Softball: Belles play hard, but can't make the grade
By KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
It wasn't a question of solid pitching or getting hits. The Saint Mary's softball team just couldn't put the two together to bring home enough wins to put the team over .500 this season.
The Belles finished in the same seventh place spot they finished last season in the MIAA, with a league record of 4-10 and an overall record of 14-19. Despite the losing record, senior Cindy Traub was happy with the team's performance.
"I think that our season, although people may not see it as a success with our wins and losses, was a success because of the way we were able to deal with adversity on and off the field," she said.
The team fell under the leadership of first-year head coach John Kovach, who served as an assistant coach last season. Kovach replaced last season's head coach, Joe Speybroeck, after he left the team shortly before the season started.
Senior Anne Senger led the team's pitching effort along with help from junior Kristin Martin. Senger, who pitched 41 innings on the season, finished up her senior year with an ERA of 4.43 and a record of 1-5. Freshman Libby Wilhelm rounded off Saint Mary's pitching with a 1.88 ERA after 26 innings of work.
"Overall, I was pretty pleased with pitching this year," Kovach said.
Sophomore catcher Susan Kutz led the Belles' hitting charge, racking up 10 RBIs, six doubles and one homerun. Her .444 batting average was enough to get her named to second team All-MIAA.
The highlight of the season came in the form of a 2-0 weekend sweep of the Knights of Calvin College in mid-April. Martin pitched a shutout during the first game, giving the Belles their biggest winning margin of the season at eight.
With Senger on the mound it was a close night cap, but Saint Mary's pulled out on top 13-12, tripling the number of wins it had taken in the MIAA up to that point.
The hits fell for the Belles during the doubleheader, as leading sluggers Rachel Deer and Kutz stole their way into home.
"We had our hitting shoes on today," said Kovach of his team's strong hitting performance.
Four MIAA wins were not enough to boost the Belles into an MIAA playoff spot and the team ended its season with a disappointing loss to Goshen College in a doubleheader.
All Sports Stories for Friday, May 18, 2001
