2015 St. Joseph's Preview: Young Pitching, Experienced Hitting

St. Joseph's comes into 2015, after a slightly disappointing 2014. The Hawks were never really able to capture momentum from their finish in 2013 and were inconsistent all year long, especially in the circle. Coach Terri Adams' squad still showed great fight last and almost advanced to the Atlantic 10 Tournament final. She is going to be looking for this squad to finish the job.

Niki Carillo (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Pitching
It all starts in the circle and Coach Adams has a very young, but talented staff. Anna Lauterbach and Niki Carillo return in the circle, while talented freshman Madison Clarke joins the mix. Former Fordham great Jen Mineau is also on board as the team's new pitching coach, which should pay huge dividends for this young group. Last year, Lauterbach went 6-4 with a 3.12 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 54 innings. Lauterbach brings the ball with some heat and Coach Adams is going to need her to step up. Carillo comes back after a solid freshman year, which saw her go 5-2 with a 2.98 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 54 innings. Coach Adams is going to be counting on her two tall pitchers for significant innings in 2015. Canada native Madison Clarke joins the fold and she is going to be a good one. Clarke has talent galore and she can bring the ball with some heat. Clarke will definitely be a contender for Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year.

Hannah Dionne (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Catching
The Hawks are extremely deep behind the plate, as both starters return from last season. Hannah Dionne is the incumbent at catcher, as she came on strong at the end of last year. Dionne hit .359 with 23 hits, 1 HR, and 15 RBI. If Dionne can put up these numbers again, St. Joseph's is going to be in great shape. Stephanie Chaiser is also back behind the plate and she should see some time out there as well. Alexis Bush may also see some action at catcher.

Ashley Alden (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Infield
The Hawks are in great shape in the infield, as most of their talented group is back. Nicole Palase is back at shortstop, Sarah Yoos is back at second, and Ashley Alden returns at first. Last year, Palase hit .276 with 34 hits, 4 HR, and 18 RBI. Coach Adams is going to be looking for her to put up even bigger numbers in 2015. Yoos suffered a bit of a sophomore slump after winning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in 2013, but she still had a solid season in 2014. Yoos hit .268 with 30 hits, 1 HR, and 15 RBI, but also had an on base percentage of .436. The Hawks are going to need more production out of Yoos this year. Ashley Alden had an outstanding 2014 season after transferring from Rutgers, hitting .345 with 39 hits, 6 HR, and 23 RBI. Morgan Earling has graduated, which means the Hawks will have a new starter at third and it looks like Brandi Harkness may get the nod. Last year, Harkness hit .230 with 29 hits, 4 HR, and 20 RBI. Coach Adams is going to look for even bigger power numbers from Harkness in 2015.

Melissa Ruf (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Outfield
St. Joseph's will have a young outfield in 2015, but a mighty talented one. Leadoff hitter Isabella Picard is back after a solid freshman season, which saw her hit .279 with 9 RBI and 11 steals. The Hawks are going to count on Picard to get on base once again and cause problems for opposing defenses. Melissa Ruf is back after an outstanding junior season. Last year, Ruf hit .363 with 33 hits, 2 HR, 17 RBI, and 9 steals. Ruf is an important player for the Hawks, both in the outfield and at the plate. Madeline Brunck is also back and her speed could be a difference maker for the Hawks. Brunck is a speedy lefty, continuing St. Joseph's tradition of talented lefty hitters. Freshman Nikki Alden is going to be a player to watch. Nikki Alden is the sister of Ashley Alden and she is a stud. Nikki Alden is a highly touted power hitter and she is going to be a handful for opposing hitters.

Designated Player
Kerrie Kortmann finished last season hitting very well and could earn the spot of designated player. Kortmann hit .292 and was clutch at the Atlantic 10 Tournament last season. A number of other players could also see time at designated player for the Hawks.

Schedule
St. Joseph's will feature a very manageable nonconference schedule in 2015, as it will start with a few easier games, before ramping up the competition. The Hawks will travel to Wilmington, Raleigh, Myrtle Beach, and Tampa for tournament to open up the year. Some highlights of the nonconference slate include matchups against NC State, Coastal Carolina, North Dakota State, Iowa State, Purdue, and Long Island. For conference play, St. Joseph's will host URI, UMass, Dayton, and St. Louis. The Hawks will hit the road to face George Mason, Fordham, La Salle, and St. Bonaventure. St. Joseph's will not face George Washington this season.

