2002 Softball Season Outlook – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
During the 2001 season, most of the nation didn’t see the Ohio State softball team coming until is was too late. With a young lineup that included just one senior, the Buckeyes slowly made their way from the start of the spring with a 12-8 record. That’s when it happened.
“We caught a lot of teams by surprise,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head coach, said. “We had a great year and really turned a corner in this program. People started to take notice and that is good for us.”
Ohio State, after its 12-8 start, posted a 46-18 record and finished third in the Big Ten (14-6). The 46 wins was the most ever in the history of the program in a single year and the conference finish took OSU someplace it never had been, the Big Ten tournament.
“We made a name for ourselves last year by breaking records and winning games,” Kalafatis said. “Now we have to keep improving and make it further than last year.”
An 0-2 showing at the Big Ten tournament prevented the team from the ultimate season: a berth into the NCAA tournament. With the team nearly intact and back on the field, a spot in the NCAA event may be in the near future for OSU.
“Last season, at least record wise, was out best season ever,” Kalafatis said. “Looking through the record books, some of the most successful players in Buckeye softball history are currently on the team. With everyone back, we should be able to make another solid run at the postseason.”
Returnees
The 2002 roster looks nearly identical to the lineup a year ago with the exception of four players. Seventeen members of the 2001 squad return with one player, Holly English, lost to graduation.
Among the returnees are First Team All-Big Ten Katie Chain, second team members Stacy Roth, Anna Smith and Wendy Allen and third team selections Kristi DeVries and Jennifer Link. Allen also was honored as the conference’s freshman of the year.
Many records were broken by the teams’ members, led by the pitching prowess of Chain and DeVries.
Chain broke the single season and career strikeout record at OSU as a sophomore and the mark for shutouts in a year. DeVries set the freshman benchmarks in strikeouts in a season, shutouts in a season and wins with a 17-8 record.
The youthful pitchers were not the only record breakers. Roth set the career runs batted in mark with 100 and Smith stole 22 bases to set the career mark at 68. Kristine Himes left her mark on the program by hitting six home runs to set the career mark at 16.
Newcomers
With a solid core of veteran players returning to the field, Kalafatis has added three freshmen to bolster the lineup and prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow. Jennifer (JJ) Johnson, Meghan Rowlands and Karisa Evans are the new additions.
Johnson, from LaMirada, Calif., has been a member of successful teams prior to attending Ohio State. She garnered awards and citations at LaMirada High School and was a member of several American Softball Association national teams that never placed below ninth at the national tournament.
Rowlands, a native of the Central Ohio area and graduate of Bishop Ready High School, brings speed to the Buckeye lineup as well as versatility. She started the fall as an infielder and since has moved to the outfield.
Evans comes to Columbus via Franklin, Ohio, where she earned numerous accolades and honors. Evans adds another left handed batter to the lineup for extra advantage in the later innings.
Pitchers
As the backbone of the team, the pitchers will be relied upon heavily again this year.
“The pitching staff is the main reason for the turnaround of this program and the success we had last year,” Kalafatis said. “We had a junior, a sophomore and two freshmen in the rotation for us a year ago and had the third-best earned run average in the nation. Certainly we are excited to have a strong pitching staff returning for us after the success they have had. Going into the start of the 2001 season, we were excited about the talent of the pitching staff but we didn’t expect the success they had so early.”
The staff, Katie Chain, Kristi DeVries, Wendy Allen and Jenn Elwell, combined to post an 0.82 earned runs average last year, struck out 443 batters and limited the opposition to 271 hits. The coaching staff was not the only group taking notice of the pitchers’ efforts. Chain, Allen and DeVries earned first, second and third-team All-Big Ten honors, respectively.
“Katie threw well and went undefeated in conference play,” Kalafatis said. “She also broke the season strikeout record, season shutouts in a season, was one behind in total wins for a season and broke the career strikeout record. She hit her stride after a preseason loss to Connecticut. She didn’t face Iowa in our conference opener and it really motivated her to have a phenomenal season.”
