Please forgive the Lawrence University softball team if they are getting tired of the ugly dresses that you’ll only wear once. In other words, they’ve had enough of being the bridesmaid.
Lawrence begins its season later this week with 12 games in Clermont, Fla., and the Vikings’ goal is to get back to the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament for the first time since 2006.
“We were close last year,” Lawrence coach Kim Tatro said. “The two teams (from the North Division) that qualified for the tournament, St. Norbert we split with and Ripon we lost two one-run games. We felt like we had a shot last year, and I feel like it’s the same type of scenario.
“That will always be a goal for us every year to qualify for the conference tournament. I say this just about every year, and it’s true just about every year. The North Division is strong and there’s a lot of parity. … It wouldn’t surprise me if all five teams split with each other. From that standpoint, it makes it exciting.”
Lawrence, which finished 13-16 a season ago, needs to rely on its big three of pitcher/infielder Shannon Murray, outfielder Cathy Kaye and pitcher/infielder Emily Perish.
Kaye hit .356 last season with five home runs and 18 runs batted in. She was an all-conference and All-Great Lakes Region selection in 2011.
Murray, who earned all-region honors in 2010, hit .358 with a pair of homers and a team-high 29 RBIs. Murray also posted a 6-9 record and 4.38 earned run average. She struck out 52 and walked only 18.
Perish is the lone senior on the squad and is half, along with Murray, of Lawrence’s 1-2 pitching punch. She went 6-6 last season with a 4.17 ERA while hitting .354 with 18 RBIs.
“It’s important for those three to step up, but to be honest, if we’re going to take the next step, everyone has to step up,” said Tatro, who is nine wins shy of 300 for her career.
The rest of the Vikings are relatively young but already have significant experience. Lawrence will likely have four sophomore starters in shortstop Cory Paquette, third baseman Alissa Geipel, outfielder/first baseman Mary Diduch and catcher Alex Chiodo, and another sophomore, Brielle Bartes, also will challenge for a starting spot.
“They have a different level of confidence than a lot of sophomores might because they got a lot of time as freshman,” Tatro said. “It’s one thing to practice as a freshman, it’s another thing to have game experience. Hopefully that will show in our play.”
Geipel hit .318 a season ago with a homer and 16 RBIs, and she had the top fielding percentage among the starting infielders. Paquette hit .250 last season but is now focused solely on playing shortstop after seeing some time on the mound last season.
Tatro calls Diduch “the most improved player from last year,” and Chiodo started every game as a freshman. Bartes hit .268 as a freshman and showed some pop with a homer and seven RBIs in only 41 at-bats.
A trio of freshman, Appleton native Coley LaChance, Kara Vance and Liz Barthels, also have an opportunity to see serious playing time.
“It will be one of those things where we will have a couple of different combinations of lineups depending on what’s working for us,” Tatro said.
Lawrence will play some tough squads in Florida, including UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater, but it affords the Vikings a chance to sort out some things.
“It’s a good opportunity for everyone on the team to establish themselves, find their roles on the team,” Tatro said. “If you’re hitting, we have to find a spot for you on defense.”
Traveling time
In addition to the softball team heading to Florida for a week of spring break competition, the Lawrence baseball and men’s and women’s tennis teams also will be in the Sunshine State.
The baseball team has eight varsity games scheduled in Florida, and the tennis teams have 11 matches scheduled.
Whiting facelift
When the Lawrence baseball and softball teams return home, fans will see improvements to Whiting Field.
The softball field has been fully enclosed with new fencing and has outfield warning tracks. The baseball field also has new outfield fencing and outfield warning tracks. The short left field fence, aka the “screen monster,” is now higher in an effort to make it tougher to hit one out to that part of the diamond.
Both the baseball and softball teams have their home openers on April 5. Softball faces Alverno College and baseball entertains Ripon College in the last appearance at Whiting Field by Red Hawks coach Bob Gillespie. He plans to retire at the end of the academic year after 34 years at the college.
Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.