“We’re going to have a remarkable season.”
What may seem like a rather bold prediction for the Virginia softball team after suffering through a 15-39 season in 2008 is justifiable optimism in the eyes of senior captain and second baseman Casey Steffan.
“We’re coming together stronger than ever, with contributions from top to bottom,” Steffan said. “The coaching staff is really coming together, and that’s had an effect on the rest of the team.”
It helps that second-year coach Eileen Schmidt has experience helping teams find their form after down seasons.
“I’ve had other jobs; I was rebuilding at all those schools,” Schmidt said. “It’s more about learning personnel and finding what holes we have and continue to have. This is a balanced school, with very large personalities. We just need to figure out how to fit them in the right place.”
Aside from the difficult task of meshing the team’s various personalities, Schmidt also must find a way to end the team’s offensive and defensive struggles that precipitated a 6-15, last-place finish in conference play last year. The Cavaliers lacked depth at pitching and posted an ACC-worst 4.98 earned run average, more than a full run worse than the next highest average.
Fifth-year senior pitcher Karla Wilburn, however, is hopeful that with more experience and versatility, the pitching staff will be more effective this spring. Wilburn said she believes her experience will help the younger pitchers grow.
“As a whole, the pitching staff is much more well-rounded,” Wilburn said. “Some of the other pitchers are younger, so being here for five years will help.”
Wilburn’s nine wins in 2008 accounted for more than half of the team’s total victories, suggesting too great of a reliance on her production. She expects the rest of the staff to contribute more this year, though.
“It’s going to be much different this year because we have a bigger staff, and everyone has a different style,” she said.
In addition to a rejuvenated pitching staff, the Cavaliers hope to strengthen their offense through steadiness at the plate.
“Offensively, we are a lot more consistent,” Steffan said. “Consistency with our swing and approach at the plate ... should lead to more power production.”
Consistency and patience at the plate will be crucial for Virginia, as the team ranked last in the ACC in runs scored per game with only 3.19 runs, runs batted in per game with 2.67 and at bats per game last season. If Virginia cannot create more productive at bats, the team will lose opportunities to put runners on base and drive in runs.
With the lowest ACC fielding percentage last year, Virginia also hopes to address its defensive deficiencies. Steffan said she believes the addition of freshman Giannina Cipolloni in centerfield and freshman Clara Kendall at shortstop will help improve the defense.
“To have freshmen at control positions like shortstop and centerfield may be viewed as a weakness, but they are so strong and will make a huge difference,” Steffan said.
Virginia will take the field Saturday against Middle Tennessee at the Pirate Invitational in Greenville, N.C. and will begin its home schedule Feb. 28 against George Washington. It remains to be seen whether the team’s off-season efforts to overcome last season’s troubles will translate into success on the diamond this spring, but Schmidt said she is confident.
“We’re going in the right direction — the commitment is where it needs to be.”
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