DeVries joined Chain as the only pitchers in the rotation to register more than 80 innings last year. She was second on the team in strikeouts with 174 and held opponents to a .165 batting average.
“DeVries had a solid year for us and could have broken the season strikeout record if Katie Chain had not gotten there first,” Kalafatis said. “She had a remarkable year at 16-8 and really gave us another strong pitcher to work with.”
Allen also put up impressive numbers, including a staff-best 0.65 earned run average and 83 strikeouts in 75.2 innings of work. Allen not only made it difficult for the opposing hitters, she made it tough on opposing pitchers with a .355 batting average, the second-highest on the team.
“Wendy led the team in earned run average last year as a freshman and that is great for the future of this team,” Kalafatis said. “She served mostly as a reliever and a closer last year and her role will be expanded to more of a starter this year.”
The final member of the rotation is senior Jenn Elwell. Though limited in the time she was in the circle a year ago, Elwell provides a backup for the team.
“Though Jenn doesn’t get as much time in games as the other three, she has great ball movement and that really helps the rest of the team in practice,” Kalafatis said. “She also is a great pinch runner and a team leader. No matter where she is used, her talents help this team succeed.”
Catchers
The Buckeye catching corps consists of senior Stacy Roth, junior Annie Dedic and sophomore Kari Crandell. Kalafatis feels the trio is what makes not only the pitching staff strong, but the team on a whole.
“The success the pitchers had last year would not have been possible without the outstanding play of the catchers,” Kalafatis said. “Their ability to call to the pitchers’ strengths really provided the spark that brought about our stellar season. All three contributed and made the 2001 season successful.”
Roth returns for her final year with the Scarlet and Gray and will be relied on as a leader.
“Stacy is one of our captains and leads the team with her style of play,” Kalafatis said. “She knows how to call a game and really get the best out of the pitchers. Offensively, she hits for power and average.”
Backing up Roth is Dedic. Her play in the fall proved to the coaching staff she will be ready to play when needed and lead the team when called upon.
“Annie is very capable of being a starter,” Kalafatis said. “We plan to platoon her with Stacy to keep them both fresh but having them play in the same lineup also is a possibility. Having them both in creates a more powerful, stronger and aggressive lineup.”
Crandell, though limited in playing time last year, has made an impression of the coaching staff that will help the team along.
“Kari is a thinking player,” Kalafatis said. “She thinks like a coach and make good decisions. She looks more confident this year and her skills improved. Put her with our other catchers and we are a veteran group.”
Outfielders
One of the more talented divisions of the Ohio State roster, the outfielders run five deep and bring many great qualities to the team. Senior captains Anna Smith and Chrissy Fowler join junior Rogeanna Hottinger, sophomore Wendy Allen and freshman Meghan Rowlands in the outfield for 2002 with each capable of playing all three positions.
“Anna has played the outfield her entire career,” Kalafatis said. “She does well wherever we put her and that gives the team different strengths. Her versatility makes our team that much better.”
Fowler returns for her third season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Wright State following her freshman campaign.
“Chrissy really stepped up last year,” Kalafatis said. “Her strong work ethic helped her move into a starting role and she has had an impact on the team since. She is a major performer and we look for more of the same this year.”
Hottinger enters her third year in Columbus and has provided the Buckeye outfield with a strong arm and marksmanship to the bags.
“Rogeanna covers the outfield well and seems to just glide to the ball,” Kalafatis said. “She also has one of the top arms in the conference. It is a bonus for us to have Rogeanna patrolling the outfield. Nobody has thrown more runners out than her.”
Allen not only is one of the top pitchers on the roster, she is one of the better hitters and fielders for Ohio State.
“Wendy could leave Ohio State as one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the program,” Kalafatis said. “She is faster and more confident this year and will truly help this team succeed.”
Rowlands will have the biggest challenge of the outfielders this year having to not only make a transition from the high school ranks to the collegiate level, but also a change in position.
“Meghan has been an infielder all her life,” Kalafatis said. “Athletically, she can excel anywhere and with some playing time, she could step up and be a player for us in the future.”
