Returning talent, pitching depth give Simpson high hopes for 2010

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Returning eight starters from last year's 26-17 squad and boasting a deep pitching staff, the Simpson softball team and 15th-year head coach Henry Christowski enter the 2010 season primed to compete for the program's fifth Iowa Conference championship.

Included in the eight starters returning are senior all-conference performers Kelsie Host and Kortney Proctor. Simpson also returns ace pitcher Whitney Oviatt, a 3rd Team All-Midwest Region pick each of the last two seasons.

A year ago, Simpson raced out to a 21-7 record entering the month of April. But the team endured an eight-game losing skid before finishing fifth in the Iowa Conference (7-8).

With a bulk of the lineup remaining in-tact and the addition of key newcomers, Christowski feels this year's team will be in the mix in April and May.

Pitchers
Whitney Oviatt (Carnation, Wash./Cedarcrest) handled the bulk of the pitching duties a year ago, going 17-11 with a 1.72 ERA and 184 strikeouts. The senior fire-baller figures to log a majority of the innings again this season, but should see a decrease in the 204 innings she logged a year ago thanks to the emergence of junior Brynn Johnson (Laurens, Iowa/Laurens-Marathon).

"Johnson had a slow start due to a hip injury last year, causing Whitney to bear most of the load," Christowski said. "This year we look forward to getting a lot more innings out of Brynn, which will take some of the pressure off Whitney."

In addition to Oviatt and Johnson, Christowski is optimistic about the abilities of freshmen Kacey Arey (Lucas, Iowa/SE Warren) and Jessica Toyne (Bellevue, Neb./East).

"Successful pitchers can throw off the timing of hitters," Christowski said. "But if you have a number of pitchers who throw the ball at different speeds and hit different spots, it gives the batter a different look and you're ahead of the game. This year we have four pitchers who have a chance to see quality time."

Catchers
On the receiving end of the battery is junior Allie Hock (Lawrence, Kan./Free State). Hock has handled the catching duties for the last two seasons, watching her run production double from her first to her second year. She led the team with 24 RBIs a year ago. Sophomore Rebecca Bean (Arlington, Wash./Lakewood) has experience as a catcher and may spell Hock on occasion.

Infielders
Simpson's infield remains largely in-tact from a year ago. The only void comes from the departure of Carlye Owens at first base. The leading candidates to fill the position are freshmen Tieryn Potratz (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) and Rachel Logan (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk).

An All-Iowa Conference Second Team pick in 2009, Kortney Proctor (Wilton, Iowa/Wilton) retains her spot at second base after a breakout season a year ago. In her first full season as a starter, Proctor tied for the team lead with three home runs, adding seven doubles while hitting .275.

After a productive freshman campaign, Keri Sorensen (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) returns as the Storm's shortstop in 2010. She hit .302 a year ago with a home run and 14 RBIs.

The hot corner will be occupied by senior Jessica Barkley (Mitchellville, Iowa/SE Polk). After seeing time at third and in the outfield last season, Barkley assumes full-time duties at third base after driving in 21 runs and slugging three long balls in 2009. Arey and Toyne could also see time at third.

Sophomore Carissa Coopman (Davenport, Iowa/North) and junior Kiersten Ruff (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Thomas Jefferson) along with freshmen Robyn Garing (Nordland, Wash./Chimacum) and Emily Taira (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) will vie for time at the varsity level.

Outfield
Patrolling left field at the Simpson Softball Complex is one of the top outfielders in the league, Kelsie Host (Altoona, Iowa/SE Polk). A two-time All-Iowa Conference First Team selection and 2008 First Team All-American, Host has led Simpson in hitting each of the last two seasons. Last year she pace the team with a .365 average.

Already the Storm's career leader in triples (15), Host enters the season on pace to enter the top-5 in school history in hits (115), runs (75) and total bases (167). If she can maintain her career batting average of .398, she will end her career No. 1 in the category.

Senior Kelsey Castenson (Harcourt, Iowa/SE Webster) returns to her position as the starting centerfielder, a spot she has held the past two seasons. Battling injuries a year ago, Castenson still started 35 games while hitting two homers and driving in nine runs.

A pair of program veterans in junior Amanda Enochs (Des Moines, Iowa/East) and sophomore Veronica Roshek (Urbandale, Iowa/Johnston) will vie for the duties in right field. Both saw significant playing time last year, with Roshek appearing in 30 games as the designated hitter. The left-handed slap-hitter finished the year second on the team in batting average (.306) and on-base percentage (.421). Another slap-hitting lefty, Enochs appeared in 22 games in the outfield. She hit .253 with a team-high six stolen bases.

Sophomore transfer Ashley Rogers (Altoona, Iowa/SE Polk) will battle for time along with freshmen Leslie Downing (Swan, Iowa/Pleastantivlle), Charlie Sandvick (Marengo, Iowa/Iowa Valley) and Rachel Van Dusseldorp (Pella, Iowa/Pella).

Schedule
Year in and year out, Simpson plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation – and 2010 is no different. Simpson faces nine teams that made the NCAA Championship last year, seven teams ranked in the preseason NFCA Division III Top 25 poll and the second and third-place finishers in last year's national tournament.

"I've always tried to schedule the best teams I possibly could," Christowski said. "If we can play with these teams at the beginning of the season, I feel like we can play with them at the end of the season when it counts."

Some of Simpson's toughest competition comes from within the Iowa Conference. Four of the conference's nine teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament a year ago (Central, Coe, Luther and Wartburg), with Coe finishing second in the tournament.

Simpson begins the season Feb. 27-28 at the Finlandia Dome Tournament and also makes a trip to the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., March 11-17. The first scheduled home date of the season is a doubleheader with Wisconsin-Eau Claire March 28.