Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Outlook: Season Starts Friday for Softball
2/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
East Lansing, Mich. -- The 2014 Michigan State softball season was a strong case of Murphy's Law: if something could find a way to go wrong, it did. Injuries wreaked havoc on the Spartan lineup, as just two players started each of MSU's 49 games -with the pitching staff particularly feeling the effects of limited reprieve.
The silver lining, of course, is that the baptism by fire of MSU's talented now-sophomore class, combined with veteran leadership as well as some talented newcomers, leads to a considerable amount of optimism as the Spartans prepare to start the 2015 season at the Stetson Leadoff Classic on Friday. The Spartans return 12 letterwinners from the 2014 team, get two other players back to active duty after missing all or a majority of the season with injury, and valuable experience in each area of the game.
"I'm very optimistic for the upcoming season," says head coach Jacquie Joseph. "I think we began this year with our minds right - we started in August with team-building, and have had a strong, but pretty short, preseason. I know that our players are ready to start playing some outside competition, and we're really enthusiastic as we head into our opener this weekend."
PITCHING STAFF
The pitching staff was area most decimated by injury last season, MSU lost redshirt sophomore and Elk Grove Village, Ill. native Dani Goranson (who threw more than 100 innings in 2013 as a freshman) before the year even began, and redshirt freshman Kristina Zalewski (Ann Arbor, Mich.) tossed just 33 innings before being sidelined with injury before the first game of the Big Ten season. Sophomore Valerie Kaff (Mesa, Ariz.) stepped in to toss more than 140 innings in 30 games as a true freshman. Kaff will get some help with the return of Goranson and Zalewski to the fold, and the addition of freshman Bridgette Rainey (Acworth, Georgia) gives MSU another option. Rainey comes to MSU after a 2013 ASA National Championship, and was an All-State selection in high school.
INFIELD
MSU's infield was the most steady of any positions on the field last season, as the only two players to start all 49 games were the middle infield duo of juniors - shortstop Destinee Luna (Surprise, Ariz.) and second baseman Jacquie Reiser (Mahopac, NY). At the corners, sure-handed first baseman McKinzie Freimuth (Combined Lakes, Wis.) enters her senior season with 146 career games under her belt. She's led the team in fielding percentage the last two seasons, hitting .238 as a junior and adding a pair of doubles and two triples. At third, sophomore Sarah Gutknecht (Farmington Hills, Mich.) earned the starting role last season as she put together not only a strong defensive performance, but also led the team in hitting (.291), hits (41), homers (six) and RBI (25). Shanin Thomas (Whittier, Calif.) can play several of the infield positions, and hit .183 as a sophomore. Behind the plate, sophomore Lindsey Besson returns to the fold after suffering a season-ending injury last April which forced her to miss a good bulk of fall ball as well - but a healthy Besson hit .270 (good for second on the team), with 27 hits and nine RBI, before her injury.
Added to the mix is high school All-American and five-time Firework Tournament All-Star selection McKenzie Long (Los Osos, Calif.), who can play either middle infield position. Jordan Davis (Glenview, Ill.) also comes aboard to provide some depth behind the plate.
OUTFIELD
MSU returns three seniors - Alyssa McBride (Mattawan, Mich), Stephanie Sanders (Lima, Ohio) and Ellie Stoffer (Chelsea, Mich) - and a sophomore in Kassidy Kujawa (Tampa, Florida). MSU adds a pair of talented in-state freshmen: Lea Foerster (Portage, Mich.) and Sidney Heath (Troy, Mich.) who expect to compete for time as well. McBride started 46 games in center a year ago, putting up a .184 batting average while leading the team in walks (20). Slugger Sanders hit .230 despite some injury limitations, contributing 20 hits - which included three triples and a home run. She was particularly effective when called on from the bench - she hit.583 as a pinch hitter, (7-for-12) with 10 RBI Stoffer played in the outfield and filled in behind the plate when a season-ending injury to Besson pulled her into service. Kujawa adds a big bat to the lineup - she was among team leaders in almost all offensive categories, starting 45 games in left with a .250 batting average, 13 RBI, and eight doubles.
SCHEDULE
Non-conference games against schools from 17 different conferences (including six NCAA Tournament teams and eight conference champions) in addition to an always-challenging Conference schedule comprises Michigan State's 2015 schedule. The Spartans play their first 27 contests in the southeast and California before starting their Big Ten season in late March, opening league play at Nebraska. MSU has 20 home games on the slate, including six of seven non-conference games at Secchia Stadium in addition to 14 Big Ten contests on its home field.
