Brant, Geibel SRU's 1-2 punch
SLIPPERY ROCK — Sixty hits would mean a lot to Slippery Rock University senior shortstop Kirsten Brant this spring.
Reaching that total would hand the Knoch graduate the SRU softball record for career hits. The current mark of 186 was set by Stacey Rice from 2005-08.
“I'd love to break that record because it would mean I'm having a big season,” Brant said. “If I'm having a big season, I'm helping our team have a big season.
“This year is about us getting to the playoffs, not about me breaking any record.”
Regardless, Rice will have a close look at Brant's pursuit of her mark. She is an assistant coach for The Rock under Becky Sciacca.
And Rice is in Brant's corner.
“I want her to break it. I think it's exciting,” Rice said. “That's why you have records. You want people to pursue them.
“I'm coaching Kirsten to break that record. You get better as a program by establishing new standards.”
SRU finished 19-13 last season, missing the PSAC playoffs by one game after getting off to a 16-2 start.
“It went all downhill from there,” Brant said. “I don't know exactly what caused it. All I know is, we don't want to see it happen again.”
Sciacca and Rice are first-year coaches Sciacca replaces Vashion Johnson, who left the program in May, and inherits 16 returning players.
Brant hit .413 last season, fifth-highest batting average in the PSAC and in Rock history. She led the team with 43 hits and a .455 on-base percentage.
She is joined by a familiar face on the left side of the infield as Rock junior and Butler graduate Jenna Geibel returns at third base. Geibel hit .394 with five homers and team-leading figures of 33 RBI, 14 extra-base hits, nine doubles and 65 total bases.
Geibel is doing some record-chasing herself.
“I want to break the school record of 40 home runs,” she said. “I've got 16 right now and I feel like I'm physically stronger.
“We have a lot to make up for this year. It seemed like all of us lost focus going down the stretch last season. We just tailed off.”
Geibel and Brant hit in the No.'s 4 and 5 spots in the batting order.
“They are the heart of our offense and we've got other good hitters around them,” Rice said. “Kirsten works her tail off. She's a quiet leader who is naturally talented, but never stops working on her game. That speaks volumes for the underclassmen.“Jenna is a monster, a powerful hitter. I'm expecting a big year out of her.”Geibel said her goal this year is to “make solid contact on every at bat.”Brant and Geibel have been teammates on traveling teams in past years. They've come to know each other well defensively.“We know each other too well,” Brant said. “We feel like we have a comfort zone out there. She knows what balls I can get to, I know what balls she can get to.”“Our goal is to not let any ground balls get through us,” Geibel said.Brant is one of eight seniors on the team. They're making it their personal mission to lead The Rock into postseason play.“We've been letting that feeling burn all offseason,” Brant said. “It stinks, what happened last year.“We expect to challenge for the PSAC West title. That kind of talent is here and we love our new coach. We want to do it for Coach Sciacca.”SRU is picked fourth in the PSAC West preseason coaches poll.“Coach Johnson was all about hitting and we became a good offensive team with him,” Geibel said. “Coach Sciacca has us working on defense every day, agility, all of the little things.“We feel like we're ready to put it all together now.”
