Feb. 6, 2006

SAN MARCOS - After losing four seniors - Rachael Bonetti, Lauren Griffith, Leslie Sharp and Ashley Wilson - Texas State softball coach Ricci Woodard needed to fill gaps at catcher and across the infield. She brought in six freshmen and one transfer student hoping that each can make an impact.

Though Woodard will expect the newcomers to make immediate impacts in all facets of the game for the Bobcats, she will also rely on veteran players Katie Ann Trahan, Amy Hromadka, Kristin Gunter, Olivia Henley, Amy Krueger and others.

The Bobcats will again play a tough schedule with NCAA Tournament-caliber opponents including Texas, BYU, Loyola-Marymount, Wichita State, Texas A&M, Baylor and the College of Charleston.

On the Mound
Senior letter winner Trahan will lead the Bobcats on defense as she is expected to carry many responsibilities in the pitching circle. Last year, the senior from Magnolia set a new Texas State record for strikeouts with 353.With a nucleus of returners with experience, pitching will be one of the strong points this year.

Also returning to pitch for the `Cats is junior Sarah Lancour. Throughout her first two seasons at Texas State, Lancour has struggled with injuries. Woodard believes that she will be in good health and that the root of her arm injuries has been resolved. She was strong in the fall and Woodard looks forward to Lancour having her best season as a Bobcat. Henley, another veteran, will also pitch. According to Woodard, the left-hander's role could be as a starter or as a closer this season.

Behind the Plate
Texas State lost catcher Bonetti to graduation last spring. After evaluating the situation behind the plate, Woodard says the team will be catching by committee. Three athletes, junior Gunter, sophomore Ashton Peters and freshman Karen Taylor, will all catch for the Bobcats this season.

Gunter was an All-America catcher out of high school, but did not see action behind the plate last season after she transferred from Texas A&M instead seeing time primarily at first base. Peters, a sophomore, is the strongest candidate at catcher, but will start the season by sharing responsibilities with Gunter and Taylor.

"I think we've got a pretty strong group and each athlete brings something different to the table," Woodard said, "Again, we have great depth at this position with all three having at least two years to catch for us."

The Infield
The young infield will feature three freshmen on a regular basis. After losing starters Ashley Wilson and Leslie Sharp, the Bobcats will rely on a trio of rookies to cover second base, shortstop and third base. Alex Newton and Ryan Kos bring quickness to the middle infield.

"Newton and Kos did a great job for us in the fall and I'm really looking forward to have those two in the middle," Woodard said.

Another freshman, Tamara Keller, will start at third base for the Bobcats. A shortstop in high school, she made the transition to third in the fall.

"Keller has great footwork and great hands," Woodard said, "I fully expect her to nail down third base for the four years she will be here."

When Gunter is not catching, she will be at first base because the Bobcats need her bat in the lineup. In 52 games last season, the Brenham native batted .235 and drove in 20 runs. She was second on the team, behind Krueger, with 10 doubles on the year.

Trahan, who has been named the SLC's Utility Player of the Year the last two years, will work first base when she is not in the pitching circle. Her .295 average and seven homers led the team a season ago.

"We have to have both Gunter and Trahan in the batting lineup for us," Woodard said, "It is not an option for us to have them on the bench and when they are not at their regular positions, they will be at first base."

Other athletes who could contribute in the infield are Olivia Henley and Ali McCormack. As with the catching position, it will depend on the rest of the defensive set to establish who will be working first base.

McCormack will be busy filling in throughout the infield. She could see action at all the bases and also showed great offensive potential in the fall.

"She swings the bat very well and should be in the lineup quite a bit at various positions throughout the spring," Woodard said.

The Outfield
The outfield is going to have a different look than what fans have seen in the past. Woodard believes that she has a lot of depth on the grass. Six outfielders could see action on a regular basis. Throughout the fall, the Bobcats rotated all six athletes in order to get a feel for who is best in which corner of the field.

Freshman Jetta Weinheimer will likely cover the center of the field. Woodard says that she has great angles and great arm. Senior Hromadka, whose speed will be important on offense, may also see time at centerfield. If she is not in centerfield, Hromadka will be in leftfield because of her quick jump on the ball. Hromadka led the team with 30 runs scored in 2005.

Krueger can expect to get the nod in right field. Not only has she been in the outfield for two seasons, but she consistently hit the ball throughout the fall series.

Though she was here last season, Chelsea Giroux did not see action on the field. She will now be in the outfield and has the strongest arm in the field. Haley Koop, another transfer, is a fundamentally good outfielder.

In fact, Woodard says that, "Koop is as good as anybody we have ever had, fundamentally speaking, in the outfield."

Jill Koelsel, a returning sophomore, is another one who is quick and does a great job of getting to the ball. Her speed will also be an asset to the offensive lineup.

"I feel comfortable with the outfield situation we have," Woodard said. "Being able to rely on six different athletes is going to help when I need to make adjustments both on offense and defense all season."

Schedule
The Bobcats play a month on the road including three February tournaments before starting Southland Conference competition. Contests with four Big XII opponents, several Top 25 contenders and 11 regional qualifiers from a season ago highlight the Bobcats' schedule.

An early road-stand is typical for the Bobcats, but is usually preceded at home with a tournament. Due to changes in the schedule format, the Bobcats had already committed to the 2006 Hawaii Paradise Classic and were not able to make room for their own tournament.

The Bobcats will also compete in the 2006 Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, New Mexico and the Crowne Plaza Classic 2006 presented by the University of Houston. Texas State takes on such talent as BYU, Wichita State, Iowa State and Miami.

Woodard feels that the road slate, in conjunction with the strength of the fields at each tournament, will provide good early-season tests for the entire squad.

"February is going to be a trial time for us," Woodard said. "We are going to be putting a lot of young players on the field and we are going to be on the road so it will be great to see how we compare to some strong competition."

The Bobcats open their home slate versus regional contender College of Charleston on March 7. This doubleheader will be followed by a game at home with the University of Texas. Last season, the Longhorns earned a spot in the Women's College World Series. Texas State also visits Austin on April 12 to take on the Longhorns.

Southland Conference play begins at Southeastern Louisiana on March 11. For the remainder of the season, the Bobcats alternate weekends between hosting and traveling. Reigning SLC Tournament Champion McNeese State visits San Marcos on March 25-26 for a three-game series. The SLC Tournament is set for May 5-7 in Natchitoches, La.

Woodard stresses that there are no givens in the schedule and that the Bobcats will have to work for every victory throughout the season whether at home or on the road and no matter the opponent.

"We are going to have a tough schedule that should allow us to get better as a team," she said. "And as far as the conference goes, the competition is getting stronger across the board which is what I most enjoy about playing in the Southland."