Outlook
The Hawks are going to be a young team in the circle and experienced everywhere else. St. Joseph's is going to have a powerful offensive lineup that could one of Coach Terri Adams' best lineups ever. These Hawks have power and speed and they are ready to fly. This team could have the ability to go toe to toe with Fordham offensively. For the Hawks, it will all come down to pitching. If the young pitching staff can step it up, they will compete for the Atlantic 10 title.

2015 St. Louis Preview: Breakthrough Year?

St. Louis had an outstanding run in 2014, which saw the Billikens finish second in the regular season and second at the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Coach Christy Connoyer and her squad are hungry for more this year. The Billikens had one of their best seasons in program history, as they went 30-21 overall and 12-5 in Atlantic 10 play. St. Louis is experienced at the plate and in the circle and they are hungry for a title.

Brianna Lore (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Pitching
It all starts in the circle for St. Louis with standout Brianna Lore. The big lefty carried St. Louis last year and earned Co-Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year honors. Last year, Lore went 25-13 with a 3.14 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 243 innings. She is one of the toughest pitchers in the conference and gets even tougher with runners on base. She will need some more help this season, as she threw 50 more innings than the next closest pitcher in the conference. If Lore is rested down the stretch, she could very well carry St. Louis to a title. Laney Kneib is also back in the circle. Kneib went 5-8 last year with a 4.67 ERA. The Billikens will look for Kneib to return to her freshman year form, which saw her go 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA. If Kneib bounces back, St. Louis' two-headed monster is going to be scary for opposing offenses. Maddie Baalman also joins the fold in the circle and Coach Connoyer is going to look to her to throw some meaningful innings too.

Catching
Hailey Weavers is back after an excellent freshman season, especially defensively. In 2014, Weavers kept the opposing offenses in check on the base paths as she gunned down 12 runners trying to steal. Weavers also hit .200 with 2 HR and 17 RBI. Coach Connoyer is going to look for Weavers to be a leader behind the plate in 2015. Sophomore Macie Wheeler could also see some action behind the plate.

Elizabeth Everingham (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Infield
Coach Connoyer returns some key starters from her infield from last season, including standout shortstop Alex Nickel and third baseman Elizabeth Everingham. The St. Louis lineup is also bolstered by Evansville transfer Emma Buckles who could start at first. Last year, Nickel hit .333 with 49 hits, 3 HR, 20 RBI, and 10 steals. She was an extremely effective leadoff hitter and may be counted on to fill that role again in 2015. Everingham is back after a 2014 season, which saw her hit .290 with 40 hits, 7 HR, and 28 RBI. Everingham is a key bat in the St. Louis order, as she will help protect Lindsay Friedman in the lineup. Coach Connoyer would love to see her put up even bigger numbers this season. Buckles comes to St. Louis after a solid freshman year at Evansville. At Evansville, she hit .263 with 35 hits, 14 RBI, and 12 steals. St. Louis is going to count on her defense at first and her lefty bat at the plate. Miranda Cotton, Brittany Durant, Allie Macfarlane, and Alyssa Tarquino are also fighting for playing time and a starting spot.

Lindsay Friedman (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Outfield
Leading the Billiken outfield is Lindsay Friedman and she does a bit of everything for St. Louis. Last year, Friedman hit .346 with 53 hits, 9 HR, 35 RBI, and 32 steals. Friedman is an absolute stud and definitely one of the early favorites for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Friedman is joined in the outfield by returning starters Madeline Brungardt and Mackenzie Peter, while freshman Josie Knesel also joins the mix. Peter had a very solid year in 2014, hitting .331 with 46 hits, 2 HR, and 27 RBI. Coach Connoyer is going to look to her for even more production in 2015, during her sophomore season.

Brianna Lore (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Designated Player
Not only can she pitch, but Bri Lore is also a pretty darn good hitter too. Last year, Lore hit .271 with 36 hits, 3 HR, and 33 RBI. Coach Connoyer is going to look for her lefty bat to hit once again in 2015.

Schedule
St. Louis starts off nonconference play with difficult tournaments at Mississippi State and Western Kentucky, but from there the level of competition tapers off quite a bit. The Billikens will have ample opportunities to pick up wins and develop confidence heading into Atlantic 10 play. St. Louis opens up conference play with nine straight games at home against Fordham, Dayton, and George Mason. The Billikens will then close the season with four of their last five conference series on the road, including trips to St. Joseph's and UMass to close out the year. St. Louis has a fairly tough road in conference play, but it is certainly manageable for this talented squad.

