GNAC Softball Preview (PDF)
2012 CWU Softball Roster
2012 CWU Softball Schedule

SPOKANE (Jan. 30) -- The Central Washington University softball team, which has won the past two Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships and has qualified for each of the past two NCAA Division II Softball Championship tournaments, has been picked to finish second in the GNAC softball race in 2012, the conference office announced Monday.

The Wildcats received two first-place votes in the poll and finished just behind Montana State University Billings in the ranking, which is voted upon by the seven conference coaches. MSUB received three first-place votes, while Western Washington University also received two first-place votes and was ranked third in the poll. Simon Fraser University, Northwest Nazarene University, Western Oregon University, and Saint Martin's University rounded out the ranking.

"Our number two ranking in the poll is great for us," explained second-year CWU head coach Mallory Holtman. "Even though we lost two All-Americans, we're still ranked high. (Opponents) are not expecting us to be the same team we were last year because of who we lost, but I think we could actually be a more well-rounded team this year from top to bottom."

Holtman, whose team went 34-16 in her first head coaching season a year ago, will be relying on a different brand of ball offensively in 2012. The Wildcats lost the aforementioned Division II All-Americans, SAMANTHA PETRICH and KELSEY HAUPERT, who combined for 34 home runs and finished one-two in the GNAC batting race at .455 and .451, respectively, to graduation. Also gone are two-time first-team all-conference pitcher LAUREN HADENFELD, who won a combined 48 games the past two seasons, and second-team all-conference outfielder KEILANI CRUZ.

"It is a huge deal to have lost two All-Americans," said Holtman. "But with their success, it perhaps overshadowed how good many of our other players were in helping us to be successful. We didn't make it to the playoffs the past two seasons solely because of three players. Now, our players expect to compete for a conference championship and a playoff berth, and they are working hard to achieve that goal again in 2012."

The Wildcats led the NCAA Division II with 1.46 home runs per game last season, blasting a school- and conference-record 73 round-trippers. Although Haupert, Petrich, and Cruz have all graduated, Central Washington's second-leading home run hitter from 2011 is back in senior infielder Carrina Wagner (Tacoma/Spanaway Lake HS), who returns after a 15-home run campaign. Three other returnees -- junior catcher Elena Carter (Olympia/Black Hills HS) and senior infielders Molly Coppinger (Belfair/North Mason HS) and Liz Jusko (Snohomish) -- had five home runs apiece last season. Coppinger and Jusko are penciled in to occupy the right side of the CWU infield at second and first base, respectively, for the second straight year, while Wagner is slated to play third base, and shortstop will be occupied by either junior Kyleen Sweepe (North Bend/Mount Si HS) or senior Kristina Sherriff (Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck HS).

The element of speed should be more prominent in the Wildcats' offensive arsenal this year with the return of Sweepe, plus outfielders Bre Thomas (Sr., Vancouver/Columbia River HS), Jordan Zurfluh (So., Adna). Zurfluh led the team in stolen bases as a freshman last season, swiping 11 in 14 attempts. The addition of freshman Shelby Yasuda (Woodinville), who's projected to be the starting right fielder when the Wildcats make their 2012 debut on Feb. 10 in Las Vegas, gives CWU three left-handed hitting slap hitters (along with Thomas and Zurfluh). Senior Jen Schwartz (Spokane/Shadle Park HS), Central's regular starter in right field each of the past three seasons, will be making the transition to left field this spring.

Another newcomer expected to be in the lineup immediately is junior catcher Cassi Ellis (East Wenatchee/Eastmont HS), who earned first-team all-Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges honors at Wenatchee Valley College. With her addition, Carter is expected to move into a new role as the team's designated player.

With the loss of Hadenfeld inside the pitching circle, the Wildcats will rely upon sophomore Maria Gau (Woodinville) to take over as the team's pitching ace. Gau posted an 8-5 win-loss record and 4.63 earned-run average in 96 2/3 innings pitched as Central Washington's number two pitcher a year ago. Three-year letter winner Lindy Baxter (Sr., Lacey/River Ridge HS) returns after throwing just 20 1/3 innings last spring, and is expected to fulfill roles both as a spot starter and as a reliever in 2012. True freshman Heidy Wells (Tacoma/Stadium HS), who may also play as a corner infielder, is likely to be the Wildcats' number two starter behind Gau.

Central Washington is scheduled for a minimum of 47 games, including a 36-game conference schedule. Non-conference tournaments in Las Vegas (Feb. 10-12) and Turlock, Calif. (Mar. 30-Apr. 1) complement the GNAC portion of the schedule, which begins with a four-game series at Northwest Nazarene on Feb. 17-18. The Wildcats' home debut is slated for Feb. 25 against Western Oregon.