After closing the 2008 softball season with a second-place finish in the NWAACCs, returning Saints players spent the summer reflecting and prioritizing, patiently awaiting another shot at the NWAACCs title.

Prior to the first practice of the year in September, Head Coach Meadow McWhorter brought the entire team to the diamonds at Delta Park, “the championship field,” to take care of their goal setting. “It was unanimous,” she said. “They all want to be 2009 NWAACCs champions.”

	Christina Hammett/The Advocate Sophomore Lauren Hadenfeld pitches in the championship game of last years NWAACC Championship tournament where the women lsot to Lower Columbia Red Devils in the 9th inning.

According to McWhorter, since their time spent at Delta Park, the sophomores have improved across the board in their respective positions, the freshmen have firmly established themselves as rising stars and the team as a whole has worked toward kicking off their season on a high note. This begins at home Saturday with a doubleheader against the Everett Community College Trojans at 1 p.m.

Of the returning sophomores, pitching aces Lauren Hadenfeld and Brittany McArthur, first baseman Ashley Lokey, shortstop Tasha Maier, outfielder Sarah McGregor and probable third baseman Megan Davis, have all shed major weaknesses and built upon their individual strengths, McWhorter said.

“I’m so impressed with all of the sophomores – just all of their improvement,” McWhorter said. “Lauren (Hadenfeld) and Mickey (McArthur) are both throwing two to three miles per hour harder than last year. Tasha is our ‘Steady Eddie’ at shortstop. She makes more web gems than any kid that has ever played here. She’s really fun to watch and she’ll really be one to watch this year. Third base, where Kathy Cox played last year, is a big position and (Kathy’s) are some big shoes to fill. Megan Davis, who didn’t play much last year as a back-up second baseman, was moved to third and she’s done a phenomenal job there.”

One of the team’s biggest strengths resides in the array of talent they possess in the outfield. “Our outfield could be the best we’ve had in years – the speed, the awareness, the amount of coverage, the arms. The one main difference with the outfield this year, and in the past, is that this year every outfielder is a true outfielder. They weren’t just an infielder that got switched to the outfield. They grew up playing there,” said McWhorter.

Besides the Saints’ crafty pitching, strong hitting and extensive coverage on the field, McWhorter also said the team has great baserunning skills. Four of the Saints can already clear 2.7 seconds from home to first base and seven of the women can clear the span in less than three seconds. “They’re aggressive and smart base runners,” she said.

As far as the freshmen are concerned, McWhorter believes that in the long run, they will be huge assets to the team. “We have a stellar freshman class, and because of this we’re molding into a championship team.”

Filling the roster in the catching position, Ariel Fulkerson shows major promise in the role. “She is one of the best I have ever seen at handling pitchers. To have that kind of experience as a freshman is just huge,” said McWhorter. “I tell the girls that a great catcher has the ability to make a good pitcher great and she has the ability to do that.”

On the pitching mound, freshman Mary Perdew will fill the cleats of former pitcher Ashley Valentine.

“Mary was a standout pitcher at Camas and she has some of the best poise on the mound. Not a lot rattles that kid,” said McWhorter. “She has a great rise-ball, a good curve, and she’s very effective because she’s very consistent. She hits her spots and has great control. She’s a great addition to the pitching staff.”

McWhorter said that overall, with as much talent as this squad is portraying early on, developing a final starting roster will be very difficult. “Last year we had five or six key players – impact players. This year, I will have a hard time creating a starting nine because there is so much depth.”

Following their doubleheader with the Trojans, the Saints will host the Grays Harbor Chokers in a doubleheader Sunday at 11 a.m. With four games in their first weekend, McWhorter is excited to see what the Saints can accomplish. “We’ve been practicing so long now. It will be a good test for us. (Everett and Grays Harbor) are both up-and-coming teams,” she said. “They both looked great in the fall. It will be a good test to see where we’re at and what else we need to work on.”

And according to McWhorter, that first-place NWAACCs trophy will be on the top of their minds the entire season.

“The sophomore leadership we have just amazes me because they understand why we did what we did - why we’ve practiced so hard,” she said. “They’re hungry for a championship.”

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