After picking up an addition nine wins over the previous year in 2011 and then finishing with just the second-ever winning record in MEAC play in 2012, the Norfolk State softball team is ready to turn yet another corner in 2013. With a good majority of the team back from last year and with several newcomers ready to step in and take over prominent roles, NSU is ready to battle it out for the top spot in the Northern Division and contend for that ever-elusive MEAC title.
The Spartans lost only their starting center fielder and third baseman from a year ago, and a deeper pitching staff with a couple of new big bats in the lineup should easily bolster this year's squad. A year after going 12-6 in the MEAC, finishing third in the Northern Division behind Delaware State and Coppin State, head coach Heidi Cavallo believes the Spartans are ready to make that extra push this year not only in the regular season but in the conference tournament in mid-May.
The key, though, will be maintaining consistency throughout the year, something the Spartans lacked at times in 2012 evidenced by taking the first two games at league-leading Delaware State but then following it up by losing two of three to fifth-place Howard.
“Consistency will be the key for us,” said Cavallo. “We know we can play at the highest level in the conference. We just need to be able to play how we are capable of playing week in and week out.”
NSU went 24-25 in 2012, tied for the second-most wins in the Division I era, with 14 of those 25 losses coming by either one or two runs or in extra innings. With a more experienced team this year, the coaching staff is looking for that maturity to turn those one-run losses into one-run wins and eventually something even bigger at the end of the year.
“There's no reason we can't be at the top,” Cavallo said. “They've come in hungry and have put in the work – this may be the hardest-working team I've been around. We've mentally tough, we know physically we are capable of winning.
“We should be at the top. I expect us to be there.”
Outfield
Losing an All-MEAC caliber player in Danielle Wright in center field will force Cavallo to reshuffle her outfield a bit. Preseason MEAC Player of the Year Haley Ward (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox HS) will continue to man left field, while junior Morgan Boyd (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River HS) moves from right field to center to take advantage of her speed.
“Morgan has changed as an outfielder; she's really growing in that spot and has gotten a lot better,” said Cavallo of the converted high school infielder. “She covers a lot of ground. Then of course at the plate we look for her to continue to get on base and utilize her speed.
“Haley is such a natural player – we saw that last year – and we are looking for her to pick right up where she left off. Along with Morgan, she can close gaps in the outfield very quickly and her arm strength is a plus. We do well when she does well.”
The third outfield spot is expected to be taken over by freshman Heather Dunning (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside HS), another former high school infielder and, like Boyd, one who is making the transition from a high school right-handed hitter to a left-handed slapper.
“Heather has extremely high instincts for the game,” stated Cavallo. “She reads angles well, and it's fun to watch her play out there. We are also counting on her to add productivity at the plate now that she's become a power slapper from the left side.”
With redshirt senior Gillian Giarrizzo (Suffolk, Va./James Madison) still not cleared to play after a setback in the fall from her ACL injury last spring, walk-on freshman Shekinah Stewart (Burke, Va./Gar-Field HS) will be the first reserve off the bench for NSU in the outfield. Stewart arrived at NSU with a solid background in softball and has adjusted well.
“She is a great fit for our program, and she's been a pleasant surprise for us,” Cavallo said. “Shekinah is an athlete and provides plenty of speed as a left-handed slapper. She's really meshed well with the rest of the team.”
The coaches are hoping to have Giarrizzo back by the middle of the year. After playing in just seven games last year and sitting out in 2011, the coaches know she can provide that spark the team lacked at times in the past.
“We want her to be able to jump into the outfield mix right away when she gets back,” Cavallo said. “She wants big things for her senior year and so do we. She'll have some rust from having only played seven actual games in the last three year, but the spark she provides our team is always there.”
NSU's other outfield option is senior Marjorie Pettitt (Virginia Beach, Va./Louisburg College), who saw time out in left field last year when Giarrizzo went down. “Marjorie is a player who really pushes the other players to get better, especially with conditioning and the team's overall fitness. We need her to step up to the challenge with what we need her to do this year,” Cavallo stated.
Infield
Some new faces could pop up at the corner spots, while the middle of the infield will see a couple of .300 hitters stake their claim to those starting positions again.
Second-team All-MEAC shortstop Gipsy Ramirez (LaVerne, Calif./San Dimas HS) is only player who has been with the program for four years. She'll be counted on to pick up where she left off last year, while sophomore second baseman Alina Moriarty (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory HS) is looking to take the next step after a solid rookie campaign.
“Gipsy is ready to go out with a bang,” said Cavallo. “We're very proud of her, because she is one of those players who does anything you ask and goes hard non-stop. She's just one of those players who always gets the job done.
“Alina is a much more mature player this year. She knows the game and has the skill, now it's a matter of her really becoming an infield leader. The key for her will be to just go out and play, let her natural abilities take over, rather than trying to think too much about everything.”
With those two spots locked down, a pair of power-hitting freshmen could very well hold down first and third base. Whitney Williams (Four Oaks, N.C./South Johnston HS) has perhaps the most powerful bat on the team, while Clara Quiñones (Norfolk, Va./Granby HS) has already made a smooth transition from her successful high school team.