Outlook
On the heels of last year's performance, St. Louis is ready to take that next step and win a title. Bri Lore is back in the circle and she gives the Billikens an opportunity to win every time she sets toes the rubber. If Coach Connoyer can find some solid pitching behind her, they are going to be scary good. St. Louis' offense is going to be even better than it was last year and with Lindsay Friedman leading the way, they are going to be tough to stop. St. Louis is ready to knock off Fordham as conference champions, but that will not be an easy task.

2015 St. Bonaventure Preview

St. Bonaventure had rough 2014 with the weather, injuries, and a slow start, but the Bonnies are looking strong headed into 2015. Coach Mike Threehouse has a young, talented, team that is ready to throw itself into the Atlantic 10 Tournament hunt. The Bonnies are full of talent on offense, but this team will go only as far as its pitching will take them.

Pitching
St. Bonaventure brings back all of its pitchers from last year and has added a very talented freshman to the mix. Josie Borysevicz joins St. Bonaventure and she is going to be a big difference maker for the Bonnies. Borysevicz comes to Olean from the Polar Crush travel program, where she was a standout in the circle. Coach Threehouse is going to look to her to step in right away and throw big innings. Kristen Hickling is also back for her sophomore season after going 4-10 last year. Coach Threehouse is going to need big innings from both Hickling and Borysevicz this year. Alexis Sloat, Carly Bilchak, and Julia Pratt are also back and Coach Threehouse will need contributions from his entire staff against some powerful opposing lineups. Freshman Haley Majot may also see some key innings in the circle.

Catching
Anndrea Burgess and Lauren Waite are back behind the plate and both figure to see significant action in 2015. Coach Threehouse may also turn to the very talented freshman Morgan Phillips. Coach Threehouse has three excellent options behind the plate, so it will come down to who can get it done at the plate.

Infield
The Bonnies bring back their entire infield, including standout shortstop Emily McDonough. McDonough hit .394 last year with 37 hits, 5 RBI, and 12 steals. Coach Threehouse is going to be counting on her to be the leadoff for St. Bonaventure once again. Katie Sinclair, Grace Rooney, and Kiera Lorenzo also return as starters. Last year, Sinclair hit .321 with 34 hits, 1 HR, and 18 RBI. Coach Threehouse will be looking for more power numbers from this group, as his infielders only combined to hit three of the team's 10 home runs last year. Haley Blencowe and Courtney Rogers could also see time in the infield.

Outfield
Kelli Rohan and Emily Belfield are back to lead the way in the outfield for the Bonnies. Rohan had an excellent 2014 season, hitting .352 with 43 hits, 5 RBI, and 18 steals. Rohan's speed is a gamechanger for the Bonnies and they are going to count on her to get on base and have her put pressure on the opposition with her speed. Belfield led the Bonnies with 3 home runs last year and was second with 14 runs batted in. Coach Threehouse is going to be looking to her to do even more in 2015. Kelly Farrell, Haley Majot, and Courtney Rogers should also compete for playing time in the outfield.

Schedule
Coach Threehouse put together a tough and challenging slate for his squad in 2015. The Bonnies will have two very difficult early tournaments, one at Coastal Carolina and the other at Hawaii. At Myrtle Beach, St. Bonaventure will face the host team, Ole Miss, and Iowa State. Out in Hawaii, the Bonnies will go up against the host Rainbow Wahine, Columbia, Virginia Tech, and Western Illinois. If the Bonnies can pull out wins at those two tournaments, it will be a very positive sign for the team headed into conference play. St. Bonaventure has a very favorable schedule, as they avoid St. Louis and will only play Fordham twice. The Bonnies will hit the road to face Dayton, George Washington, UMass, and Rhode Island and will host George Mason, St. Joseph's, La Salle, and Fordham.

Outlook
The Bonnies are a young team going up against a tough nonconference schedule, but it will definitely prepare them for the gauntlet of Atlantic 10 play. The Bonnies are going to have the bats to compete this year, but their success all comes down to the circle. If St. Bonaventure can keep teams off the board more than last year, they could be a surprise challenger in the Atlantic 10 race. They have a favorable conference schedule, but they will need to take advantage of it.

2015 Rhode Island Preview: Lots of questions in the circle

Rhode Island comes into 2015, after a 2014 season, which saw them come very close to advancing to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Unfortunately for the Rams, they lost a number of key contributors from that team, including ace Sam Bedore. 2015 is going to be a very long season down in Kingston.

