Softball dominates fall tournament

FRESHMEN:

The Michigan roster is usually 20-21 players.  This year, the roster is 24 players.  The challenge for the coaches will be give each of the players enough playing time to develop their softball skills.  No easy task, especially on a team loaded with skilled returning players.  WRT the large freshmen class (7 players), their HS and travel ball bios are now posted on MGOBLUE.com.  The four major recruits are Alex Sobczak, Faith Canfield, Natalie Peters, and Leah Crockett.  I believe the other three freshmen are preferred walk-ons:  Katie Alexander, Courtney Richardson, and Mackenzie Nemitz. 

1.               #15 Alex Sobczak

I covered Alex’s TC play in my previous comments. As many of you know, Alex was one of the best hitters in Michigan HS history.  This past summer, Alex was selected to participate in a national HS graduating senior Top 10 Hitters contest in conjunction with the PGF Nationals in Cali.   She won that contest and was named the MVP competiting against players who will star for their respective college teams such as Florida, Washington, Oklahoma, Oregon, Alabama, and Tennessee.  Alex will star for Michigan for the next four years.

2.               #25 Faith Canfield

Faith started 2 games at TC (at 3B and 2B).  She is a very good fielder and an outstanding hitter with power.  Her hitting style reminds me of Ashley Lane in that Faith can club high pitches for home runs.  She made no errors at TC and got a couple of hits.  She played high level HS and travel ball in SoCal.  (Her travel ball team, the SoCal Athletics, lost the U18 championship game to the OC Batbusters at the PGF Nationals this summer.  Faith batted clean-up and played 3B.  She was batting over .600 going into the championship game.).  Faith probably won’t start many games this season for Michigan, but I think she will see a lot of playing time as one of the first players off the bench.   

3.               #11 Natalie Peters

Natalie is a speedy RH OF and LH slapper who makes good contact most of the time.  She played both RF and LF at TC and fielded her position well.  She also got a couple of hits.  Natalie played for the OC Batbusters team that beat Faith’s SoCal Athletics in the U18 championship game at the PGF Nationals this summer.  Natalie batted 9^th and played RF.  As readers may recall, Natalie has been favorably compared to CF Bree Evans, one of the best, if not the best, outfielders to play for Michigan in recent years, IMO.  I think Natalie will see a fair amount of playing time this season as a primary substitute.

4.               #4 Leah Crockett

Leah didn’t get to pitch at TC.  If not TC, then when?  I am sure the coaches are focusing on getting Megan Betsa, Tera Blanco and Sara Driesenga ready for the regular season.  That doesn’t leave much opportunity to develop a relatively raw but promising freshman pitcher.  Depending on how Michigan’s pitching needs develop, I would not be surprised if this were  a RS season for Leah.  I am not aware of any pitching verbal commits for Michigan in the Class of 2016.  The phenomenal LHP Megan Beaubien will be a freshman at Michigan after she graduates from HS in 2017.  So, it seems to me, a RS for Leah would probably be good for her and good for Michigan.

5.                #17 Katie Alexander

I discussed Katie’s play at TC  in my previous post.  While it is still very early, I see her as the backup catcher for Alex Sobczak.  You will note from her Michigan softball bio that she hit over .600 during her junior and senior years at Saline HS.  She also hit for power and was a 1^st Team Div 1 All-State Catcher her junior and senior years. 

6.               #19 Courtney Richardson

Courtney is an OF who saw limited action at TC.  I don’t recall that she got any hits or made any mistakes in the field.  I think Courtney played for Bonnie Tholl’s brother in travel ball.  If so, the Michigan coaches should have a good read on Courtney’s potential.

7.               #44 Mackenzie Nemitz

Mackenzie is a SS who also saw limited action at TC.   She didn’t make any errors and I don’t think she got any hits.  Mackenzie is a younger sister of Nikki Nemitz, a very fine pitcher and hitter for Michigan several years ago.  Mackenzie will probably not get much playing time this season.

