Butler aims higher

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

March 26, 2010 Last Updated: March 26, 2010 04:22 PM High School

Pitcher Angie Reddick is one of the players the Butler girls softball team will count on as it works its way back to the WPIAL playoffs in 2010.

Tornado look to build on successful season

Lori Kline's first year was a breakthrough season for the Butler High softball program.

The Golden Tornado coach led the program to its first WPIAL playoff victory before suffering a 1-0, extra-inning loss to Mount Lebanon.

If pitching really is 75 percent of the game, look for Butler to be in the playoff picture again.

Angie Reddick posted a 1.82 earned run average and Amanda Skidmore had a 0.98 ERA last year as sophomores.

"Pitching is our strength," Kline said. "We have experience and depth there. No one girl is being counted on to carry the load.

"We need to hit better in pressure situations, but a lot of teams can say that. We have a cohesive defensive unit on the field, so we'll be able to stay in games until our hitting comes around," the coach added.

Here is a look at Butler County area softball teams this spring:

• Coach: Lane Larimore, fourth year• Last year: 11-4• Starters lost: Karly Kaufman P (George Mason), Kelli Davis (Butler County Community College), Shannon Bartley SS (Waynesburg), Allie Atwood 3B• Prospective lineup: P-Erin Larimore (senior) or Nicole Wetzel (junior), C-Abby Hindman (junior, .346) or Larimore (.385, 14 RBI, 15 SB), 1B-Hindman or Ashley Manculich (junior), 2B-Kelsey Biertel (senior), SS-Meghan Cratty (junior, .347, 13 RBI, 11 SB), 3B-Ashley Nail (senior), LF-Lauren Snyder (senior), CF-Kaylin Strauser (senior, .366, 10 SB), RF-Wetzel or Manculich• Larimore says: "Nine of our kids are lettermen, so we have experience. ... Five of the six all-conference pitchers last year were seniors, so our league may have more offense this year."

• Coach: Lori Kline, second year• Last year: 9-5• Starters lost: Jenna Geibel SS (Slippery Rock), Karen Cumberlege LF, Erica Thrower C• Prospective lineup: P-Angie Reddick (junior, .435), C-Amber Steinheiser (junior), 1B-Amanda Skidmore (junior) or Mackenzie O'Donnell; (freshman), 2B-Olivia Vasey (junior), SS-Caitlin Baxter (freshman), 3B-Sadie Marak (junior), LF-Olivia Hortert (senior), CF-Nikki Hladik (senior), RF-Danielle Lloyd (senior)• Kline says: "Mentally, our kids are ready and know what to do with the ball. They've been working hard on their hitting and trying to improve in that area."

• Coach: Tom Rotto, third year• Last year: 9-9• Starter lost: Amanda Mientus RF• Prospective lineup: P-Madison Rotto (junior, .300), C-Rachel Grubbs (junior), 1B-Micaela Kurn (soph), .300), 2B-Meggan McGuire (junior), SS-Anna Christy (junior, .300), 3B-Taylor Massart (freshman), LF-Carlie Bieranowski (senior), CF-Ashley Sample (freshman), RF-Miranda Lingelbach (senior)• Rotto says: "We have a lot of potential and a lot of confidence we can win some games. ... A lot of our younger girls coming up have played travel ball and may pick up the hitting we lacked last year."

• Coach: Shawnee Denbow, third year• Last year: 11-10• Starters lost: Chelsea Filer P, Courtney Chutz SS• Prospective lineup: P-Alicia Feather (soph), C-Phylicia King (senior), 1B-Naomi Leonard (senior), 2B-Cassidy Udy (soph), SS-Lauren Bovard (soph) or Nicole King (soph), 3B-Rochelle Bonner (senior), LF-Victoria Sheffel (junior), CF-Bovard or King, RF-Theresa King (soph)• Denbow says: "Our three seniors are really good. Bonner is one of the top three third basemen I've coached."

