NATIONAL TEAM

Tuesday, July 29
Women's National Team to play
exhibition game in Waldorf, MD

Later this summer, across the Chesapeake Bay from the Wesley Wolverines, the USA Softball - Women's National Team will play an exhibition game against a specially selected Maryland All-Stars collegiate team.

CAC's Rachel Johnson

The contest is schedule for Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at Regency Furniture Stadium -- home of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs -- 11765 St. Linus Drive, Waldorf. 

Gates will open at 5 PM with the first pitch at 7 PM. An autograph session immediately follows the game. 

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets in advance.

Reportedly, Salisbury Sea Gulls All-Americans senior pitcher Rachel Johnson (Preston, MD) and junior infielder Kim Dorsey (Baltimore, MD) from our own Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) will join the Maryland All-Star team. 

CAC's Kim Dorsey

As Wolverine players and fans know, Salisbury University advanced this past season to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship game and finished the year as the No. 2 team in the nation.

Other Maryland natives expected on the field will come from Division I programs including Delaware, Fordham, UMBC and Arizona State. 

The Maryland All-Stars team will be coached by Terry Burdette from Hood College Blazers.

All-American Lauren Gibson, a standout for the past four years as a Tennessee Lady Volunteer, gets top billing as the National Team's hometown favorite. Lauren hails from Pasadena, Maryland, where she led Chesapeake High School to TWO consecutive class 4A state championships. 

The games are part of a tour, where the National Team plays the best of local college softball athletes in several states across the nation as well as outside the USA in Canada and Italy. It culminates with the ISF Women's World Championship in the Netherlands in August. CLICK HERE (then scroll to bottom of page) for the tour's full schedule.

CLICK HERE for the full 24-member National Team squad.

HITTING VS PITCHING

Game changing?  
Does good pitching 
always stop good hitting?


Jason Bartel of SBNation reports in a story headlined “How the game of softball has changed in recent years” that the average fastpitch contest, once dominated by pitching, may be handing over the power that drives a team towards a championship into the hands of increasingly more talented hitters, better trained at a younger age with improved, “hotter” bats and softballs.

www.sbnation.com

CLICK HERE for the full SBNation story, which also features a graph and poll.

A few quotes from the article...

Arizona Wildcat pitching coach Alicia Hollowell comments...

Alicia Hollowell

► "I think a lot of it is the technology that's been introduced into the game. From bats getting hotter to a lot more video being used...

► "The core of the ball is a lot livelier. The bats are a lot hotter...

► "Whether our stadiums are built right now for a different game is one thing I see. I feel strongly that we need to look at moving our fences back, because there are a lot of balls that are going out that are a little bit cheap."
 
Arizona Wildcat head coach Mike Candrea adds...

Mike Candrea

► "I think the hitters have progressed. When I first got in the game, kids had no concept of hitting. Whereas these kids have grown up with better information, better instruction, they understand the skill. And so on a pitcher's side, it's made the game tougher. You gotta hit your spots. You gotta be able to throw an off-speed pitch to keep people off-balance."

Arizona pitching coach Alicia Hollowell concludes...

► "You get people that are more informed. There's more instruction going on, people learning, developing at a younger age. So you do see that. When you go out and watch the young kids, they have skills that they didn't have before. You find people that are really studying the game and are a lot more knowledgeable. People are making adjustments a lot faster so it's become a much more offensive game." 

The Wesley Wolverines enjoyed both good pitching and solid hitting for average and power in many games this past season...

 

SOFTBALL DAY VIDEO

One more video/ 18 teams...
Friday, June 13 greetings,
13 nations across the globe

Softball is becoming an international sport, maybe even an Olympic sport again sometime soon!!??

Happy World Softball Day from 18 teams based in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Africa, United States, and Venezuela. All are highlighted in the video below... 

SOFTBALL VIDEOS

www.isfsoftball.org

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Softball videos
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
WEEKEND, JUNE 14-15

Jennie Finch talks about her dad...

MORE INSPIRATIONAL VIDEOS

2013 Oregon Softball...

 

Softball Rocks...



Softball is...



Pep talk...

 

1st World Cup of Softball...

Michigan Softball...

ALWAYS WORTH RE-POSTING:

THE CHALLENGE OF SOFTBALL

Speed of Softball...

Softball versus baseball... 

FLAG DAY

Saturday, June 14
Flag Day observes
200th anniversary

Just west of Wesley College’s DuPont softball field (about 90+ miles) lies the Smithsonian’s National Museum, where this coming Saturday, Flag Day, June 14, festivities will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner with a grand singalong on the Washington DC Mall.

