Softball Preview: The Outfield
2/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 1, 2010
With the Tide losing four time All-American Brittany Rogers in centerfield and looking at the likely move of Whitney Larsen back to the infield, Cassie Reilly-Boccia will be leading the outfield corps as the only true returning starter in right.
In her rookie season Reilly-Boccia was named to the NFCA All-South Region team on the strength of a .340 batting average and 47 RBI. She showed great plate discipline as a newcomer as she walked 40 times and struck out 25.
"We have some really good kids who are just waiting for a shot," said head coach Patrick Murphy. "One of them is Jennifer Fenton who did get to play quite a bit last year and Jazlyn Lunceford. I like them both, because they are both lefty-lefties and they both have speed."
In 89 at-bats last season Fenton hit .382 and scored 43 runs. She ranked second on the team and fourth in the conference with 30 stolen bases in 31 attempts.
Lunceford hit .367 in 60 at-bats and no hit was bigger than her pinch-hit grand slam in the Women's College World Series to help the Crimson Tide sink the defending national champions ASU Sun Devils, 6-2.
Murphy says another player to look for in the outfield is fifth year senior Jessica Smith, who has been plagued with injuries in her first four seasons at the Capstone.
"She's probably in the best shape she has ever been in," Murphy said of Smith. "Offensively this has definitely been her best fall."
Freshman Keima Davis from Deerfield Beach, Fla., has the best arm of any player on the team and has very good speed according to Murphy. Davis was an Under Armour All-American in her only year playing high school softball.
