The University of Texas at Arlington thinks her talented freshman class is capable of allowing the team to reload rather than rebuild.
getting to know your pitchers and she has three of them she has to know. It’s a learning curve for all of us.”
“I feel like overall we will be a stronger team this year,” Hedrick said. “I think we have more depth on the mound and more speed. I feel good about this season and I feel good about this team. After seeing these kids perform in the fall, I think we are going to pick up maybe stronger then where we left off last year.”
Hedrick said Forshaw’s strong arm and quickness stood out throughout fall practices.
On days when Lyles pitches, Kelsey Kaiser is the lone returning outfielder. She hit just .204 as a sophomore but did connect for a pair of home runs. The outfield spots are largely up for grabs between Kaiser, Charne Office, sophomore Kallan Thompson, freshmen Ashley McCarroll and Stephanie Gonzalez. McCarroll or Gonzalez will likely get the first opportunity to win the starting job in center field.
The task of replacing Chumchal will likely also fall to a freshman – Rachel Forshaw. Junior Erica LeFlore will also get opportunities to catch.
Cantu finished her senior season with a 32-3 record and an ERA of 0.46 with 346 strikeouts in 215.1 innings pitched. She can also hit, finishing with a .479 average with 12 homers and 48 RBI. Collins maintained a 0.93 ERA while recording 315 strikeouts as a high school senior last year. “I have my ideas of what Callie and Alexis can do after the fall,” Hedrick said. “The key now is finding the right mix as we go into competition. It’s a good problem to have – to be able to find the right combination. All three offer a different style in their pitching. I think that is going to be key because we are going to keep our opponents off-balance. I think we have one of the stronger pitching staffs without seeing some of the other conference opponents.” If the freshmen can come in and contribute immediately and the Mavericks can get similar seasons from Collom and Lyles, UT Arlington should contend for an SLC title again in 2011.
“Erica is a junior but she had to fill the role of third last year,” Hedrick said. “She will also be back behind the plate. Rachel got a lot of games during the fall. I think the key for a freshman catcher is
Alexis Cantu finished her senior season at Wakeland HS leading the area in wins, home runs, and RBI’s.
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2011 UT Arlington Softball
“Kelsey did a great job for us last year defensively and she made some good things happen offensively,” Hedrick said. “Charne Office is returning as well and she has a strong opportunity this year to get some outfield time. Stephanie Gonzalez is a talented athlete and I think right now it’s going to be her or Ashley McCarroll working for a center field spot.”
The pitching staff must adapt to a pair of newcomers. Alexis Cantu and Callie Collins will try to collectively fill the void Hulme left in the pitching circle. Both freshmen were stars in high school.
Callie Collins was selected to the Texas Sports Writer Association AllState Team after finishing her senior season with a 0.93 ERA and 315 strikeouts.
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