2.24.05

Senior Jana Craft swings for Erskine

Erskine softball team sets sights high this season

Erskine College softball coach Alleen Hawkins knows she has a young team this season, but the 2005 edition of the Flying Fleet has set some lofty goals.

"It's the most talented team, man-for-man, that's ever been here," Hawkins said. "We're playing a very difficult schedule. If we bring our 'A' game to the field, we'll be hard to beat."

The team stood 4-4 after dropping Wednesday's doubleheader to a tough Tusculum squad, but the coach is most concerned about how the club stands March 5, when it opens Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader at home against Lees-McRae.

Erskine isn't returning many veterans this season, including only one senior position player, outfielder Jana Craft, and one senior pitcher, Kim Gunter. Senior outfielder Carol Gojan is coming off shoulder surgery and Hawkins is unsure when she might return.

Three solid juniors anchor the lineup — catcher Jenna Burdette and twins Amy, a shortstop, and Elizabeth Miller, who plays the outfield and pitches.

The rest of the starting lineup is laced with sophomores, but Hawkins has seen that group step up. "I've already seen huge, huge contributions from the sophomores this year," Hawkins said.

Sophomore Rebecca Clontz, who has already hit two home runs this season and knocked in 14 runs through the team's first eight games, mans first base.

Sophomore Hannah Webb handles second base and sophomore Sharleen Ashby holds down third base.

Sophomore Jessie Hock and freshmen Amanda Petrocelli and Jessica Taulbee share the remaining outfield spot.

Catcher Ashlee LaFontaine is the team's predominant freshman, the coach said.

Gunter and Elizabeth Miller are the team's most experienced pitchers and will anchor the starting staff.

Two freshmen — Kimberly Hannan and Kaitlin Hunt — are vying for the third starting pitcher spot.

Two other pitchers — sophomore Stephanie Burt and freshman Tanja Friday — are being  groomed as relief pitchers.

"That gives us six pitchers," Hawkins said. "That's the most we've ever had here."

Hawkins coached softball at Furman University and the University of Georgia before coming to Erskine five years ago.

"This is the first year since I've been here that everybody is mine," she said. "Everything we're doing and have done are firsts for this program. We've been educating the community for five years and everything has been revamped."

Hawkins said her first challenge was to "establish some pride in the program."

The college has supported the program and revamped the locker room facility into one that the team can be proud of and that can be used as a recruiting tool. Jana Craft's father assisted with the locker room renovation.

A press box is also under construction and an alumna, Jamie Howell '03, and her father are making that happen.

Asked about her team's strengths, Hawkins was quick to answer.

"Tenacity is the team's number one strength right now," the coach said. "This team doesn't give up."

Hawkins said the Fleet have steady pitching and play steady defense.

Their offensive strengths include a rare combination of speed on the base paths and power hitters.

"We have more long ball hitters in our lineup this year," Hawkins said. "We want to be aggressive offensively and that will help make us successful. We're not a team that can be careful — we have to go for it."

The biggest challenge for Erskine is to improve defensively.

"We need to be more consistent on defense," Hawkins said. "For the last four years, our fielding percentage has not been where it needs to be – about .960."

Erskine also needs to finish the game stronger on the mound.

Early on, at least, the Fleet have had a combination of attributes that's tough to beat. "We've scored the runs we've needed and our defense has kept us in ballgames," Hawkins said.

The coach said the team members are a very tight-knit group. "They get along great," she said. "I'd give them a nine on a scale from one to ten."

Hawkins said the CVAC is "even across the board."

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