Caitlin Kennedy (photo by URI Athletics)

Pitching
Sam Bedore carried this team last year, going 9-9 with a 3.17 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 132 innings. She recorded all but four of Rhode Island's wins last year. To make matters worse, Ashley Dumoulin transferred to Louisiana-Monroe, Cassie Baker graduated, and Jessica Proia is no longer listed on the roster. Lauren Kennedy and Andrea Chiaradio are the only pitchers listed on the roster. Coach Erin Layton is going to need her pitchers to stay healthy or it could be an even longer year down in Kingston.

Catcher
The Rams have more depth behind the plate than they do in the circle this year. Despite the loss of Stacey Fox, URI returns Ali Summers and Taylor Archer and adds Bri Castro to the mix. Summers hit .209 last year, while Archer led the team with a .269 mark. Jenna Newborn could also see some time at catcher. Ashley Olson is back and she is going to add some power to this squad. Olson is going to be counted on to be a run producer this year.

Marylynn Muldowney (photo by URI Athletics)

Infield
URI does bring back some key starters in the infield, as Marylynn Muldowney and Lauren Klepchick return at second and third respectively. Muldowney hit .256 last year, while Klepchick hit .236. Jenna Cubello, Paige Julich, Kylie Shivery, Olivia Hendricks, and Deanna Wolf should also see some key action in the infield.

Megan Congro (photo by URI Athletics)

Outfield
In the outfield, the Rams bring back Megan Congro, Olivia Hendricks, and Danielle Gariglio as starters. Coach Layton is going to be counting on them for big things both at the plate and on defense. Kayla Cruz could also push for time in the outfield.

Designated Player
Ashley Olson or Taylor Archer should start at designated player for Rhode Island. Archer and Olson are the Rams top two hitters and Coach Layton is going to need to have both of them in the lineup.

Schedule
URI has a somewhat challenging nonconference slate, which should let us know right away how good this team will be. The Rams will have challenging nonconference games against James Madison, Stetson, Michigan State, and Stony Brook. If URI can manage to get six or more wins in nonconference play, it will be a very positive sign for the team going into conference play. URI has one of the most favorable conference schedules, as they will avoid Fordham and will only face UMass twice. Unfortunately, the Rams have a very front loaded schedule, as they will open up Atlantic 10 play by facing 5 teams that advanced to the Atlantic 10 Tournament last year.

Outlook
2015 may be a tough season for the Rams and Coach Layton. The Rams are pretty thin in the circle and don't return much power at the plate. Unless some players step up, it could be a very long season with some very short games. It is hard to see URI advancing to the Atlantic 10 Tournament this year, especially with the strength of the rest of the league.

2015 UMass Preview: A Return to Winning Ways

UMass had a tumultuous 2014 season from freak weather storms to freak injuries. This team faced an incredible amount of diversity, as they dealt with the loss of Coach Elaine Sortino right before the fall season last year. Despite, everything this team went through, they found a way to finish strong and advance to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. This team is going be much better in 2015 and they are ready to return to their winning ways.

Caroline Raymond (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Pitching
The days of Sara Plourde, Brandice Balschmiter, and Danielle Henderson are gone, but this is one of the better UMass staffs in the past few years. Leading the way is Caroline Raymond. Raymond is back for her fifth season after going 10-13 with a 3.39 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 138.1 innings. Raymond's numbers were a significant improvement from 2013. Coach Kristi Stefanoni is going to be counting on Raymond to be a leader in the circle for this young talented squad. If Raymond can keep her walks and gopher balls down, she is going to have a very successful year. Sophomore Tara Klee is also back in the circle. Klee had a bit of a roller coaster season, but ended on a high note in conference play. In 2014, Klee went 6-5 with a 4.93 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 81 innings. However, in Atlantic 10 play, Klee went 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA. If Klee can build off that momentum, the Minutewomen could be in very good shape. Emma Mendoker is working her way back from shoulder surgery and she could see some significant innings. Mendoker has battled injuries in her first few seasons, so it would be nice to see what could do healthy. Meg Colleran is a freshman pitcher that should be a key contributor to this staff. Coach Stefanoni is going to be looking to Colleran to step in right away and throw some big innings. Dakota Smith-Porter and Bridget Lemire could also see some time in the circle. UMass is going to have a big and talented pitching staff, the key will be if they can pitch to contact and let the defense do the work.