SOPHOMORES:

As is the case every year, last year’s freshman class was an excellent class.  Sophomore year is a year to see if dramatic improvements can be made.  Think Kelly Christner--from promising freshman with limited playing time to 1^st Team All-American outfielder her sophomore year.  While Kelly’s degree of advancement is very unusual, I look for noticeable improvement among all of this year’s sophomores. 

Tera Blanco was a decent 1B whose hitting improved considerably over the last half of last season.  She had a sore arm so she saw very limited action in the circle.  Throughout her HS and travel ball careers, Tera was one of the outstanding pitchers in SoCal and in the nation.  I think Hutch is counting on Tera to be an outstanding starting pitcher for the remainder of her years at Michigan.  Tera started and pitched most of 2 games at TC.  She was excellent.  She also hit very well at TC, almost getting a HR (went for a double) and making several other hits.  When not pitching, I expect she will usually be the DP but probably not the 1B. 

Aidan Falk also had a great second half of last season at the plate.  I look for further improvement at the plate  this season. Aidan hit well at TC.   I think she is a very solid 1B.  The coaches also tried Taylor Swearingen at 1B.  She hit well at TC and is a good fielder.  But I think Aidan is likely to see the bulk of the playing time at 1B.  But whether it is Aidan or Taylor at 1B, we will have a good fielder who is also a talented hitter.  Both can hit for power.  Taylor is a better base runner than Aidan.

Amanda Vargas got some playing time at TC.  I am not sure if she subbed at 2B but she did get several solid hits.  I think Amanda is a very promising player, especially as a hitter.  I hope she gets enough playing time to show her skills. 

Nikki Wald is a member of our valuable and experienced pinch-running crew along with seniors Mary Sbonek and Olivia Richvalsky.  All three saw pinch-running action at TC and, I think, some time in the field and at the plate as well.  Morgan Swift was one of the bullpen catchers last season and it appears that will be her role this season.  She didn’t play at TC.

JUNIORS:

What a class.  Four starters.  Kelly Christner was Michigan’s best hitter at TC.  At one point, she was 8 for 10, including a HR and one or two doubles.  Kelly, as you know, is also a great fielder and base runner.  Abby Ramirez played her usual excellent SS.  She batted 9^th and 2^nd at TC.  (One version of the lineup was like last season’s and the other version had Kelly batting 1^st, Abby 2^nd and Romo 3^rd.  Taylor Swearingen and Lindsay Montemarano both batted 5^th behind Kelsey Susalla.)  Abby is another batter whose performance improved considerably over the second half of last season.  She made solid contact at TC, which is what she needs to do to be an effective slapper. 

Monte was spectacular at 3^rd.  She made four or five exceptional plays, including snagging a line shot and a hard grounder in the hole and backhanding a hard grounder to start a 5-4-3 DP.  While the all-around fielding at TC by Michigan was very good, there was no one close to Monte at TC.  Monte also hit very well at TC.  She had a home run to left and several other hits.  While there has been some discussion on this blog that Monte might lose her starting position due to her relatively low batting average last year, I just don’t see it.  She is an experienced junior and proven high-quality 3^rd baseman.  She plays a key role in team chemistry (originator of the pizza cheers).  She seems poised for the break-out hitting year that some of us expected last year.  The last member of the junior class is Megan Betsa.  There is no reason to think that she won’t be as good as or even better than last year.  Her performance at TC supports this prediction. 

SENIORS:

There is not too much to say about the seniors.  This is their last year.  They know what they need to do.  I am confident the two Sierras, Kelsey Susalla and Sara Driesenge will get it done.  The other seniors will play their roles well:  Mary Sbonek and Olivia Richvalsky as pinch runners and dugout cheerers, and Lauren Connell (“LC”) as bull pen catcher, dugout cheerleader, and chronicler of Team 39.    

FINAL COMMENTS:

While Team 39 is just starting and many things can happen, this team shows great promise.  Team 38 had a phenomenal year—28 wins in row from the 2^nd Minnesota game to the LSU game at the WCWS.  We are not likely to see a streak like that at Michigan any time soon.  But, in my opinion, Team 39 has the potential to be a better team than Team 38.  We shall see.