2014 Softball Preview: Part II - The Infield
1/31/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Jan. 31, 2014
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. -
The start of the 2014 Seton Hall softball season is just a week away and SHUPirates.com is going around the horn to preview the new season. Up next is a look at the Pirate infield, where a deep talent pool could provide the team with different options for every game.
To take a look back at a preview of the outfield - CLICK HERE
There are several reasons to be optimistic about the 2014 softball season as the Pirates return a lot of key contributors from last year, 15 letterwinners in all, and welcome a talented freshman class with players ready to step in and make an immediate impact.
That dichotomy is displayed particularly in the infield, where second year head coach Paige Smith expects there to be a lot of movement in the starting lineup where she should have a variety of options on a game-to-game basis.
Undoubtedly the biggest shoes to fill heading into the season will be those of Brittany Hammer, who was a Third-Team All-BIG EAST selection last year after starting all 51 games at short and hitting .335 with a team high 27 runs scored and nine doubles.
However, the Pirates do return Second-Team All-BIG EAST talent Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) who enjoyed a breakout junior campaign and should help solve the puzzle in the middle of the infield as well as perform as one of Seton Hall's most important offensive players.
DeLuca started every game but one at second base last season, ranking second on the team in batting average (.344), slugging percentage (.536), home runs (7) and doubles (8). Her offensive numbers improved against conference foes, where she hit .377 with a team-high .672 slugging percentage.
But as for which position DeLuca will play every day, that depends, and the ability for Smith to try several options at second and short factors significantly.
During the fall season the Pirates experienced a lot of success with DeLuca shifting over to shortstop, but heading into the start of the season it is far from a certainty if she will see more time there or at her traditional position on the other side of the bag.
It is difficult to pin down what all of the options even are. Junior Sam DeMasi (Lockport, Ill.) is likely to see starts at second base against particular lineups. She started eight games with 20 appearances last season, hitting .250 with a stolen base.
There are also a number of freshmen in Noel Lent (Yaphanic, N.Y.), Joelle Arrante (Elkton, Md.) and Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.), primarily a right handed pitcher, who can see time in the middle infield.
"Within the infield we have at second base someone who last year as a lefty hit lefties at a much higher percentage than she hit righties in Sam DeMasi," Smith said. "We have really talented freshmen in the infield as well. Noelle Lent has great range and is skilled enough to play at short. We also have been trying to see Lauren Fischer at shortstop, where she played in high school. Joelle Arrante is a great spray hitter, can hit for average and is another option at second base."
Lent went to Longwood High School and played club ball with the Long Island Bandits Gold Team for the last three seasons. She helped lead Longwood to a conference and Suffolk County championship in 2012, and was an All-Suffolk County honoree last spring.
Arrante attended Rising Sun High School and gained club experience with the MD Legends and NJ Breakers. Rising Sun posted a 21-2 overall record and advanced to the state semifinals during her junior season and Arrante was a First-Team All-Region and All-County honoree.
The corner positions have entirely different feels. At third base senior Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) is expected to step up and perform as an everyday option.
Henze missed the start of last season due to an offseason injury and in reality those woes plagued her for much of the year. She did make 27 starts and 34 appearances, and even saw her batting average jump to .282 from .257 the year before. But after boasting a fielding percentage of .936 in 2012, that number dipped all the way to .883, something Smith said is not an accurate representation of how good she is at the hot corner.
"With Meredith Henze fully recovered from her surgery it will be hard to get her off of third base, we are a better team when she plays third for us," Smith said. "I had never coached a healthy Meredith Henze and now that I have, I think she is one of the best third basemen I've ever seen."
The first base position will be based in large part on who is swinging a hot bat, but heading into the season Smith and the Pirates have a greater number of possibilities than they did a year ago.
Junior Whitney Jones (Skowhegan, Maine) was an excellent defensive option at first base last year where she finished with a .979 fielding percentage, starting 27 times while appearing in 34 games overall.
Junior Jordan Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) went 3-for-5 in her plate appearances last season and through the early portions of preseason practice has looked like a player that can help boost offensive productivity at first base.
"Jordan has been swinging the bat really well but I wouldn't be surprised if she had some offensive opportunities that provide her with a chance to break in at that first base position," said Smith.
Power hitting freshman Chelsea Caynon (Litchfield, N.H.) should also see time at first base. She played club softball for Mass Destruction and Polar Crush Gold and was a four-time First-Team All-New Hampshire selection at Campbell High School.
"Chelsea has definitely started to turn the corner and she is a 6-foot tall target at first base," Smith said. "She has some power and is working on her swing to become a more complete hitter."
