PENNS VALLEY SOFTBALL PREVIEW

Head coach:Don Lucas (9th season)

Assistant coaches:Kari Lucas, Michele Glasgow, Robert Sauerwine, Kara Bressler, Allison D’Ambrosia, Gary Weaver, Jeff Weist.

Last season:18-5, District 6 Class AA runner-up.

Key losses:Erin Van Vactor, Chelsea Reish, Pam Heinrichs, Chelsey Neff.

Returning letterwinners: Rachel Myers, Katie Deardorff, Alicia Leitch, Alisha Jordan, Kasey Packer, Nicole Bowersox, Brittany Dashem, Janelle Welch, Steph Struble, Mavis Bubb.

Key newcomers and others: Courtney Crowson, Samantha McKinney, Robin Siegenthaler, Morgan Holpsopple, Emily Weaver, Clarissa Keller, Tess Deardorff, Krista Rupert, Lyndsey Witherite, Leah Stodart, Anna Krishak, Miranda Kline, Tara Harlos, Megan Decker

The skinny:The Lady Rams may have surprised many by getting to the district title game last season, but not coach Don Lucas.

“We came in last year as an unknown,” he said. “I don’t think anybody expected us to be in the district finals. … I thought from the get-go last year that we would surprise some people because I knew who we had and hopefully with some strong pitching that we would be able to compete and we did.”

With that said, Lucas said dropping the title game 4-0 against eventual PIAA runner-up Bald Eagle Area was a bit of a letdown. “I think we were glad to be there and really we weren’t prepared to get to that level to beat a team like Bald Eagle Area,” he said.

Lucas hopes that title game experience will translate into a different result this season. Though the Lady Rams lost three infield starters, they return several key players in last year’s run, including pitcher Rachel Myers. The right-hander was has excellent control and strike-out power.

Penns Valley also returns shortstop Katie Deardorff, the area’s quickest and most dangerous leadoff hitter. The slap-hitting Deardorff forced teams to change their defenses because anything on the ground to the left side was usually a hit.

Kasey Packer moves in from right field to take over at third. Alicia Leitch returns at second base and could be spelled by Krista Rupert. Stephanie Struble and Robin Siegenthaler are battling for the first base spot, while Nicole Bowersox and Samantha McKinney are looking at time behind the plate. Morgan Holpsopple and Emily Weaver can spell Myers on the mound.

Center fielder Janelle Welch returns. Clarissa Keller, Mavis Bubb, Tess Deardorff, Courtney Crowson are battling in right field, while Brittany Dashem and Alisha Jordan and fighting in left field.

Lucas is looking for a more balanced attack this season. “The bulk of my hits last year came from the top six,” he said. “I need to get a little more production from the bottom half of the lineup. … I always worry about our offense. We manufacture runs. We don’t have a lot of big innings against the teams that you know are experienced.”

Coach Lucas says:“We’re going to have to play ourselves into a good team. We’re green in some spots and probably early on there’s going to be a couple of issues for us. I think that by the time we get to mid-season and the end of the year, I’m hopeful we’re where we need to be.”

— By Walt Moody