The University of Evansville softball team is gearing up for start of the 2011 season, which begins February 18 against UT-Martin.
“Right now our main emphasis has been on conditioning and building our strength,” said second year head coach Mark Redburn. “We are making sure that we are as best prepared as possible physically for the upcoming season and challenging schedule ahead of us.”
The Aces’ spring schedule can’t be described as anything less than challenging. UE will face seven 2010 NCAA Softball Championship Regional teams, including Super-Regional participant Ohio State and College World Series participants Tennessee and Missouri.
“The schedule is intended to challenge us and allow us to grow as a program,” explained Redburn. “I want us to see these great programs and to hopefully compete with them in order to better prepare us for the Missouri Valley Conference season.”
The Aces will spend the first four weekends of the season on the road, including trips to Mobile, Ala., for the South Alabama Tournament (Feb. 18-20), Hattiesburg, Miss., for the Southern Mississippi Tournament (Feb. 26-27), Atlanta, Ga., for the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic (March 4-6) and Lubbock, Texas, for the Texas Tech Tournament (March 11-13). On their way to Atlanta, the Aces will also make a pit stop in Knoxville, Tenn., on March 3 for a single game against the Tennessee Volunteers, who were voted fourth in the nation in the 2011 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Preseason Poll.
The Aces’ home season will begin on March 16 as the Aces host a doubleheader against UT-Martin. The Skyhawks will be the Aces’ only home competition before the MVC season opens up on March 19 with a three-game series against visiting Creighton.
UE returns seven starters and a total of 11 letterwinners for the 2011 season, including top returners Amy Gaertner and preseason all-MVC honoree Jen Stahlhut. One of two seniors on this year’s squad, Stahlhut received 2010 all-tournament and second team all-MVC honors after leading the league with eight doubles in conference play and posting the second-best batting average on the team. Gaertner, a junior, was named first team all-MVC as shortstop after leading the team in batting average, home runs, RBI and total bases last spring.
While UE’s roster provides plenty of veteran experience, the 2011 lineup will hold some key position changes.
After starting 43 games at shortstop last season, Gaertner will move to second base while freshman Niki Rahming will take over at short. Freshman Kacey Rogers will also see some time in the middle infield as backup for both Gaertner and Rahming.
Last season’s starting second basemen, sophomore Alicia Betancur will serve as the Aces’ first baseman in 2011, along with junior Allison Aguilera. After debuting as a utility player last season, sophomore Brianna Villanueva will see most of her playing time at third base. Junior Ashleigh Rahming will assume the role of the designated player and will occasionally see playing time at third as well.
Aguilera and sophomore Halie Malone will share the catching duties, with Malone earning most of the starts. Last season, Malone was behind the plate in 45 of the Aces’ 52 games.
The Aces’ roster boasts plenty of depth in the circle with five arms to choose from at pitcher. Sophomore
Kendall Kautz returns as the veteran of the staff after pitching 157 innings for the Aces last season. Kautz will be joined by junior
Maggie Little and freshman
Emily Morris to make up the starting rotation, while freshmen
Taylor Perry and
Samantha Meyer will primarily be used in relief.
Stahlhut, senior Kelci Alsip, sophomore Tamara Robey and freshman Katie Sears will handle all of the outfield duties for the Aces.
First pitch of the Aces’ 2011 schedule is set for February 18 at 12:15 CST as the Aces kick off the season against UT-Martin at the South Alabama Tournament.
