Published: March 26, 2008 11:22 pm         

Mounties’ softball coach brings dose of optimism

CRESSON — New Mount Aloysius coach Carl Teeter thinks his current crop of players will put the school’s softball team on the map.

Teeter, no stranger to woman’s fast-pitch softball, has been the coach for the Tri-County Thunder, a junior Olympic travel team, for the past six years. Mount Aloysius is Teeter’s first collegiate coaching job.

“The key to this team is our defense,” Teeter said. “In the outfield we have speed, great gloves and arms. Not too many balls will get past these girls. I think we have one of the best benches, too. When they are put into a game they produce.

“This team does not care who gets the credit as long as we do well.”

Thirteen of the Mounties’ 18 players are freshman and at least six are in the starting rotation for Mount Aloysius.

In the infield, either freshman Cortney Leister or senior Liz Hubel will be at first base with sophomore Brittany Aurand at second and freshman Jena Isenberg at shortstop. Junior April Trexel, a former North Star standout, is at third.

“Up the middle we are very strong,” Teeter said. “Jena and Brittany really read each other well and both have fantastic arms.”

Junior Amanda Rose of Bedford is in left field, freshman Andie O’Neal of Chestnut Ridge is in center and freshman Becka Kuhar is in right.

Freshman Whitney Giedroc will handle the catching duties and freshman Jess Walters will be the top pitcher for the Mounties.

“Jess is very consistent and knows how to change speeds very well,” Teeter said. “And I love when a team tries to run on Whitney. It just doesn’t happen.”

This past week Mount Aloysius played in Myrtle Beach, S.C. in the Snowbird Tournament, going 6-4.

“Two of the losses were against Division II powerhouses Wisconsin-Plattsville, with a 7-5 loss, and Shawnee State, a 7-2 loss,” Teeter said. “One bad inning in each game or the results would have been different. We had bases loaded three times against Wisconsin and just could not get the runs across the plate.”

The highlight of the tournament was a come-from-behind, eight-inning win against Mitchell College. Trailing 4-1 with two outs, the Mounties scored four runs for a 5-4 victory on Trexel’s two-out double. Duke pitched eight strong innings to record the win.

Isenberg led the offense for the tournament, going 14-of-34 with four home runs, including a grand slam against Baptist Bible College and a walk-off homer against Hilbert College in four innings. Walters picked up four wins and Ashley Duke had two victories.

“O’Neal, Kuhar and Rose made some outstanding plays in the outfield along with Heather Licastro,” Teeter said. “And we turned six double plays in the tournament and had six home runs.”

Assisting Teeter will be first base coach Rick Bicko, also a Thunder coach, along with Michelle Ross and Neal Hammonds.

     

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