Maroons Skid By Bridgewater in ODAC Preseason Predictions
SALEM, Va. --- Sometimes they get it right...
sometimes they don't. Predicting what happens before a season
starts is a tough duty for anyone, let alone those closest to the
teams. But for the last three years, the annual survey of the
Old Dominion Athletic Conference's (ODAC) softball coaches has been
proven true by year's end.
Roanoke College, winners of the past three ODAC softball
championship tournaments, looks to ensure the coaches' predictions
for a fourth straight year as it was picked atop the 2007 ODAC
Softball Preseason Poll. The Maroons were tabbed with 84
total votes including five first place nods as they open the season
looking for their eighth overall league crown. Bridgewater
College was voted second, chipping at Roanoke's heels with 82
overall tallies with three top marks. Lynchburg College
rounded out the top three with 74 votes, and Eastern Mennonite
University garnered a fourth spot with 59 votes and the remaining
first place ballot.
In last year's conference tournament, Roanoke made it through the
bracket in three games, besting Lynchburg 4-3 thanks to a go-ahead
RBI single in the top of the ninth by tournament Most Outstanding
Player, Ashley Pierce.
The Maroons welcome back all three of their 2006 All-ODAC first
team selections in infielder Loren Messick, pitcher Lyndsi Craig,
and shortstop Tamara Poles. Messick kept the offense on the
move, batting .377 with 30 runs batted in and 15 sacrifice
hits. Craig led the league in victories with a 19-3 record to
go with a 1.64 earn run average. She struck out 132 batters
in 123.2 innings pitched, and boasted a .175 opponents' batting
percentage. Poles hit .369 with four homers, 10 stolen bases,
and 20 free passes.
Bridgewater returns 2006 Rookie of the Year, Kaitlyn Bowman, as
well as fellow All-ODAC first teamers, third baseman Lindsay Ware
and catcher Laura Barry. Bowman, an outfielder, batted .521
(73-for-140) with 11 dingers, 66 RBI and a lofty .864 slugging
percentage. Ware was second on the squad with a .458 batting
average, but led the team in doubles with 17. Barry batted at
a .415 clip with 11 doubles.
Lynchburg returns two of its three All-ODAC first team selections
in catcher Kirstin Swank and 2006 Player of the Year, Caroline
Cubbage. Swank batted .353 with seven homers, just as many
doubles, and a solid .706 slugging percentage. Cubbage, who
batted at a .489 clip, showed off excellent power numbers evidenced
by a 1.000 slugging percentage. She hammered 17 dingers, 16
doubles, and 57 runs batted in. She also stole nine bases in
10 attempts.
For a look at the rest of the 2007 ODAC Softball Preseason Poll,
view the list below or visit the ODAC on the web at
www.odaconline.com.
2007 ODAC Preseason Softball Poll
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
School |
Votes |
1. Roanoke |
84 (5) |
2. Bridgewater |
82 (3) |
3. Lynchburg |
74 |
4. Eastern Mennonite |
59 (1) |
5. Virginia Wesleyan |
55 |
6. Emory & Henry |
47 |
7. Randolph-Macon |
36 |
8. Guilford |
26 |
9. Sweet Briar |
22 |
10. R-M Woman's |
10 |
* Nine ballots cast due to newly filled vacancy in one coaching position