Softball sets sights on returning to top of Southland Conference this spring

With eight letterwinners returning, including four all-conference performers in senior outfielder Leanne Risberg, junior second baseman Rudi Cantu, junior first baseman Krista Sitka and sophomore pitcher/utility player Dany? Holmes, and a promising group of nine newcomers on campus, prospects for the 2009 UTSA softball season are high.

“We’ve put together a well-rounded team,” fourth-year head coach Lori Cook said. “We’ve added depth and power to our batting order and we’ll be more potent one through nine. There are several players who can pitch and hit, and we have several who can play different positions in the field. That allows us to adjust the lineup and keep the hot bats in there.

“I really like this team’s depth and versatility and I believe it’s going to help us be successful this year.”

Pitchers
UTSA will have to replace Janeille Nickels and Amanda Nikolenko, who set five career pitching records, but second-team all-conference left-hander Dany? Holmes returns.

Holmes, a sophomore from Sugar Land,  posted a 9-6 record, 2.23 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 22 appearances last year and was even better in league play with an 8-1 record and 1.45 ERA.

“Dany? had an amazing freshman year,” Cook said. “We knew she was a good pitcher, but she got better as the year went on once she figured out what she was comfortable with. By the end of the season, she was one of the top pitchers in the conference.”

The addition of three newcomers in sophomore right-hander Emily Humpal, a transfer from Creighton, and freshmen Amber Anderson, a southpaw from Alvin, and Morgan Luksa, a righty from League City, gives Cook four capable arms in her arsenal.

Humpal posted a 5-2 record and 54 strikeouts at Creighton last season and fanned 870 batters her final two years at Corpus Christi Flour Bluff High School.

“Emily is going to be a great addition to our program,” Cook said. “She is a hard worker and always wants to be at her best. She has a year of playing for a very good Division I program and she pitched in some big games for us last fall.”

Anderson posted an 18-4 record, 0.34 ERA and 145 strikeouts to lead Alvin High to a Class 5A State Championship last season. She was named all-state, all state-tournament and All-Greater Houston Player of the Year in addition to receiving the RBI Foundation’s Josh Beckett Award as the top prep pitcher in the Houston area.

“Amber had an outstanding high school career, but we believe she has her best softball ahead of her,” Cook said. “She has great command of her pitches and does a very good job mixing it up. She wants the ball all the time, and that’s the type of competitor you like to see out there.”

Luksa twice turned in a 0.64 ERA as an all-district pitcher at Clear Creek High.

“Morgan has a chance to be very good,” Cook said. “We’ve followed her career and know what she’s capable of doing with her arm.”

Catchers
Junior Cassie Miller and freshman Kristin Wehmeyer will handle catching duties for the Roadrunners this season.

Miller made 18 starts behind the plate as a sophomore and was solid with the glove, registering a .991 fielding percentage, which ranks fifth on UTSA’s single-season list.

“Cassie really came on the last month last season, which should carry over into this year,” Cook said. “She does a great job behind the plate and handles our pitchers very well.”
Wehmeyer was a four-time all-district player at Round Rock High, where she batted .391 with 14 extra-base hits as a senior.

“Kristin Wehmeyer is a solid catcher,” Cook said. “She has worked very hard on her blocking, but she has a very good arm and did a great job in the fall of keeping the walks and singles from turning into doubles.”

Infielders
UTSA’s entire starting infield for the last half of 2008 returns in Cantu, Sitka, junior shortstop Kelly Cato and sophomore third baseman Kristin Kappler.

Cantu was impressive in her first full season as the starting second baseman after spending most of her freshman campaign in the outfield. The Alvin native earned first-team All-SLC accolades after batting .316 with a team-high 56 hits and 38 runs, four doubles, three triples, 16 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. The preseason first-team all-conference selection also fielded at a .945 clip for the year and committed just two errors in 30 league games.

“Rudi has really learned how to use her speed and place the ball in order to get on base,” Cook said. “She has been a great leadoff hitter for us and she’s a true triple threat now. She can bunt, slap and swing away. She’s a hard-nosed kid who wants to win every game. That’s what you get from her every day, practice included.”

Sitka has become a familiar face at first base, starting 106 games at the bag the past two seasons. She collected honorable mention All-SLC accolades last year after hitting .270 ? .297 in conference games ? with 41 hits, six doubles, seven home runs and a team-high 34 RBIs. Also an excellent fielder, the Dobie High product has a career .987 fielding percentage and ranks sixth all-time at UTSA with 626 putouts.