The lyrics for the national anthem, of course, come from poet Francis Scott Key, written after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, near Baltimore’s now famed Inner Harbor, which is just 35 miles north of the National Museum.

Smithsonian organizers are encouraging anthem parties and singalongs for this Saturday throughout American communities and even across the globe.

CLICK HERE for more information.

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For one softball-themed contribution, below is a national anthem video (click on the arrow for the rendition) that was posted last June 1 at the NCAA Softball Facebook page. It is sung beautifully by a charming ten-year-old at the Women's College World Series... 

Post by NCAA Softball.

WORLD SOFTBALL DAY

Around the globe
Friday, June 13, celebrates
World Softball Day (WSD)

There's a flip side to the unlucky traditions of this week's Friday the 13th.

It has nothing to do with Jason and Crystal Lake, either. Just the opposite: it evolves around dirt, grass, and fastpitch softball. And, it is international! 

It is World Softball Day (WSD), now being celebrated for the 8th consecutive year, i.e., since 2005. Ironically, it coincides with the day back in 1991 when the International Olympic Committee announced that women's fastpitch softball would be added to the 1996 Summer Olympics.

It is promoted heavily by the International Softball Federation (ISF). The organization urges the softball community to stage events on the day to honor and raise the profile of the sport.

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The International Softball Federation (ISF) is the governing body and provides the official playing rules for softball internationally. The ISF also organizes and conducts world and regional championship competitions.

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The ISF requests that players, coaches, fans everywhere post news and pictures of activities celebrating WSD at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association/ NFCA Facebook page and/or the ISF Facebook page. Of course, Wesley related news and photos should be share with the Wesley Softball Facebook page and this blog at wesleysoftball@gmail.com.

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The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) numbers 4,300 college, high school and travel ball/club coaches, umpires, and fastpitch fans. The NFCA works with USA Today to produce NCAA Division I, II, and III rankings as well as camps and tournaments throughout the nation.

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Twitter users are encouraged to tag their WSD-related tweets with the hashtags #WorldSoftballDay and #nfca. 

The ISF will later publish a recap, including photos, of World Softball Day activities from around the world.

____________________________

PRO SOFTBALL GAME

Osterman versus Pauly
Wesley Wolverines attend
National Pro Fastpitch game

Oh what a softball night... first off, it was pro fastpitch softball... featuring near “legends”, former Olympian players... playing their first game ever for one team... in a close contest decided by a slide home... with player autographs scribbled across fans' softballs, tickets, gloves, even shirts...  and it all happened just a hour south of the Wesley College campus.

Wolverines enter the stadium!

Last Friday night, May 30, Wesley softball Head Coach Juli Greep along with five Wolverines, all residing near the Wesley campus,  joined her in fantastic front row field box seats at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium, Salisbury, MD for the USSSA Pride versus the PA Rebellion contest in the opening week of the National Pro Softball league.

The Wolverines making the trip were junior #8 OF Steph Caracozza, junior #22 C/UT Morgan Seymour, junior #32 C/3B Kayla Fromal, sophomore #9 P/OF Lily Engel, and sophomore #18 C/3B Nina Marcano. Sophomore #5 C/1B Alora Wilson, who lives near the stadium, also was in attendance with her family.

Nina, Morgan, Steph and Lily pose
with USSSA Pride's Cat Osterman

Highlights of the evening included...

► The inaugural game – first in their history – of the brand new PA Rebellion team.

► Cat Osterman in the circle for the USSSA Pride. This three-time national Player of the Year, four-time All-American and two-time Olympic medalist was clearly the fan favorite.

► Sarah Pauly in the circle for the PA Rebellion. This National Pro Fastpitch's all-time leader in wins and innings pitched was actually part of a one-two punch of Osterman & Pauly when she pitched last year for the USSSA Pride's in their championship season.

► A very rocky, intense beginning. Cat Osterman started the game, after striking out the lead-off, by hitting a batter, then walking two more, and quickly giving up a run on a pass ball before an initial hit of any kind in the game.

Lily, Morgan, USSSA Pride's 

Kristyn Sandberg and Nina

► An outstanding pitching performance. After the first inning, Osterman, the National Pro Fastpitch league's brightest star, settled down for a 15 K performance en route to a tight 2-1 pitcher's battle and USSSA Pride victory.

