SEASON PREVIEW

Earlier this week, senior Ally Ogden and several of her Muhlenberg softball teammates drove past their new home field, which was built last summer. Even though Cedarcreek Field was covered with snow, the players tried to imagine what it would look like when the Mules got to play on it.

What did they see? Probably a team winning games, having fun and

In addition to going 6-3 with a save last year, Washburn also hit .474.

contending for its fourth Centennial Conference championship in six years.

Before returning home to the snow, Muhlenberg opens its season at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., next week. The Mules are scheduled to play 10 games in six days against some tough competition, including four teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year.

“The energy we have going into the season is really great,” said Ogden. “We are always excited to go to Florida, but there’s something extra this year. I think it’s because we have a new team.”

The team isn’t entirely new, but it will feature many new faces in more prominent roles. The Mules lost four all-conference players, whose names appear all over the ’Berg record book, to graduation.

“We’ve had players waiting in the wings to step up, and this is their opportunity,” explained Ogden. “I think they’ll have no problem. We have the talent to fill in those spots.”

Muhlenberg certainly returns talent on the mound, where three pitchers return from a staff that compiled a 1.94 ERA and hurled seven shutouts in last year’s 21-12 campaign. Ogden, junior Kristina Cartolano and sophomore Nicole Washburn combined for 13 of the wins, and each pitched a complete-game shutout. With the addition of a newcomer, the Mules have four pitchers, one from each class year and all with a different assortment of pitches, who should complement each other very well.

Around the infield, the team is bolstered by the return of fifth-year senior Becki Toth at shortstop. A three-time All-CC first-team selection who needs 24 hits to become the program’s all-time leader, Toth hit .379 last year and will bring considerable experience to the young squad.

Junior Missy DeFrain is back at first base after a breakout 2004 season in which she hit .330 and drove in 18 runs to earn All-CC second-team honors. Sophomore Katie Olson, who hit .296 in 27 at-bats, will start at second, while sophomore Tina Roth and junior Andrea Cohen will share time at third base. Roth was fourth on the team with 14 RBI as a freshman.

Junior leftfielder Lindsay Ruhling is the lone returning full-time starter in the outfield. Senior Kadie Serfass, who is sharing captain duties with Ogden, and junior Sarah Shipman will compete for starting jobs along with speedy sophomore Hilary Marinchak, whose freshman season was cut short by injury.

Junior Tara DeMarzo, a .286 hitter a year ago, takes over as the starting catcher after splitting time for two seasons. She will be backed up by Cohen and sophomore Stephanie Longworth.

“It’s appropriate that we have a new field,” concluded Ogden. “This season is going to be different – in a good way.”