“Sitka is as solid as we’ve ever had defensively at first base,” Cook said. “When she makes an error, it really catches your eye because it’s so rare. She’s a rock for us on the infield and may be our best clutch hitter at the plate. She really produced with the bat in her second year and the most amazing part was that she batted behind Dany? for most of the season, which is no easy task. She was very relaxed and confident at the plate in the fall, so we expect her to have an even better spring.”

Cato made 20 starts at shortstop last year and has appeared in 96 career contests in her first two seasons at either shortstop or second base. The Brazoswood High graduate batted .273 with five doubles, three homers and 15 RBIs and hit .311 in conference play.

“Cato is a tough-nosed player who is willing to do anything to help the team win,” Cook said. “She really turned the corner with her bat the second half of last season and just finds a way to get on base and utilize her speed. She’s a vocal leader for us and does a good job communicating with the infield to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

Kappler stepped in as a true freshman and started 48 games at third base for the Roadrunners last year. Also a product of Brazoswood High, she had 24 hits, including three doubles, two triples and three long balls, and drove in 14 runs.

“Kristin came in and played third base for us all season and that’s tough to do as a true freshman,” Cook said. “We threw her to the wolves, so to speak, but she handled it very well. She finished the year strong and had a great fall. I think you’ll see a very confident and focused player this year.”

Several newcomers could see significant playing time on the dirt this season. Humpal could see action at first base in addition to her pitching duties, while freshman Caitlyn Ivy has the versatility to play shortstop, second or first. The Huntington native helped the Red Devils to the Class 3A State Championship last year.

“Emily swings a big bat and is good first baseman, so when she’s not pitching, she still has a chance to be in our lineup,” Cook said. “Caitlyn is a tall, strong, athletic player who will really blossom here. She has a strong arm and can play anywhere on the infield but will probably see most of her time at short or second.”

Freshman Laura Little, a Spring High product, will provide quality depth in the middle infield, while freshman Ashley Kappler, the younger sister of Kristin, can play a number of positions on the infield or in the outfield. Sophomore walk-on Cara Romano, a former player at Incarnate Word, also could fill in at third base.

“Laura has tremendous range and a very good arm,” Cook said. “She’s worked very hard on her hitting and has a chance to be a very good player before she’s done here.

“Ashley is a versatile player with above-average speed. She is a good contact hitter with a lot of pop in her bat. She’s come a long way since the beginning of the fall.”

Outfielders
The club’s lone senior ? Leanne Risberg ? is the only returning full-time starter back from last season’s outfield. The New Orleans, La., native is a two-time all-conference honoree and preseason second-team selection. One of the top power hitters on the team, she ranks 11th with 26 home runs on UTSA’s career list.

“I’m really proud of the player and person Leanne has developed into in her four years here,” Cook said. “She’s been an every day player from the moment she stepped foot on campus, and the last couple of seasons she’s been a good leader for us. She can hit for average and power, and we think she can be one of our best run producers.”

Junior speedster Chelsey Chapman has been the team’s top pinch runner, but the Clear Lake High product likely will see more action in the outfield in 2009. She has a pair of hits in five at-bats, scored nine runs and swiped two bases in her first two seasons.

“It seems like Chelsey scores every time she gets on base,” Cook said. “She is probably one of our three fastest players, along with Rudi and Cato, and has worked very hard on her defense in the outfield. As a result, she will get the opportunity to play a lot more for us this year.”

Freshman Elyse Seals, a four-time all-district performer at Splendora High, could see time in the outfield. UTSA’s versatility will be on display as Anderson, Cantu (a third-team all-conference outfielder in 2007), Luksa and Romano all could see plenty of action in the grass, as well.

“Elyse is a true outfielder and can play all three positions,” Cook said. “She has great range and a strong arm and she’s worked hard on her hitting since she got here. She has a very bright future with our program.

“We feel like we have a pool of players who all have the ability to step into any of the three outfield positions and be solid for us. It probably will come down to who is swinging the hot bat at the time, but it’s good to have so much depth and versatility out there.”

Designated Players
UTSA has several players who will be in the batting order regardless of position, including Holmes, a third-team all-conference designated player last season.

“Dany? is one of those rare players who is capable of changing the game with one swing,” Cook said. “She hits the ball as hard as anyone we’ve had in my time here, and that’s saying a lot. We got to a point last year where people wouldn’t pitch to her. She drew so many walks, which can be frustrating, but she understood it was a sign of respect for her bat.

“The neat thing about our pitching staff is all four can also hit. We saw what Dany? can do with the bat last year, but the other three can swing it, too. It’s good that we can keep them in the lineup in most cases when they’re not pitching.”