Besides the on field excitement, the Wesley Wolverines picked up dozens of USSSA Pride autographs, including Osterman's, but also former Olympians Caitlin Lowe, Kelly Kretschman and Andrea Dura. Wolverine Steph Caracozza had players signing her ticket, glove and the back of her shirt!

Steph, USSSA Pride's Olivia Galati and Lily

Wolverine pitcher Lily Engel – prompted by Head Coach Greep – asked USSSA Pride's pitcher Olivia Galati, first-team All American at Hostra and an All National Fastpitch Pro selection last season, for advice on tossing the rise ball. Olivia took time to demonstrate her grip on the ball for the pitch and her form for snapping it toward the batter.

CLICK ON THE SLIDESHOW BELOW for 78 photos of the Wesley Wolverines at the stadium, shots of game action, and the flurry of autograph collecting.



BECOME A NATIONAL FASTPITCH PRO FAN by following the USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, and Pennsylvania Rebellion. Expansion efforts expect additional teams in 2015. Many NPF games will air on television, while all the action can also be found at WatchESPN Fastpitch Pro-fastpitch.

CASEY, LILY, LADY SHARKS

WESLEY WOLVERINE
SUMMERTIME SNAPSHOT

Send this blog photos of our Wesley Wolverine softball players enjoying the summer. Whether active in the sport or just spending time on vacation, let us share with all what you are doing wherever you are! 

Write & attach photo(s) to wesleysoftball@gmail.com

Lily & Casey

__________________________________

Wesley camaraderie

Two Wolverine Lady Sharks

enjoy weekend tournament

Wesley Wolverine sophomore #19 OF Casey Beall (Severn, MD) invited sophomore #9 P/OF Lily Engel (Dover, DE) to play with her as a guest player for Casey's club team, the Arden Lady Sharks, in this past weekend's ASA Fastpitch Fever tournament, Marriotsville, MD. Lily had a great time. She spent the whole weekend with the team and stayed overnight with Casey's family. 

In the second Saturday game, Lily was honored with the game ball for outstanding pitching and hitting. The award is made by each team's opponents at the end of every pool game of the tournament.

Arden Lady Sharks. Casey is in front row. Lily is fifth from right in top row.

2014 SEASON VIDEO

Wolverine softball video
2014 softball season
played in 175 seconds

Y'all come back to revisit the 2014 Wesley Wolverine softball season later this summer, or later this fall, or any time at this blog. There is one shy of 120 separate posts about the 34 games played these past few months, which, so far, has attracted over 7,000 pageviews.

You will find links to each item at the very bottom of the column on the right of this blog under the heading “Blog Archive”.

2014 STATS

Take a bow, ladies
Wolverines leave high marks
on CAC & 2014 softball season

Juli Greep
Head Coach

The Wesley Wolverines' ended the 2014 season with a 17-17 record, which is the team's most victories since the 2005 and the first .500 season since 2001.

Wesley, second smallest college in the Capitol Athletic Conference (CAC) – e.g., most school's are 2-1/2 to 5 times its size in undergraduate population -- still found themselves under Head Coach Juli Greep among the leaders in many statistics.

Sarah Saunders

Though the Wolverines played just 34 games (#5 among the conference's 8 teams), Wesley ► led the league with 18 triples (which also was #12 NCAA national D3 rank), finished ► #3 with 205 runs scored in the CAC (which also was #84 NCAA national D3 rank), again  ► #3 with 297 hits, yet again ► #3 with a .403 batting average, and still again  ► #3 with a .403 on-base percentage. Wesley was 1 run short among conference teams for  ► #3 in the RBI category, as well. The team  ► slugged .449 for a CAC #4 place (which also was #92 NCAA national D3 rank).


Among about 120 conference players or more, Wolverines stood out as individual leaders in stats, too. 

Brook Creighton

Lindsay Siok

As of Friday, May 2, 2014...

BATTING AVERAGE...

Sophomore #8 OF Steph Caracozza's (Melbourne Beach, Fla.) impressive ► .427 batting average ranked #6 in the conference. Sophomore #2 P/OF Sarah Saunders (Wayne, NJ) finished #15 in batting among CAC leaders.  

Freshman #18 C/3B Nina Marcano (Middletown, DE) – team MVP (just glance over her power & speed stats that follow below!) – is #20 in the conference with her average, while co-captain sophomore #22 C/UT Morgan Seymour (Smyrna, DE) sits at #26, co-captain senior #16 3B Ashly Bendorovich (Levittown, PA) has the #28 position, and co-captain sophomore #32 C/3B Kayla Fromal (Middletown, DE) holds down #30. 