Olivia Godin, Caroline Raymond, Ashton Wince (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Catching
The Minutewomen bring back both starters from last year behind the plate. Olivia Godin and Ashton Wince are both back after solid seasons and it would not a surprise to see them split action once again, unless one of them really steps up at the plate. Ashton Wince had a solid freshman season, hitting .229 with 16 hits, 1 HR, and 8 RBI. Wince was also rock solid on defense, nailing five runners trying to steal and picking off three runners. Godin is back after a sophomore season, which saw her hit .171. The Minutewomen will need more offensive output from the catching position, if they want to move up in the standings in 2015.

Quianna Diaz-Patterson (photo by Vincent Dusovic)

Infield
The strength of this UMass team lies with its infield, as Coach Stefanoni might have one of the most talented groups in the conference. Quianna Diaz-Patterson, Jena Cozza, and Taylor Carbone all return. Diaz-Patterson had a solid freshman season, hitting .357 with 46 hits, 7 RBI, and 8 steals. UMass will be looking for Diaz-Patterson to lead the way offensively once again and increase her power numbers a bit. The Minutewomen would love to see her return to her power numbers from her freshman season. Jena Cozza is back after winning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in 2014 and she could be poised for an even bigger sophomore season. Cozza hit .351 with 39 hits, 5 HR, and 24 RBI, but in conference play, she hit .442 with 14 RBI in 16 games. Taylor Carbone is back at first base after a sophomore season which saw her hit .270 with 34 hits, 4 HR, and 25 RBI. The Minutewomen are going to be counting on her for big power numbers in 2015. The last infield position is up for grabs, but Gianna Hathaway could be the favorite for it. Hathaway is a talented middle infielder that may start at shortstop. Hathaway played for the powerhouse Rhode Island Thunder and she is a definite contender for Rookie of the Year. Whitney Cooper and Anna Kelley also figure to see some significant time.

Cote Clark (photo by Thom Kendall)

Outfield
The Minutewomen have a deep and young outfield, which is ready to show off its speed. Cote Clark is back after a solid freshman season, which saw her hit .263 with 30 hits, 10 RBI, and 5 steals. UMass is going to look for Clark to get on base and cause problems for opponents with her speed. Lindsay Zenk is also back after breaking into the starting lineup during her sophomore season. Zenk hit .269 with 21 hits and 11 RBI, including some clutch hits at the end of the year. The final outfield position is definitely up for grabs, but senior Mikayla Panko should have the inside edge. Sophomore Caitlyn Hickey could also see some time in the outfield.

Designated Player
Bridget Lemire is back at designated player and she should be the starter again in 2015. Lemire hit .257 with 19 hits, 6 HR, and 16 RBI. Lemire is poised for big power numbers in 2015, especially if she can cut down on her strikeout numbers. Tara Klee, Dakota Smith-Porter, and Whitney Cooper could also fight for time at designated player.

Schedule
UMass will once again go up against a tough schedule, but the schedule is not nearly as daunting as some past schedules. The Minutewomen will open up in Texas for the first time, as they will head to Houston to start the season. UMass will have tough games against Houston and DePaul, but all of the other games are very winnable. Following Houston, the Minutewomen will head to Charleston, where they will have five winnable games. The toughest tournament on the schedule will be when UMass heads to Louisville to take on Louisville, Northwestern, Illinois State, and Ball State. This tournament will give us a good indication of how good this team will be. UMass will wrap up the nonconference tournament slate down in Clearwater. For Atlantic 10 play, the Minutewomen will hit the road to face St. Joseph's, George Mason, URI, and Dayton. UMass will host Fordham, St. Louis, George Washington, and St. Bonaventure and will not play La Salle this season. UMass will also have some tough nonconference games up north against Boston College, Harvard, Boston University, and Marist. The best news for the Minutewomen is that the Atlantic 10 Tournament will be at Sortino Field, where they are very tough to beat.

Outlook
UMass is going to look to get off to a strong start in 2015 and keep that momentum going throughout the entire season. The Minutewomen had a tough start to 2014 with both weather and injuries, which made it hard for them to get into a rhythm early on. UMass will need some pitchers to step up in the circle and keep enemy hitters at bay. Defensively, the Minutewomen should be very stout. On offense, UMass has the potential to be one of the better teams in the conference, especially if they can increase their home run and walk numbers, while decreasing strikeouts. UMass could challenge for an Atlantic 10 Tournament bye, but it may take even more to knock off Fordham. UMass should have a winning record for the first time since 2012.