#11 Softball 2/16/2012 3:58:00 PM

Stars expect to field softball contender

OCU opens season ranked third in NAIA

Lily LaVelle gained first-team NAIA all-American honors in addition to Sooner Athletic Conference player and pitcher of the year as a junior.

Oklahoma City University softball enters 2012 confident in its balance.
The Stars begin the season as the third-ranked squad in the NAIA and as the favorite to win the Sooner Athletic Conference.
OCU starts its new season Friday in the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas.
“We lost some key people off of last year's ball club, but we feel better about this year's team,” OCU coach Phil McSpadden said. “We'll always question our depth, but if you look at all the phases of the game, overall we think we're stronger defensively and offensively. I think our pitching is better, and our team speed has improved.”
OCU finished with a 48-14 record in 2011. The Stars picked up their 23rd straight 40-win season, 20th straight NAIA softball championship appearance and won their fourth straight SAC crown. OCU advanced to bracket play at the NAIA Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala., before being knocked out by No. 6 Belhaven (Miss.).
Senior pitcher-infielder Lily LaVelle leads a group of eight returning player for the Stars this season. LaVelle earned all-American honors as well SAC player and pitcher of the year in 2011. On the mound, the senior from Bridge Creek, Okla., went 31-10, posted a 0.93 earned run average, struck out a single-season OCU record 391 batters and tossed 34 complete games, including a perfect game and a no-hitter. At the plate, LaVelle hit .371, drove in 51 runs and hit 20 home runs.
“I always have a hard time with giving a player too much praise or not enough,” McSpadden said. “But if there was such a thing as a franchise tag you could put on a college player, I'd say that's what she is. She runs well, she has some pop at the plate, she's a good hitter, she's very versatile athlete, and we can put her almost anywhere on the field and feel comfortable.”
A position-by-position look at the Stars:

Pitching

Joining LaVelle in the circle is senior A.J. Woodward. The left-hander from Menifee, Calif., posted a 16-4 record with a 2.87 ERA a season ago. Woodward struck out 149 batters in 143.2 innings of work and tossed 17 complete games.
“A.J. threw quality innings for us last year,” McSpadden said. “We expect her to do the same this year.”
Rounding out the pitching staff is sophomore transfer Danielle Fox. The pitcher from Mustang, Okla., tallied a 3.41 ERA at Washburn (Kan.) and struck out 141 in 148 innings of work.
“We think she'll do well,” McSpadden said. “She will probably also be our fourth outfielder if anyone goes down.”
Returning sophomore Chelsey Eddy could see action this season. Eddy, of Rockwall, Texas, made one pitching appearance a season ago and spent most of her time in the outfield. Eddy hit .225 and drove in 15 runs for in 2011.
“She played right field for us last year, but she's really a pitcher,” McSpadden said. “She had shoulder surgery over the summer, but we're hoping she can get some innings and some at-bats towards the end of the season.”

Infield

Magean De La Torre, of Plano, Texas, is expected to move from the outfield to third base this season. The junior turned in a second-team all-SAC performance in 2011, hitting .330 with 31 RBIs and 17 doubles. De La Torre committed one error in 62 starts for the Stars a season ago.
“She's pretty versatile,” McSpadden said. “She played outfield for us last year because she runs pretty well and will be rotating between third and catcher. She has pretty good pop at the plate and can bunt her way on as well.”
Returning at shortstop is Tori Joyner. Joyner earned first-team all-SAC honors and a SAC Gold Glove award at short in 2011. The junior from Mustang, Okla., hit .381, scored 53 runs and stole 31 bases last season.
“She will be our leadoff hitter,” McSpadden said. “She's just a solid shortstop. She has good hands and good range. She's a good table setter, and she has good foot speed and puts the bat on the ball.”
Newcomer Angela Lovelady will play second base for the Stars. The junior from El Cajon, Calif., was a two-time all-conference performer and a 2010 first-team junior college all-American at Grossmont (Calif.).
“She's got really good hands,” McSpadden said. “She is very disciplined at the plate, and she has great plate coverage. I would be surprised if she strikes out much at all because she seems to be able to fight off any pitch.”
An honorable-mention all-SAC performer last year, LeeAnn Lopez returns at first base for the Stars. The junior from Grand Prairie, Texas, hit .332 with 42 RBIs and 11 homers last season.
“She's a four- or five-hole type hitter,” McSpadden said. “She's had a good offseason. She was a good ball player for us last year, and we think she'll be even more solid for us this year.”
Sophomore Kylee Rounsaville rounds out the OCU infield at catcher. Rounsaville, of Yukon, Okla., hit .291 with 31 RBIs while playing third base and right field a season ago.
“She didn't get a lot of publicity last year, but all the tools are there,” McSpadden said. “She played great in the national tournament and I'm hoping she picks us where she left off last year.”

Outfield

Haley Anderson, a senior transfer from Oklahoma, leads a group of five newcomers to the team. The outfielder from Edmond was an all-Big 12 performer as a sophomore and hit .400 for the Sooners in conference play in 2010.
“We're excited about Haley Anderson,” McSpadden said. “We recruited her pretty hard out of high school. I think she can put up some big numbers. She's very quick, not very big but she has long ball power and she's a pretty good athlete.”
Joining Anderson in the outfield is senior Katie Proffitt. The left fielder from Tulsa, Okla., hit .260, scored 28 runs and drove in 19 in 2011.
“She started in left last year,” McSpadden said. “She'll probably be the nine-hole hitter for us. She has decent speed and a pretty good arm.”
Newcomer Jamie Rateliff will start in center field. The freshman from Mustang, Okla., hit .425 and was an all-state performer as a junior at Mustang High School.
“She'll start in center for us,” McSpadden said. “She's got a good future.”
Freshman Emily Krienke, of Calgary, Alberta, is expected to see time in the infield and outfield this season.
“We'll use her in a variety of ways,” McSpadden said. “She can play in the infield and the outfield, but more importantly she's a left-handed power hitter. So depending on how someone is trying to pitch us, we can put another lefty in our lineup.”

The eight-time NAIA champion Stars enter every season expecting to add a ninth championship, and McSpadden says this year is no different.
“I would be disappointed if we're not back at the national tournament,” McSpadden said. “Our expectations are always to win the conference and be in thick of things for a national title, and I don't see any reason to change that this year.”

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