Season Preview
new coach, new hopes for softball

Softball has been an important part of RiRi Ferrigno’s life ever since she first starting playing as a young girl. And now, as a college senior, it’s all around her.

Ferrigno has a work study job in the Muhlenberg athletic office, and every time she comes to work she sees one of her teammates in the Life Sports Center, taking swings

Behind the plate, Ferrigno committed only two errors in 176 chances last year.

in the field house, working on conditioning or lifting weights.

It’s not because the Mules have a lot of players – in fact, their 14-person roster is relatively small – but because of their enthusiasm for the 2009 season, which opens at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., on Sunday.

And, oh yeah, when Ferrigno sits down for her job, the chair next to her is occupied by new head coach Roni Rivera, who doubles as the department secretary.

“It’s weird,” Ferrigno admitted. “It was a little hard to get used to. There’s me in the office, and there’s me at practice.”

The “me at practice” is the one who earned first-team All-Centennial Conference honors as a catcher last year. Ferrigno batted .311, belted two home runs and drove in a team-leading 20 runs. Ferrigno will enter her senior season needing 20 more RBI to break the school’s career record.

Samantha Crist is the only other senior on the team. A three-year starter and .283 career hitter, she led Muhlenberg in runs scored (18), stolen bases (5), walks (12) and sacrifices (6) last year.

Crist, who started in left field last year, may see time at second base in addition to the outfield and is one of many

Crist leads all active Mules in career runs scored (52) and stolen bases (15).

players who will be called on to play multiple positions. That group includes the three juniors on the team - Allie Saltstein, Katie Smithson and Jenna Van Waalwijk - who started at first, second and third, respectively, last year. Saltstein showed considerable improvement over the course of the season, hitting .327 over her final 16 games to finish with a .250 batting average.

Sophomore Jess Kasza, who led the team with a .321 batting average, 34 hits and 9 doubles, moves to shortstop after starting in center as a freshman.

On the mound, the Mules will look to sophomores Ashley Brewer and Alyssa Bruckner, each of whom won two games last year. Brewer pitched a three-hit shutout in her last start and also finished strong at the plate, hitting .309 over the final 17 games.

Sophomore Alyssa Epstein returns as a reserve catcher and outfielder.

Muhlenberg, which is looking to qualify for the CC playoffs for the first time since 2004, also has five newcomers who could contribute – but on a team with a new coach, everyone is like a newcomer.

“When Coach Gibbs announced she was leaving, Sam and I looked at each other and it was like … our last year and we’re getting a new staff,” said Ferrigno. “There were a lot of emotions.”

So far the adjustment, which includes practices that focus on breaking skills down to the fundamentals, has been a positive one.

“Everyone is very excited,” said Ferrigno. “When we got our itineraries the other day, everyone was talking about how much work they have to do, but also how excited they are.”