Dayton Flyers
2011 Record (A10 Play): 22-26 (11-8)
Returning Position Players: Lauren Nacke 1B/DP, Kathleen Maloof OF, Rachel Archer OF, Brandy Brown 1B, Dana Trotta 3B, Carlyn Harlow 2B, Jordan Jennings IF, Kasi Vazquez C, Megan Barrett OF, Courtney Kutsulis C, Jenna Lopes IF
Returning Pitchers: Alysha Isaacson, Sarah Wedel
Losses: Emily Stegeman SS, Alicia Nichols OF
Newcomers: Kayla English P, Tiffany Ricks C, Leah Sitter OF, Sydney Cicchetti P, Natalie Mariano OF
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| Alysha Isaacson |
Pitching: This is the big question mark for the Flyers and their success will be determined by the success in the circle. Dayton top two pitchers are back from last year squad in Alysha Isaacson and Sarah Wedel and they have also added transfer Sydney Cicchetti and freshman Kayla English. Isaacson burst on to the scene last year going 12-13 with a 3.21 ERA and 76 SO in 157 IP. The crafty southpaw relies on her changeup to keep batters on balance at the plate and she will look to do the same in 2012. Sarah Wedel is back after her best season to date, which saw her go 7-5 with a 3.46 ERA and 44 SO in 107.1 IP. English and Cicchetti join the mix in 2012 and they have already gotten off to solid starts as Flyers. English shutout Ohio State this fall, showing that she will be a force to be reckoned with in 2012. English is a tall powerful pitcher who could take Dayton to the next level. Sydney Cicchetti also had a solid fall and overall this Flyer pitching staff is moving in the right direction. Coach LaPlaca can count on four solid arms this season, but the big question will be if one of them can develop into a dominant pitcher like some of other teams in the conference have.
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| Kayla English |
Catching: Dayton brings back both of its catchers from last year and they are also adding a freshman to the mix behind the plate. Courtney Kutsulis saw the majority of the action last season and had a solid season, going .236 with 26 hits, 5 HR, and 16 RBI. Kasi Vazquez also played in quite a few games and hit .160 with 1 HR and 8 RBI. Tiffany Ricks will join this group and she also figures to see some action behind the plate.
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| Courtney Kutsulis |
Infielders: The Flyers return a talented group of infielders both defensively and at the plate. Headlining the group is Lauren Nacke who figures to see action at first base and designated player this season for Dayton. Nacke had one of the most dominating seasons in Dayton history, hitting .403 with 54 hits, 18 HR, and 48 RBI. One of the big challenges for Dayton this year will be protecting her in the order. Brandy Brown will likely alternate with Nacke at designated player and first base and she had a solid 2011 season in her own right going .287 with 33 hits, 5 HR, and 16 RBI. Carlyn Harlow and Dana Trotta also return as starters in the infield at second and third base respectively. That leaves shortstop as the big question mark for the Flyers. Likely contenders for the position include freshman Jordan Jennings and sophomore Jenna Lopes.
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| Lauren Nacke |
Outfielders: The outfield is another area of great strength for Dayton and it all starts with Kathleen Maloof. Maloof had an outstanding 2011 season, hitting .344 with 52 hits, 9 HR, and 35 RBI. Maloof will be counted on to be a run producer again in 2012. Rachel Archer also returns after having a solid rookie season, which saw her hit .293 with 36 hits, 0 HR, 3 RBI, and 14 SB. Archer will once again leadoff for the Flyers and her job is to get on base and score. The big question for the outfield is who will hold down that other spot? Contenders for the position include Megan Barrett, Natalie Mariano, and Leah Sitter. Sitter might be the favorite, as it will be hard for Coach Cara LaPlaca to leave her off the field due to her outstanding speed.
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| Kathleen Maloof |
Schedule: Dayton will face some challenging games, but overall it is a schedule that should allow them to cross the .500 threshold. Texas State, Chattanooga, and Ohio State will probably be the toughest non-conference games that Dayton will play. As far as conference play, the Flyers will play 12 games within the comfortable confines of the UD Softball Stadium, which should be a huge benefit for them as they look to return to the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
Postseason prognosis: Like many other teams, Dayton could finish anywhere from 4th to 9th. This season will come down to how they perform against the other teams contending for those final few playoff positions. Regardless of whether they make the Atlantic 10 Tournament or not, Dayton should finish with a record above .500. Dayton is an outstanding offensive club, but the real key will be whether they can keep teams off the board in 2012. If the pitching is there, Dayton could be a real force to be reckoned with.
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