March 29, 2007
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette will open its Patriot League softball schedule on Saturday at Bucknell in a rematch of the final weekend series last season. Both teams entered with identical 7-9 records in league play, but the Leopards took three of four to claim the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League tournament.
Last season's tournament appearance was the first for the Leopards in six years, and head coach Jeanine Gunther was named Patriot League Coach of the Year. A year later, Gunther feels good about where her team is heading into her second time around the league.
"We have a very competitive league, and last year we saw firsthand how crucial it is to prepare for every game," said Gunther, who guided the Leopards through a schedule that saw the second through fifth-place teams separated by just two games. "We put ourselves in position to make the tournament with our play early in the year, so it's important to get off to a quick start, especially against another team that will be there at the end of the season."
The Leopards have compiled an 8-8 non-conference record entering the weekend, going 5-5 at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., splitting a doubleheader at Penn, and then winning two of four last weekend in a tournament at Rider.
"Our numbers aren't where we want them to be, and they aren't indicative of what we're capable of, particularly offensively, but I still feel pretty good about where we are," said Gunther. "We've done a good job getting and holding early leads, we've come from behind in a couple of games, and we won in extra-innings (2-1 vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay) in Florida, so we have experience in just about every situation."
"I'm especially excited about our senior leadership and the team dynamic we've developed, particularly because of the number of freshmen we're starting. The chemistry of the team has really come together, and everybody has contributed with different players coming through in the clutch each game. That's really going to help us as we start playing league games," Gunther said.
The early performance of the pitching staff has been one of the bright spots for the Leopards, which rank third in the league with a 3.59 earned run average. Senior Megan Averbuch (3-3, 2.96 ERA) brings experience to the circle with 70 career starts and 50 complete games. She is joined by freshmen Aimee Dassner (2-1, 2.75) and Kasey Karr (3-4, 4.88). Karr has appeared in 10 games, making seven starts, while Dassner has made five of her six appearances out of the bullpen. Both of the freshmen also have one save under their belt this season.
"Megan has been very consistent and is on track to have her best year at Lafayette," Gunther said. "Aimee is very effective in relief as a left-handed, off-speed pitcher and gives a different look after they've seen Megan or Kasey. She's shown tremendous composure and isn't rattled very easily. Kasey has thrown very well against good lineups in Villanova and Penn, and knows she has to continue to mix things up as she adjusts to pitching at this level."
The Leopards' offensive production starts with sophomore outfielder Robyn Matchett, who has been the leadoff hitter in each of the first 16 games. Matchett is hitting .278 and has a .361 on-base percentage, significant improvements over her numbers as a freshman. She also leads the Patriot League with five stolen bases, and is far and away the leader with .88 runs scored per game (14 runs in 16 games).
"Robyn has worked very hard at being more selective at the plate and knowing when to bunt, hit away and slap hit and use her speed," Gunther said. "She's also done a great job adjusting within at bats and going deep in the count, which is what you want in your leadoff hitter. When she gets on base, she's always a threat because of her speed."
The rest of the order has benefited from Matchett's ability to get on base, particularly the middle infield of senior second baseman Jill Masterton and freshman shortstop Christina Giambrone.
A first team All-Patriot League selection as a junior, Masterton ranks in the career top 10 in school history in seven offensive categories, including a tie for second with 143 hits. She leads Lafayette with a .333 batting average this year, which includes an exceptional six-game stretch at the plate last week in which she hit .409 and had her first two home runs of the season. Masterton posted two hits in each of the four games at the Rider Tournament, and was also error-free in 38 chances in the field.
Giambrone has made a seamless transition to college softball as a freshman, earning Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors in her first full week in the league. She is second in the league in on-base percentage (.491), on the strength of a .325 batting average and 12 walks through the first 16 games. Giambrone is also third in the league with a .550 slugging percentage and has six doubles, a home run and 11 runs batted in.
"Jill and Christina have been outstanding for us in the middle of the field and in the middle of the order," Gunther said. "Jill is a special player, and I thought Christina had the potential to be special as well since she is so composed at the plate for such a young player. She finds her pitch and knows herself as a hitter, which is why she draws so many walks. We started her at catcher but she's made a quick adjustment to shortstop and her energy has made a big difference in the infield."
Lafayette and Bucknell will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., and another two-game set on Sunday beginning at noon. The Leopards will play their second Patriot League series at Lehigh on April 7-8 before finally getting their home schedule underway the following week.
