As another softball season approaches, an air of confidence, anticipation, and excitement fill the air on the Lower Columbia College campus as the Lady Devils prepare to defend their NWAACC Championship. An unprecedented run of six consecutive titles will put a target on the jersey of our players, but we welcome the challenge. Six sophomores returners will anchor a team that we feel will once again be the favorite to win it all. Our freshman class is loaded with talent, and on paper looks like it may be our best recruiting class yet.
Head coach Tim Mackin, Asst. Scott O’Neill, along with support staff Ken Vodrup and Mick Grendon will field a team that shows a great balance of pitching, defense, and hitting. As we look at this team, we also see depth at nearly every position and expect keen competition for playing time.
Pitching is the name of the game in fastpitch softball and we feel that we will have the best pitching staff in the NWAACC. We will be led by returner Jennifer Pass. She is a versatile athlete who pitches and plays third base. She will be a force both as a hitter and one of our three starting pitchers. Last season she had a 22-2 win loss record with a 2.10 ERA. Her cat-quick reflexes are also a big help to her as she shuts down the opposing teams bunting game with her excellent defense off the mound. Jenn will be looked to in a leadership role from the coaches. Last year she hit .353 with 9 home runs.
Jennifer will be joined by two incoming freshman that we are very excited about. Ruth Anderson is a graduate of Yelm High School. She led her team to the 3A state championship with her hitting and pitching. Ruth was named to the 3A all-state team. We feel that Ruth will be a dominant force in our league both offensively and off the mound. Kari Gesner from Orting High School rounds out a very deep pitching staff. Kari has a good rise ball which we know the league will struggle against. She is also a good hitter and will contribute offensively.
Our infield defense will be much improved this season. We have keen competition and good depth at every position. Nicole Wilson, a freshman from Battleground High School is a strong player that we feel has power potential. Nikki will be battling for first base with Kassondra Farrar, and Nicole Wallinger. Kassondra is a returner who missed most of last season because of a fractured leg. She appears healthy as she was a mainstay on the Lady Devils’ volleyball team. Nicole has transferred from Dominican University in San Raphael, California after prepping at Emerald Ridge in Puyallup. She has the experience and size to be a good player at this level.
Jamie Fowler, a freshman from Ridgefield High School, is our leading candidate at second base. Jamie had an outstanding high school career. She was named 2A state player of the year, and her school won the 2004 state championshiop. She is a slapper with great speed, and is excellent defensively. Ashley Schrom, a freshman from Aloha, Oregon has shown well at shortstop. She has an outstanding arm that allows her to play deep which creates better fielding angles. She also showed during our fall program that she is a strong hitter. Logan Mohr from Bainbridge Island High School is another newcomer and will be used at third, shortstop, and second base. She was an all-state infielder in high school, and is very talented and versatile.
Kristen Kasper is a returner. She had a big year offensively for us last year as she hit .446. She has played third base, first base, and was our backup catcher. She is valuable because of her versatility and leadership.
Our catching will be anchored by Melissa Norton. She was a NFCA All American, and Diamond Sport National Catcher of the Year. We feel that she will be one of the most dominant hitters in the NWAACC. She set an LCC record with 72 RBI’s. Her batting average was .461 and she hit 13 home runs. Melissa has accepted a full ride scholarship to Jacksonville University next year. Backing Melissa will be Anna Whiteman, a freshman from Kelso. She is a hard worker and has accepted her role well. Anna has good talent, and we will find ways to get her playing time.
Our outfield also looks to be very strong defensively. In fact, overall, we feel this group could be the best defensive team we’ve had. Misty Britt from Kelso returns after an outstanding 2004 season. We have moved her from infield to the outfield where we feel she will be all-league caliber. As a hitter, Misty is truly unique. She bats left and has great speed. She can lay down a bunt, slap and beat out an infield hit, or she has the strength to hit the ball out of the park. Last season she hit .420 with 4 home runs and 22 stolen bases. Tandice Lanphere was first team center fielder all league last year. She also has blazing speed and is an excellent lead-off hitter. She hit .414 with 20 stolen bases.
Mandy Schaapveld comes to us from Rogers High School(Puyallup). She has the skills to be an impact player her first year. She has good outfield skills, and has shown to be a strong hitter. She will be a great fit for us. Andrea Pedersen from Mark Morris High School and Shawnda Kerr from R. A. Long, give us local flavor and they will both be competing for spots in the outfield. Andrea played shortstop in high school, but has moved to the outfield. She did a nice job in our fall program. Shawnda is a speedy outfielder with a left handed bat. Her speed and the ability to hit in the short game style could prove valuable for us.
As we strive for our seventh consecutive championship, we are mindful of the challenge ahead of us. The Northwest has very strong softball, and our league has some excellent programs. We again look for strong competition from Mt. Hood and Clackamas. Spokane from the east side appears to be very strong again, and undoubtedly there will be surprises waiting for us as all of the teams will be trying to dethrone us. We feel confident, but we also have many questions to be answered. If our team responds like we think they will, we have a very good chance to continue an amazing run of success.