A10 Softball Blog

An Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Fan Blog written from a fan's perspective. It is not affiliated with the conference or any of the teams.

Friday, February 7, 2014

2014 Preview: Dayton

Dayton enters 2014 after its second Atlantic 10 Tournament appearance in the past three years. The Flyers return some talented pieces and should be a tough game every time out in 2014. The big question will be whether they can make that next step.
Emily Froment

Pitching: Dayton brings back its top pitchers from 2013 in Emily Froment and Kayla English, with Alysha Isaacson and Lyndsey Diggs also returning. Coach Cara LaPlaca also adds Gabrielle Snyder to the mix. Froment should lead the way for Dayton in 2014, after a strong freshman campaign, which saw her go 8-5 with a 2.50 ERA and 54 SO in 81.1 innings. Kayla English is the most prolific strikeout pitcher in the Atlantic 10, as she record 174 SO in 148.1 innings with a 9-11 record and 3.26 ERA. English could be a dominant force if can cut down on the walks and extra base hits that she allows.
Kasi Vasquez

Offense: Leading hitter Kasi Vasquez is back to lead the Flyer offense after a solid 2013 season, which saw her hit .333 with 39 hits, 8 HR, and 27 RBI. No other Flyer hit over .300 in 2013, but Natalie Mariano, Tiffany Ricks, and Dana Trotta are back after solid seasons. Mariano hit .289 with 53 hits, 3 triples, 2 HR, and 21 RBI. Ricks hit .288 with 30 hits, 6 HR, and 27 RBI, while Trotta hit .286 with 32 hits, 8 HR, and 28 RBI. The Flyers have some powerful bats and will look to put up some serious HR numbers in 2014.
Dana Trotta

Defense: One of the staples under Coach LaPlaca has been a solid defense and that should once again be the case in 2014. The Flyers return most of their infield from 2013, which should be the strength of the defense. Dayton does bring back both catchers, but they will need to work harder to control the running game, as opponents were almost automatic in stealing bases against the Flyers.

Overall Prognosis: Dayton should make the Atlantic 10 Tournament, but it is hard to see them cracking the top four. The Flyers will need to elevate their game all around the diamond in order to challenge for the regular season title.

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