference.  Kurtz was 7-5 in 15 starts in 2016, while Perschall made 11 appearances and produced four victories with a 3.38 ERA. 

Ripon College Red Hawks
Head Coach: Brooke Kalman (1st season)
2016: 4-31-1, 4-15-1 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 9th  
Returning Starters: 7
All-Conference Returners: Lexi Reetz

Brooke Kalman takes over the reins of the Red Hawk program after serving as an assistant coach at Ursinus College for the past two seasons.  Kalman will try to revive the Ripon program that struggled last season.  One of the bright spots last spring was freshman Lexi Reetz.  Reetz earned Second Team all-conference honors in 2016 as an at-large pick after hitting .329 with three triples and four doubles.  Fellow sophomore Melanie Kobelt led the team last season in batting average (.372), hits (35), doubles (8), RBI (21), total bases (49), slugging percentage (.521) and on-base percentage (.413). The Red Hawks have three returning seniors in Stephanie Cartwright, Ashley Parkkonen and Haylea Hoskins who should provide some leadership.   

St. Norbert College Green Knights
Head Coach: Jo Ann Krueger (20th season) 331-318-1, 143-83 MWC
2016: 6-30, 5-15 MWC
Projected MWC Finish: 7th  
Returning Starters: 5
All-Conference Returners: Tia Danforth

First Team All-MWC utility player Tia Danforth returns to lead the Green Knights in 2017.  As a freshman, Danforth led the Green Knights in a number of offensive categories including batting average (.333), homers (6) and slugging percentage (.581).  Infielders Ashley Schuettpels and Megan Yeo gained valuable experience as freshman starters last season.  Outfielders Amy McBride and Gina Mastrodomenico also return to the lineup.