Steph Caracozza

Alora Wilson

RUNS SCORED...

Steph's speed ensured ► 37 runs scored for a #6 CAC place (which also was ► #50 NCAA national D3 rank). 

Nina ended up the CAC's #11 in runs scored, while Sarah was #19, sophomore #6 MI Breanna Hartman (Red Bank, NJ) was #26 and Kayla was #32, freshman #12 P/MI Lindsay Siok (Milford, DE) was #38, and Morgan finished #41.

RBI...

Nina's notable  ► 25 RBI ranked #12 among CAC leaders. Ashly picked up the CAC's #15 spot. Morgan grabbed #23, while junior #11 OF Brook Creighton (Rock Hall, MD) and Lindsay nailed down a #30 tie.

Casey Beall

Whitney Dibb

HOME RUNS...

Nina's always thrilling  ► 5 home runs ranked #10 in the conference. Kayla powered to the CAC's #17 spot, while Sarah is #27.

STOLEN BASES...

Nina's exciting  ► 10 stolen bases ranked #5 in the league. Steph and Breanna raced into a #11 CAC tie, while freshman #99 OF Olivia DeGraba (Germantown, MD) and Morgan swiped their way into a #32 tie. 

TRIPLES...

Nina's amazing ► 5 triples ranked #2 in the conference (which also was ► #23 NCAA national D3 rank). Steph holds the CAC's #3 position (which also was ►#56 NCAA national D3 rank) and Sarah was #4. Brook was #6 and freshman #42 P/1B Devin Mackay (Bangor, PA) as well as Ashly, Breanna, and Lindsay are in a #14 tie.

Breanna Hartman

Morgan Seymour

Devin Mackay

Ashly Bendorovich

FIELDING...

Sophomore #25 1B Samantha Mahoski's (Schenectady, NY) splendid  ► .981 fielding percentage at first base should be recognized as a conference leader amidst stats difficult to rank.

Lily Engel

KEY SUPPORT...

Freshman #21 C/3B Whitney Dibb's (La Mesa, CA)  ► 10 pitch-hits broke open games in almost every situation.  

Freshman #5 C/1B Alora Wilson (Salisbury, MD) steadily delivered a  ► trio of doubles to plate runs, while freshman #19 OF Casey Beall's (Severn, MD) ► base running could be counted on for added extra bases in many hard fought, close games.  

PITCHING...

The pitching duo of freshman #12 P/MI Lindsay Siok (Milford, DE) and freshman #9 P/OF Lily Engel (Dover, DE), accounted for all 17 Wolverine wins,  ► ranked #7 and #9 in the CAC for individual games won.  

Lindsay's superb  ► .315 ERA awarded her the CAC's #7 ranking. Lily pitched to a CAC earned run #12 slot. 

Lily also ► tossed 3 shutouts to finish #3 across the conference in this category. 

Nina Marcano

Kayla Fromal

 Lindsay's tireless arm threw  ► 106.2 innings for #5 in the league. Lily finished #10.

Lindsay also ranked #5 in the CAC with  ► 17 games started and  ► 12 games completed. Lily pitched to ranks of #9 and #8 respectively in these categories.

Lily, catching the plate's corners with pitches, gave up just ► 10 walks issued, which captured the CAC's #1 post for the least BB allowed (among CAC pitchers throwing 40+ innings.) This also was the  ► #33 NCAA national D3 rank for least walks per seven innings.   

Samantha Mahoski

Olivia DeGraba

NEXT YEAR...

There's always next year to continuously improve as they always do, year-to-year, for these feisty Wolverines who take so extraordinarily after their ferocious mascot at the plate, in the field, on the bases, and in the circle. 

Watch out CAC, this is a young team, losing just one senior, adding more depth next year, who are posed to spring toward their best season yet!

Abby Cohen
Assistant Coach

Noemi Rodriguez
Assistant Coach

Allison Kraky
INJ/ 2014 season

ARCADIA PHOTOS

Marcano photos
Photos capture Wolverine action,
last doubleheader of 2014 season

Jose Marcano, Nina's father, has outdone himself from his center field position snapping photos of the Wesley Wolverines last games of the 2014 season, a doubleheader versus Arcadia Knights, Thursday, April 24.

He shot a total of 1,387 pictures of Wolverines ending their season with a 17-17 record.

The slideshow below are 108 of these outstanding images...