Bears seek return to top spot New faces spark optimism of America East contention again

The 2006 season ended a lot earlier than the University of Maine softball team would have liked. After earning the America East conference regular-season title and the right to host the conference tournament, the Black Bears bowed out with two tourney losses and little to show for a record-setting spring.

If UMaine, which won a program-best 35 games, is to get back to the point where it can contend for more than a regular-season crown, Maine head coach Stacey Sullivan’s Bears will have to do it with a significant number of new faces along with experienced players in new positions.

“We definitely want to get back to the No. 1 spot,” said senior outfielder Kate Joseph of Northeast Harbor, who will serve as a co-captain this season. “It was hard to watch us fall apart, but we know we’ve had better days. It’s a brand new team. We have 11 freshmen, and I think they’re ready to fill the shoes.”

The Black Bears open the nonconference portion of their schedule today with a doubleheader at Kentucky, followed by a single game Sunday against the Wildcats.

Along with at least four freshmen who will be in the starting lineup, Maine’s offense will have a different look. So will Kessock Field, which received a makeover with added bleachers and a bricked-in press box.

The freshmen will have to step in for an offense that lost four of its top five hitters among its regular players.

It’s a lot to replace, but Bears didn’t exactly impress at the plate anyway, hitting only .258 as a team and leading the league in strikeouts (311).

“I’m not concerned with losing a beat in the offense compared to last year,” Sullivan said. “In all honesty, it was a struggling point for us and something we were constantly trying to improve on.”

The Bears feel they’re much quicker this year – even after a season in which they improved their stolen base numbers 75 percent from the previous year – and the rookies have looked fine at the plate so far, sophomore second baseman Ashley Waters said.

“This fall the freshmen did a good job of getting their bats on the ball, and I think that’s huge,” said Waters, the second leading returning hitter with a .252 batting average. “I think a lot of times last year we got caught not swinging and this year we have some freshmen who want to get in there. Plus we have a lot of experience at the top of the order, so I think we’ll get it done.”

The most stable area for Maine going into the season was its most consistent last year. Righthanded pitcher and reigning America East Rookie of the Year Jenna Balent is hoping to take over where she left off.

Balent had a league-low 1.35 earned run average to go with a 14-12 record and 156 strikeouts.

“I worked on all my pitches and tried to develop more of my dropball,” Balent said. “I’ve been working hard with all the catchers. I’m confident coming back, trying to lead the freshmen. They’re going to step up and do the job as well.”

Balent had pitcher Sarah Bennis to lean on last season, and vice versa, but Bennis’ graduation means Balent will be the ace from the start.

The Bears are excited by the development of freshman pitcher Christine McGivney, a 6-footer in the mold of the powerful Bennis.

Among the familiar faces in the infield will be senior catchers Maggie Soule and Elizabeth Foltz, who shared the job last year; senior first baseman Kristie Hawkins of Portland; and Waters, a conference all-rookie team member last year.

“We’re expecting big things from Ashley both offensively and defensively,” Sullivan said.

The Bears have a new left side of the infield as they try to fill a hole with the graduation of all-conference shortstop Brittany Cheney, who is now on the coaching staff. Maine is developing freshman shortstops Kristen Calvetti and Jen Puccini. Sullivan said Puccini could also play in the designated hitter role.

Melinda Corssino, another freshman, has sewn up third base.

“She’s one of the most talented defenders on our squad,” Sullivan said. “She’s automatic for us. … There will be a lot of newcomers on the left side of the field but also more versatility.”

Former third baseman Tara Vilardo, a senior who batted .282 with 18 stolen bases, has stepped into center field to provide some experience in a young outfield. Joseph, who has mainly been a pinch runner over the years, could start in left field, as could freshman Alexis Souhlaris, a former New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. Freshman Erin Iandoli will likely start in right.