 Billiken Softball Optimistic About 2010
Feb. 5, 2010
ST. LOUIS - With the season opener just a week away, Saint Louis head softball coach John Conway, his staff and players are optimistic about their potential to put together one of the best seasons in program history. SLU returns its top pitcher from last season's 22-33 squad, its top three hitters and six position starters, including four players who earned Atlantic 10 Conference honors last season. "We've put together a solid schedule that we feel will get us ready for conference play," Conway said. "Our goal is to win more than 30 games this year, be above .500, win the A-10 and get to an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history. We competed well with some tough teams last year, and we believe we can play with anybody now. Everyone is buying into the program and what we're doing. Now we just need to get it done on the field." SLU's returners include sophomore pitcher Kelcie Matesa, who captured A-10 All-Rookie nods in 2009. She led the team with an 8-14 record, a 3.94 ERA, 35 appearances, 25 starts, 12 complete games, 156-1/3 innings pitched and 122 strikeouts. Senior catcher Nicki Jost, a 2009 A-10 second-team pick, also returns to the lineup after pacing the squad with a .302 average and a .477 slugging percentage. The four-year starter also eclipsed the program's RBI marks for a game (five), season (41) and career (89) a year ago. Junior outfielder Kristin Nicoletti, one of the best base-stealers in the country and a 2009 second-team All-Conference selection, returns to the lineup in 2010. Last season, she collected a team-best 58 hits and 42 runs scored, in addition to setting an A-10 record with 37 stolen bases and tying the Billikens' career standard for steals (71) in the season finale. Sophomore Erin Cejka, who took home A-10 All-Rookie plaudits last season, returns after hitting.301 with a SLU freshman-record 30 RBIs. She and Nicoletti were the only Billikens to start every game in 2009.
With 14 letterwinners returning, including two players coming back from redshirt seasons, and the addition of three freshmen and sophomore transfer Hannah Huebbe, the Most Outstanding Pitcher of the 2009 NJCAA National Tournament, Conway believes he has his deepest and most experienced squad in place to make a run at the A-10 crown. In the A-10 preseason coaches poll, the Bills were picked to finish fourth after coming in third with a program-best 12-6 mark in 2009. Massachusetts, Charlotte and Fordham are predicted to finish first, second and third, respectively. "The A-10 has gotten much tougher since my first year at SLU," Conway said. "There is a lot more depth and so many good coaches that it's going to be a really taxing season. Charlotte will be tough with pitcher Emily Jefferies returning, UMass is always at the top of the league, and Fordham is going to be good too. "But with our youth, the experience we gained last year and the addition of Hannah, we should finish among the top three," Conway said. "Our seniors and juniors have provided good leadership thus far, and our team chemistry is a lot better than last season. Everyone gets along, and they have fun together. That should make a big difference for our team on the field this season." SLU kicks off the 2010 campaign against Western Carolina at Georgia State's First Pitch Classic Feb. 13, in Atlanta, Ga. The Bills will spend the first five weeks of the season on the road, where they will take on five NCAA Tournament squads from a year ago. Saint Louis returns to The Billiken Sports Center March 20 for its home opener against Iowa State in the Billiken Invitational. After the tournament, SLU will host Memphis in a doubleheader prior to beginning the A-10 slate at Temple March 26. |
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