“Clara can pretty much start right away at third base for us. She's not your typical freshman. She's adjusted quickly and done everything we've asked her to do. She doesn't get flustered, she hits well for a freshman and is in a good rhythm already,” said Cavallo.
“Whitney is pushing to start at first. She has a big bat, great hand speed, and just so much power. She's one of the strongest kids I've ever coached. Once she's able to get mentally prepared and gain confidence, she will do big things here.”
Junior Melina Valles (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes HS) is not quite ready to give up her starting first base spot to Williams, though. Valles provides better defense at first, although Williams has the bigger bat.
“Melina is a very defensively sound player. She knows the game,” said Cavallo. “She just needs to pick her bat up.”
Two other players capable of pushing for time at first are sophomore Robyn Mitchell (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield HS) and junior Nikki Jones (Providence Forge, Va./New Kent HS). Those two, though, will be counted on more to provide relief pitching (Mitchell) and be the No. 1 option at designated hitter (Jones).
Jones, especially, could be another big bat for the Spartans.
“Nikki is such a clutch DH,” said Cavallo. “She can spot pinch hit; she did such a good job of that last year. Although she could push for time at first, her main role will be in the batter's box for us.”
Freshman Malinka Walters (Toana, Va./Warhill HS) will also back up both Moriarty and Ramirez at the middle infield positions.
“Malinka is such a young player. It's going to take her some time to adjust to the college game,” said Cavallo. “Right now her main role is to provide depth in the middle infield until she gets settled.”
Catcher
Junior Kathy Cortez (Pomona, Calif./Garey HS) resumes her role as the starting catcher for the Spartans, and now that she enters her third year with the program the coaching staff is looking for her to expand her role with the team.
“We are putting more pressure on her to step up this year,” said Cavallo. “We expect a lot out of her, and the good thing is she knows what to expect out of herself. She works well with our pitching staff, which is going to be key with our more veteran staff this year.”
Backing up Cortez is senior Chelsea Davis (Tappahannock, Va./Louisburg College), with Quiñones also capable of putting on the pads if necessary. Davis could see more time at catcher than last year to save wear and tear on Cortez.
“We're proud of how Chelsea has come back ready to play. Her work ethic is just so much better,” stated Cavallo. “She's been hitting well, and she will be able to spot start at catcher more than last year.”
Pitchers
It will be a luxury for the Spartans this year in the circle, as Cavallo believes they have three capable pitchers who could each be that No. 1 starter if called upon. With two right-handers and a lefty, Cavallo can mix it up from game to game or even make the righty-lefty, or vise-versa, switch mid-game to throw teams off.
Right now, though, junior Jamie Schulle (Maxwell, Texas/Lockhart HS) is expected to be that No. 1 starter. The left-hander made big strides from her freshman to her sophomore year, and with a long-time injury to her non-throwing wrist now fixed, the coaches are high on Schulle to become one of the top pitchers in the league.
“Jamie is absolutely ready to go. She's worked hard on her spins, has added some miles per hour to her pitches, and is disguising them well,” Cavallo said. “That's a testament to the crazy hours she's put in and how much better physically and mentally she is now.”
Option No. 2 for NSU can be either sophomore Liz Riley (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes HS) or junior college transfer Stephanie Wheatley (Seaford, Del./Delaware Tech). Like Schulle, both are power pitchers – Wheatley slightly more than Riley – and also like Schulle, all three can hit the ball and are expected to contribute at the plate more than NSU's pitchers did last year.
“Liz has been hitting very well, and we expect her to hit this year,” stated Cavallo. “She's picked up right where she left off last year in the circle and has actually gotten stronger. She is throwing so well, and she's the type of player who will do whatever we need her to do out there.
“Stephanie is such a power pitcher. She can dominate with the pitches we have already, now it's a matter of adding to what she can already throw. She has a big, powerful bat, and she's getting used to hitting again. She'll be another great player for us.”
Coming out of the bullpen, Mitchell gives the Spartans a fourth option in their pitching staff.
“Robyn's been working on her pitching a lot, and she is dedicated to getting better both at first and in the circle,” said Cavallo. “We need her to elevate to the next level, and she's ready to make that push because of her great attitude.”
Schedule
NSU opens the season Wednesday at home against North Carolina Central and then plays two straight home tournaments also at the NSU Softball Field. Monmouth, Fairleigh Dickinson and Delaware State will come down for the Spartan Clash Feb. 23-24, while Delaware, Army and Marist will join NSU for the Spartan Classic March 2-3.
Along with a game on March 1 against Delaware, NSU will also welcome non-conference foes Longwood (April 4) and North Carolina Central (April 16) to Norfolk, the latter two of which are doubleheaders. Howard (March 29-30), UMES (April 6-7) and Delaware State (April 20-21) will also play in Norfolk for a three-game conference series.
The Spartans also play on the road in the Camel Stampede Invitational at Campbell March 8-9, the Delaware Invitational March 15-17 and in doubleheaders at Savannah State, North Carolina A&T and George Mason throughout the year.
NSU travels to conference opponents Coppin State, Morgan State and Hampton in MEAC play this year as well.
