Softball and Baseball Teams Hope to Reach Playoffs

By Ryan Sanders and Justin Vera, (Whetstone Staff Writers)

Softball

The Wesley College Softball team is looking to build on the best record in program history. Although the team finished with a 23-12 record last season, its 4-10 conference record kept them out of the playoffs.

Coach Juli Greep enters with higher expectations.

“We are returning basically all of our starters,” she said. “We are upperclassmen heavy now. They are gritty and continuing to develop as players,”

Those upperclassmen include five captains, Morgan Seymour, Kayla Fromal, Breanna Hartman, Nina Marcano and Lindsay Siok, all of whom Greep is going to rely on to step up big and help push the team to the playoffs in 2016.

“They have done a great job at keeping things positive,” she said. “That will allow us to push this thing forward.”

The team lost two seniors from 2015, which means a solid core group of starters will return to DuPont Softball Field.

Junior pitcher Lily Engel said everyone has done her part to return even better in 2016.

“We have definitely made a name for ourselves and plan to get better and stronger,” she said. “The freshmen have also done a great job with keeping up with the returners and working hard.”

Greep is excited about her freshmen players.

“This might be the strongest freshman class we have ever had,” she said. “They are really good. They all have the potential to be big time players now and in the future.”

Conference play will be the key to the Wolverines making the Capital Athletic Conference in 2016.

After starting last year’s season 16-1, the Wolverines finished 7-12 in the last 19 games posting a 4-10 conference record.

Teams like national powerhouse Salisbury and Christopher Newport stood in their way.

“We started out really well and then we had one bad weekend which we shouldn’t have had,” Greep said. “We went down to Salisbury and left there feeling really good, but the following weekend we hit a rough patch and knocked us off kilter a bit.”

Showing up every day and doing the hard work necessary to win is what will lead the team to the playoffs, said Morgan Seymour.

“It will be a matter of fighting and finishing each inning,” she said. “There are some key games that we will have to win in order to clench a spot in the playoffs. We have set and will work towards everyday, our main focus is to approach each game as it comes, both conference and non-conference.”

Kayla Fromal said she was looking forward to Florida where the Wolverines will play eight games over spring break.

“We are taking the train from Washington D.C. to Florida,” she said. “The nice weather is always a great change from the cold winter.”

The Wolverines look to start the 2016 season on a high note when they take on Albright College, Feb. 27.

Baseball

The goal for Men’s Baseball season is simple: eliminate inconsistent play and get into the Capital Athletic Conference playoffs.

After finishing the year 12-19 (8-10 in conference play), the Wolverines are looking for consistency.

“We’re not satisfied with just barely making it in with inconsistent play,” said senior outfielder KeAndre Jones.

The Wolverines will have to go forward without two of their best hitters from last year.

The team will have to find offensive production from other players after losing senior Tyler Hunter and senior Matt Domian. Hunter (.368) and Domain (.373) led the team in hitting.

Senior Joe Hummel is confident the team is ready for its opening game Feb. 19 when they visit Hampden-Sydney on the road at the Floyd. B Wilcox Memorial Tournament.

“We are all chomping at the bit to get out there and play a game,” he said. “We have been lucky to get to go outside and practice but we’re ready to roll.”

That attitude is what Cody Dmiterchik believes will help them to the playoffs.

“It isn’t just nine guys on the field that are going help us get into the playoffs,” he said. “Everyone from the head coach to the last guy on the bench. We just have to work hard everyday and we will be successful.”

Jones and Collin Miller said the team has made improvements in the off-season.

“The team improved on togetherness,” Miller said. “Just getting used to each other and staying on the same page.”

“Maturity was built in the off-season,” Jones said.

Coach Bret Underwood said there are still things the team needs to work on.

“We need to execute the little things better” he said. “Advancing on a ball in the dirt, moving a runner over, working ahead in counts.”

He said he expects a great season.

“We have a great mix of returners and new players that are ready to contribute immediately,” he said.  “Wesley’s goal every year is to reach the conference tournament and win.”

Jones and Miller both said Underwood is a great motivator.

“I try and stay positive with our guys,” Underwood said. “Even when it feels like we can’t catch one break, to keep reminding them that the things we practice on a daily basis, if executed, will help us succeed”

To reach the playoffs, pitcher Connor Springsteen and company will need to grab results against national powerhouse Frostburg State, ranked tenth in the nation by d3baseball.com.

“We visited Frostburg State and had them a couple of times last year in the playoffs, but could not win,” Miller said.

Springsteen said they play Salisbury at their home field this season.

“We always give Salisbury a run for their money, now its time for us to take it.”