The Garden City Telegram

  Add Your Comment | Read (0) Comments

GCCC softball hoping its young pitchers to support veteran core

Published 2/9/2012 in Sports

By ADAM HOLT

aholt@gctelegram.com

If you're looking for experience on the Garden City Community College softball roster, you'll find it just about everywhere — except at pitcher.

But despite a four-freshman pitching staff, head coach Trina Moquett is confident this group has what it takes to win, as the Broncbusters' season starts Friday afternoon at Clarendon (Texas) College.

"We've got a good core starting sophomore group that are coming back, we have six returning starters," she said. "We've added four — our pitchers are all freshmen — but I think that they are fully capable of getting us where we need to go."

Last season, Moquett guided Garden City to a 43-22 record in her first year as head coach, totaling the most wins in program history.

The Broncbusters return an impressive core, including second baseman Cassee Ames, outfielders Ashley Gibson, Aspen Kinkaid and Brittany Knabe, shortstop Chelsey Knabe and first baseman Melissa Marshall. Brittany Knabe was first-team Region VI last year, while Ames, Gibson, Chelsey Knabe and Marshall were named to the second team.

Garden City does lose the bat of Jennifer Buchwalter, who exhausted her eligibility. Buchwalter hit .405 with a .453 on-base percentage and .907 slugging percentage, and her 25 home runs were sixth-most in the nation in 2011. She also led the team with 75 RBIs and was a first-team all-region performer.

Still, the Busters' six aforementioned returning starters combined to score 61.8 percent of Garden City's runs last year and account for 57.5 percent of the runs batted in.

And given that balance, Moquett isn't looking at any one player to carry the team.

"I really don't see one person standing out from the others right now," she said. "We've been preaching, 'Team, team team,' and that's where we want to keep it."

The question might be how Garden City's four freshman pitchers fare. Sarah Cochran, Kallie Hoover, Emily Hurlbert and Jaclyn Annis will all compete for starts, although Moquett said she sees Annis as more of a closer.

The plan for now will be to just give her pitchers innings and go from there.

"I think we're all going to see how it plays out," Moquett said. "I kind of see Em and Sarah as the 1-2, and Calli's kind of our wildcard, I feel like she's going to surprise a lot of people — she's got a lot of movement on her ball. I'm not quite sure if I'm going to mix her into those two games or go 1-2-3."

Last season, Jordan Barnett and Brandi Lovato were both 20-game winners and handled the bulk of the Busters' pitching duties. Despite the inexperience of this year's staff, Moquett said she's interested to see her four new hurlers.

"I would say there's probably going to be some times where that youngness is going to come into play," she said. "But they're pretty solid pitchers, I'm really excited to see what they can do. I think this might be one of the most talented pitching staffs that we've had as a whole. So I'm looking forward to it."

Three other freshmen will also get a chance to contribute right away. Alyssa Strobehn is going to take over as catcher, while Haley Wink will start at third base. Garden City-native Mekayla Aguiniga will fight for time at second base.

Last season the Busters finished third in the Jayhawk Conference Western Division, behind Butler, which advanced from Region VI to the NJCC World Series, and Seward County. Moquett sees the Busters, Grizzlies and Saints as the top three in the five-team division again this season.

Garden City will also be challenged in a few tournaments, going to Midland, Tex. for one next week and the Midwest JUCO Classic in Broken Arrow, Okla. on March 10-11.

Moquett said the Busters have a tough schedule, but the challenge could pay off in the long run.

"It's not going to be easy for us, we're going to have some tough games," Moquett said. " Hopefully these girls are going to be able to progress throughout the season and be able to get where we need to be to make a run at the end."

The Busters' home opening-series will be against Frank Phillips College on Tuesday.

See roster, schedule in Scoreboard, Page B2

Welcome!    

Today's events • Weekly Events

Submit An Event