• Coach: Mike Simpson, eighth year• Last year: 10-5-1, District 9 champions• Starters lost: Haley Bachman, Lisa Kaylor, Samantha Ryan, Sara Fleeger, Becky Todorich, Brandi Dunkle, Samantha Bly (St. Vincent)• Prospective lineup: P-Lauren Downs (soph), Breezie Rich (soph) or Kate Williams (junior), C-Sarah Young (senior), 1B-Mikenzi Pennington (senior) or Sabrina Jones (soph), 2B-Rich, SS-Kara Kerschbaumer (soph), 3B-Ceanca Everetts (junior), LF-Williams, CF-Brooke Hiles (junior), RF-Stephanie Stoughton (senior)• Simpson says: "Getting a chance to play outside of District 9 in the playoffs last year was exciting and our girls want to do that again. Bly hit .598 and Dunkle .450, they'll be hard to replace. But three of our seniors played their positions with no errors and we have the depth and talent to put another good team together."

• Coach: Tim Knappenberger, second year• Last year: 6-11• Starters lost: Chelsea Martin P-3B, Amanda Sheppeck P-3B, Justine Rich SS, Kazie Reuschel 1B• Prospective lineup: P-Heather McDermott (freshman) or Jhoey DeWalt (freshman), C-Karsan Simpson (freshman), 1B-DeWalt or Calla Hinderliter (soph), 2B-Melissa Steinmiller (senior), SS-Mindy Bierhals (senior, .400), 3B-Mikayla Moretti (soph), LF-Rachel Neff (soph), CF-Brittany McDermott (senior), RF-Megan Schorr (junior)• Knappenberger says: "Our pitchers are freshmen without much fast-pitch experience. Our seniors are good leaders, but this is a young team and we'll work hard to improve our skills."

• Coach: Michele Goodworth, 12th year• Last year: 1-17• Starters lost: Brittany Berkopec C, Carly Rape OF• Prospective lineup: P-Rachel Pastorek (junior), Haley Jones (soph) or Taylor Rotz (freshman), C-Jones or Vanessa Dufford (senior), 1B-Jones or Caitlin Conner (senior), 2B-Conner or Casey Boggs (junior), SS-Alyse Ciafre (soph), 3B-Rotz or Boggs, LF-Charrie Wilson (junior), CF-Dana Wonderly (junior), RF-Lexie Mastro (senior) or Taylor Leslie (soph)• Goodworth says: "Rachel was injured all of last year and now she's healthy, so that will make a big difference on the mound. We've spent a lot of time hitting and working on our weaknesses. I like where our effort's at and these girls played together last summer, so I'm optimistic we'll improve."

• Coach: Dan Hindman, eighth year• Last year: 16-4, lost District 9 title game• Starters lost: Maura McCaslin P, Amber Neff C, Ashley Pizor 3B, Jessica Scott OF• Prospective lineup: P-Ashley Lominski (senior, .560) or Holly Colosimo (soph), C-Brittney Fallen (junior, .500), 1B-Megan Yohe (senior), 2B-Chloe Eshenbaugh (freshman), SS-Alex Guercio (senior, .500), 3B-Mackenzie Maples (junior), LF-Autumn Neff (junior), CF-Jaryn Beatty (senior), RF-Tiffany McCall (senior)• Hindman says: "We've got a lot of seniors on this team and we're happy about that."

• Coach: George Trew, 10th year• Last year: Missed playoffs by one game• Starters lost: None• Prospective lineup: P-Emily Watson (soph), C-Sara Mantick (junior) or Lauren Davies (junior), 1B-Megan Buletko (soph.), 2B-Alyssa Miller (junior) or Brittany Illingworth (soph), SS-Julia Vandrak (soph.) or Alyssa DiMaria (junior, .300), 3B-Lauren Hunt (junior), LF-Erin Mullen (junior) or Davies, CF-DiMaria or Ciara Mislan (soph, .300), RF-Kelsey Mislan (soph) or Davies• Trew says: "These girls gained experience playing together and they'll be together for two more years, since we have no seniors."

• Coach: Zoe McDowell, fourth year• Last year: 9-7• Starters lost: Jamie Laughner C, Erin Ferguson SS, Jessica Hotz CF• Prospective lineup: P-Morgan Robinson (senior), C-Kalene Ireland (soph), 1B-Katie Myers (soph), 2B-Alyssa Newcomb (senior), SS-Laia Mortimer (senior), 3B-Shawna Peace (junior), LF-Jamie Myers (junior), CF-Samantha McCoy (senior), RF-Gara Mauthe (senior)• McDowell says: "We have some nice freshmen coming up and a few sophomores starting. ... We plan on using the short game more, bunting and steals."