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Lady Busters to open softball season at Lamar

Published 2/6/2009 in Sports : GCCC

By MIKE KESSINGER

mkessinger@gctelegram.com

In most years the Baseball Academy at Garden City Community College will usually have plenty of use around this time.

The indoor facility harbors the Lady Broncbuster softball program when there's snow and cold conditions on the field at Tangeman Sports Complex isn't ready for play. But the good news for Garden City and for most other programs around the region, is that warmer temperatures and dry conditions have led to plenty of practice outside.

"You get plenty of fly balls, plenty of ground balls, there's no substitute for being outside," GCCC softball coach Phil Terpstra said of practicing outdoors. "Especially when the weather's nice. Our academy is awesome, but you just can't do as many game things. You still can get a lot done, but boy, this is great. The problem is it's probably been great for everybody. We don't get an advantage over anybody else."

Terpstra would just as well take his players being prepared to play outside though, and Saturday, the Busters' 13th year head coach will have a chance to see just how much the outside preparation has paid off. Garden City will open at Lamar Community College (Colo.) at 1 p.m. next Tuesday for a doubleheader.

"I feel like our offense will be better," pitcher Taylor Cange said comparing last year's team to this years. "We have a lot stronger lineup and our defense should be just as good."

Cange, one of five sophomores the Busters return, earned second-team All-Region honors last season after finishing with a 17-6 mark. Shortstop Megan Hamilton is back after garnering first-team All-Jayhawk Conference and region honors. The Busters also return catcher/utility player Kayla Jeanjaquet, outfielder/utility player Tori Nuzum and outfielder/catcher Tracey Stefanski.

After a year in the system, the sophomores have adapted themselves to taking more of the leadership role this season.

"(The freshman) have matured quite a bit," Jeanjaquet said of the nine new players. "I think at the beginning they weren't very sure of what to do, but I think our sophomores have set a pretty good example, and they've been able to follow that. A couple of them were able to come pretty far in the fall season alone."

The progress the team has made in preparation is something Terpstra noticed and he believes the Busters could have their best defensive team since he started at the college. On the offensive side, Garden City won't have as many long-ball hitters as they did a year ago, but it's not something that bothers the team.

"Our bats have picked up quite a bit since the fall," Jeanjaquet said. "I think if we can string our hits together I don't think we'll have to worry much with our defense."

A year ago the Busters finished 34-17, which marked a school record for wins in a season, and the team broke 37 team and individual records. Garden City will have plenty of absentee's from last year's run, including centerfielder Becky Diehl, now at Missouri Western. The third-team All-American broke nine career offensive records as a Buster including home runs (24), batting average (.464), and extra-base hits (73).

With the loss of Diehl and pitcher/first base Joni Stegman the Busters won't have as much power, but Terpstra is confident this team can find ways to win.

"Right now I don't think we'll hit as many home runs, but I think we'll get a chance to hit for a higher average," Terpstra said. "We think we're going to be more a line drive, doubles-hitting team. That's what I think right now. I think we have a deeper lineup as far as one through nine. I think we'll be better all the way through the lineup."

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