Black Bears seek offensive boost

A year ago, players and coach alike will admit, the University of Maine softball team sometimes played a bit too patiently, as the Black Bears waited to see how far slugger Sara Jewett would hit the ball in her next at bat.

The result – especially when Jewett went into a slump – wasn’t always what coach Deb Smith was looking for.

“I think last year we depended on one or two people a little bit too much,” Smith said, singling out Jewett and second baseman Karyn McMullin.

This year, without those two proven sluggers (Jewett graduated after setting school records by socking 15 homers last season and 31 in her career; McMullin left after her junior year in order to focus on a career on the pro kayaking circuit) the Black Bears are going to rely on an offense-by-committee approach.

Jewett (.409 batting average) and McMullin (.338) were also the only Black Bears to hit better than .300.

“It’s gotta be everybody stepping up and everybody contributing and picking up her RBIs,” said junior Erica Sobel, who has been a first-team all-league selection at shortstop in each of her first two years.

Smith agreed.

“We’ve lost a lot of power, but we’ve made up for it some contact hitters,” Smith said on Thursday as she finished up a final practice before the Bears head south on their annual spring trip.

Actually, UMaine kicked off the season last week with four games in Arkansas. They lost all four, but Smith saw enough good things out of her team to believe the Bears can contend for one of four America East playoff spot at the end of the year.

The Bears kick off their second southerly swing at the Rebel Spring Games in Osceola, Fla., on Saturday. They’ll also play in a tourney in Tampa before finishing their 24-game stretch with doubleheaders against Florida, Stetson and Bethune Cookman.

According to sophomore pitcher Ashley Yuhas, the Bears felt they had the talent to win the league title last year, but ended up finishing a game short of even qualifying for the tourney.

“I know that we had the team last year to go [to the postseason], but we just didn’t pull it off,” Yuhas said. “And I know we’ve got the team again this year.”

Leading the Black Bears will be a trio of junior infielders who have been starters since arriving in Orono.

Sobel hit .283 and belted six homers as a sophomore while third baseman Leigh Ann Hlywak hit .263 and drove in 19 runs. First baseman Katie Churchill batted only .186 but was named the team’s “Gold Glove” winner for her second straight year.

Speedy newcomer Sara Asadoorian will bat leadoff (she’s already hitting a team-best .500 after four games) and play second.

Splitting time at catcher – Jewett’s old position – will be juniors Rachel Bain and Amanda Stevens. And in the outfield, Smith has settled on junior Melissa in left, freshman Lauren Dulkis in center and junior Alicia Rautenberg in right. Erin McCabe will also battle for time in the outfield.

Smith said Yuhas tops a talented batch of control pitchers.

“Ashley has stepped up to be our top thrower,” Smith said. “Her confidence and her composure on the mound, it’s more than I could have asked for this early in the season.”

Yuhas went 11-12 with a 3.02 earned run average as a freshman. She’ll be joined in the rotation by senior Carrie Green (15-10, 1.71) and freshman fireballer Candace Jaegge.