Strong Nucleus Returns for IWU Softball Team

March 15, 2007
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Fifteen letterwinners return for the 2007 version of the Illinois Wesleyan softball team, which opens its season in Florida on Sunday, March 18.
The Titans (32-12 in 2006) open vs. Endicott at 1 p.m. and play Smith at 5 p.m. at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla., to begin their 10-game spring trip.
The Titans, winners of 30 or more games in six of the last seven years, is No. 16 in the March 8 national Division III coaches’ poll and were tabbed for second in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin poll.
Leading the returning position players for second-year coach Lloyd Hulit are junior second baseman Ashley Deck (Bolingbrook HS) and senior shortstop Molly Coers (Manito, Midwest Central HS).
Deck led the 2006 team with a .413 average and had 11 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 35 runs batted in. Her 59 hits was the third most in an IWU single season.
Coers batted .351 and scored a team-high 38 runs. After three seasons, Coers is No. 12 in IWU history with 134 hits and No. 14 with 86 runs scored.
Junior Alison Winter (Wheaton, Wheaton-Warrenville South HS) and freshman Allison Ward  (Bloomington, Normal Community HS) are in competition for the first base spot while junior Kendahl McIntyre (Dallas, Texas, Bishop Lynch HS), who batted .281 with five doubles and 25 RBI, returns at third base.
Freshman Lisa Narotsky (Willowbrook, Hinsdale South HS) can fill in at shortstop and third base and sophomore Megan Lee (Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove HS) is capable of playing both second base and rightfield.
Returning in leftfield is senior Laura Johnson (Morton HS), who hit .326 with three doubles, 12 RBI and scored 15 times, while junior Kayla Kindred (Bloomington, Normal Community HS) is back in rightfield after batting .339 with a .431 on-base percentage and eight steals.
Centerfield will be staffed by sophomores Natalie Chase (Libertyville HS) and Monica Urban (Wheaton, North HS).
Chase, the team’s “Rookie of the Year”, hit .311 in 25 games with three doubles, 10 RBI and scored 15 runs. Urban led the team with 19 stolen bases and was second with a .404 batting average. She had 38 hits and scored 22 runs.
Senior Stephanie Gockley (Lisle HS), a .300 hitter with seven doubles and 20 RBI last spring, is the incumbent as designated hitter.
Junior Kelly Nelson (Palos Heights, Stagg HS) returns with the most catching experience after hitting .367 with 17 RBI in 23 games in 2006. Junior Katie Dobry (Elmhurst, Willowbrook HS) and freshman Kelli Flahaven (Streator HS) are also catchers.
Senior pitcher Lauren Hyland (Evergreen Park HS), who was 16-9 last spring, leads the starting pitchers. She ranks No. 3 in career strikeouts at the school with 237 and is within reach of all-time leader Jennie Siron, who fanned 363 from 1993-96. In 158 innings last spring, Hyland struck out 145, which is second in an IWU season to Siron’s 154 in 1994.
Sophomore Val Hackett (New Lenox, Lincoln-Way Central HS) was 6-2 and struck out 44 in 50 innings last year while other pitching prospects include Winter, freshman Christy Engel (St. Charles, North HS) and sophomore Kara Krause (Cullom, Tri-Point HS).
The Titans’ first home date is a doubleheader against DePauw on April 3 at 4 p.m. and IWU will host No. 3-ranked Washington U. and No. 21 Hope during their tournament April 13-15.

Go Here for 2007 Roster

Go Here for 2007 Schedule