First Base
Four players have been tabbed as first basemen led by senior and two-year starter Sarah West.
“I think Sarah is the best defensive first basemen in the Big Ten,” Kalafatis said. “She also is a good hitter. She has good power and as a veteran, I think we’ll see more consistency from her.”
Waiting in the wings are Kristi DeVries, Wendy Allen and Beth McAbier.
“All three of them can play the position well,” Kalafatis said. “Beth is learning the finer points of the position now after moving over from the other corner. Kristi and Wendy again show their versatility by being able to play another position if called upon.”
Second Base
Around the bases, Jennifer Link has secured the starting nod at second base with Amy Ellis backing her up. Link is coming off surgery in the fall and Ellis has demonstrated the ability to take over at second.
“Jenn is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and is a great leadoff hitter for us,” Kalafatis said. “She has been named team defensive player of the year as a freshman and offensive player of the year last year. That alone tells you how valuable she is to our program.
“Amy is an effective player that gets the job done,” Kalafatis said. “She is a very capable replacement at second and is a great player to have on your team because she can field, hit and run.”
Shortstop
Junior Elizabeth Kacsanek, sophomore Breana Pozzi and freshman JJ Johnson all are in search of playing time at shortstop this year.
“We have several positions on the team that are very competitive on the team right now but shortstop is the most competitive of them all,” Kalafatis said. “All three players are great fits in our lineup so choosing a starter will be a tough decision.
“Elizabeth did a solid job for us last year and we will be looking for more offense from her,” Kalafatis said. “Breana really can play the position well and JJ is probably the best skilled at shortstop of the three. No one really stood out more than the other in the fall so it will tough to choose.”
Third Base
Kristine Himes has been a mainstay at the hot corner for the past two years. Entering her junior campaign, Himes has already set the career home run mark at Ohio State after connecting on 10 a year ago.
“Kristine is the best third baseman in the Big Ten,” Kalafatis said. “She is a solid player that has led the team in home runs and runs batted in. She has displayed consistent play at third and that will help our chances to win.”
Freshman Karisa Evans is set to learn from one of the best and establish herself as a cornerstone in the future of the program.
The Schedule
Ohio State again will face some quality opponents including two nationally ranked programs in the opening weekend of the 2002 campaign. In the preseason polls, the Buckeyes opened the year receiving votes and just shy of cracking the Top 25.
Seven of the Buckeyes’ slated foes this year have garnered a spot in the national Top 25 polls including non-conference opponents California (No. 5), Cal State Fullerton (No. 10), Oregon State (No. 18), Pacific (No. 19) and San Diego State (No. 23). Cal State Northridge received votes (12).
Inside the Big Ten, Iowa and Michigan return as the teams to beat. The Hawkeyes enter the year as the No. 6 team in the nation with the Wolverines earning the No. 11 position. Wisconsin is one vote behind the Buckeyes with 30.
Big Ten, Big Games
To make it to the upper tier of the Big Ten Conference, Ohio State has two teams it must go through: Iowa and Michigan.
“Both teams are tough teams to play,” Kalafatis said. “To win the conference, we have to battle with them as well as with the rest of the conference. There are a lot of great teams in the Big Ten so every game will be a fight.”
Kalafatis looks at Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Northwestern as some tough teams as well.
“Illinois had a great first year last year and should turn some heads,” Kalafatis said. “Northwestern has a young coach and a young, aggressive team. We will have our work cut out for us this year but our chances are good for the end of the season.
“Minnesota has a very solid pitching staff and has always had a good mix of speed and power,” Kalafatis said. “Wisconsin plays a tough schedule and is accustomed to facing tremendous competition.”
After a 14-6 mark in the conference a year ago and taking third behind Michigan and Iowa, OSU will try to make a return trip to the Big Ten tournament after earning a berth in the event for the first time in program history last year.
“We feel like we have some unfinished business to tend,” Kalafatis said. “We have to go out and play hard to get back to where we were and beyond.”
