Hornets softball set to take off

3/27/08

By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor

So far, the only thing that’s been holding back the Lyndon State softball team has been the weather.

The team still has yet to play its first game this season, as last weekend’s games at Mass. Maritime Academy got rained out. But that hasn’t dampened the players’ enthusiasm to get back on the diamond.

“I’ve never seen a team with this much desire to be with each other, and to get out and play,” said senior outfielder Angel Phelps, who enters her second year as a team captain.

“I want to lead by example this year, lead with a positive attitude,” Phelps said, noting that she tends to be a little hard on herself at times. She says that the heart on this year’s team is something that outsiders might not notice about the team.

Phelps is looking forward to playing for one more year under Jen Kirchoff, whom she played with as an underclassman.

“Having her as my coach brings back desires for me to push the team,” Phelps said. “Jen pushed me for sure.”

Kirchoff is also looking forward to watching her team play this year as she enters her first full season as the head coach. She likes the leadership her captains will offer to the team, as well as the players’ dedication.

“We have some good bats and a young team,” Kirchoff said about her squad. “Our fielding is going to be key.”

The Lady Hornets will be led by senior Ashlea Bourdon, who is the top pitcher on the staff, along with sophomore infielder Lauren Potter and senior outfielder Erica Kelleher. But there are some freshmen that Kirchoff says we should pay attention to.

“Mary Gagne is a big hitter. She puts some power behind the ball,” Kirchoff said, also praising the work that freshman infielder/outfielder Natalia Shams has done in practice.

Kirchoff thinks her team has a pretty good chance of contending for the USCAA tournament this year.

“If all our heads are there, we should be there, or pretty close to it,” Kirchoff said.

The team will look start that road to the postseason by winning its first games of the year this weekend when they play a pair of doubleheaders against Briarcliffe College and St. Joseph’s College-Brooklyn in New York.