2010 Softball Season Preview

The 2010 Chapman University women's softball team is eager to put last season behind it. The Panthers' 17-20 record marked the first time since 2002 that the softball team missed the postseason and had a losing record. In fact, since the softball program's inception at Chapman in 1983, there have been just three losing seasons. Over the years, softball and winning have become synonymous at Chapman which is why getting back to its winning ways is the primary goal this season.

One big reason for Chapman to be optimistic in 2010 is a fresh start in a new home. The Panthers will open the season on Saturday on their brand new field at El Camino Park after playing home games at Hart Park since 1983.

"It's definitely going to be nice," said Chapman head coach Janet Lloyd. "It's great for the kids that are in the program right now. It's great for the alumni that have worked hard for what they've done and it is just nice for a top-ranked team to get a field that is comparable to what other schools have."

Another reason for the Panthers to be optimistic is that the youthful squad that had its ups and downs last season is now a year older and more experienced.

Much of the Panthers' difficult 2009 campaign can be traced back to its inexperience and inconsistency across the board, particularly with its pitching and offense. Without a dominant ace, the pitching staff had a team ERA of 4.66; their worst team earned-run average since moving to Division III in 1995 while allowing an opponent batting average of .313.

This year, the Panthers will once again employ a pitching-by-committee philosophy as seniors Vanessa Goncalves and Ally Waffle will see the bulk of the action. With the experience that both Goncalves and Waffle gained as first-year starters in 2009, Janet Lloyd expects the two to have breakout senior campaigns.

"We are going to count on Vanessa, Ally and Sarah (Solis) to carry us and we will count on a few others to come in for an inning or two and get us out of jams," said Lloyd.

The two seniors combined to make 19 starts last year as Goncalves went 4-3 with a 3.89 ERA while Waffle finished with a 3-10 record and a 5.05 ERA. In addition, freshman Sarah Solis will see action as the third starter in the rotation.

While development of the pitching staff is important, a more consistent and productive offense in 2010 is the key to the Panthers' success. Of Chapman's 37 games last season, they were held to two runs or less on 19 occasions, going 1-18 in those games. On the other hand, when the Panthers scored three runs or more, they were 16-2 which is what Lloyd expects to see more of this year.

"I think anytime you have a bad year, everyone wants to do better so I think they (the hitters) are going to dig a little deeper to make things happen," said Lloyd. "Going into the season, we are a step ahead of where we were last year, all the way down (the lineup)."

With four of the top six offensive producers returning, including sophomore catcher and first team All-Independents selection Michelle Pitts (team-high .346 average, 11 RBI), there should be ample opportunity for the Panthers to score runs. In addition to Pitts, sophomore outfielder and All-Independents selection Jojo Wakabayashi (.310, 9 RBI, 16 BB) is expected to help set the table for the middle of the lineup after leading the team in on-base percentage (.453) in 2009 and adding seven multi-hit games.

"I think offensively we are definitely going to be better; we are going to be quicker," said Lloyd. "We do have that home run potential to save us but I don't think we have to count on it as much this year because we have more speed,  slappers and short game that is going to be able to compliment that (home run potential)."

The middle part of the order will include Goncalves - who will play outfield when she's not pitching - and two more seniors; four-year starters Melanie Villarroel (.302, 2 HR, 17 RBI) and Dani Brown (.273, 4 HR, 14 RBI). Both were All-Independents selections in 2009.

In addition to being the core of the Panthers' offense, Brown and Villarroel's defensive experience should help shore up the infield at first base and second base, respectively. Meanwhile, on the left side of the infield, Chapman will begin the season with a pair of newcomers as Sonoma State transfer Courtney James will be at third base alongside freshman shortstop Kyla Javier who provides a strong arm and a great deal of range.

Chapman's success will likely hinge on the right arms of its pitchers and the overall maturation of what has been a fairly young team the past two years. This year the Panthers could start as many as eight freshmen and sophomores at any one time. So while Lloyd's team tries to put last season in its rear-view mirror, she hopes the experience gained will benefit the Panthers in 2010.

by Chris Watts
Sports Information Assistant