USD Softball 2007

Underclassmen and Veterans Bring Balance, As USD Reloads for 2007 Entering her sixth season as the skipper of the USO softball team, Melissa McElvain and her staff reached a number of milestones in 2006 and look to better those in 2007. The Toreros have four seniors the team will look to for leadership and direction. Not to mention a strong incoming recruiting class consisting of seven outstanding freshmen , a recipe for success. "I am pleased to have our four seniors [Alicia Massei, Christina Haake, Danielle Treiber, and Virginia Fritsch] as team captains," commented head coach Melissa McElvain . "These individuals have a tremendous work ethic, amazing attitudes, great teamwork and excellent leadership. I am excited to see them lead this team to a successful 2007 season ." The Toreros are looking to build upon the record setting season in 2006, which include 18 Division I wins and ten conference victories. The current seniors hope to jump in confer– ence and compete for the automatic bid to the post season. The Toreros have consecutively improved their overall record the past three years as well as their conference mark since the PCSC began in 2003. Senior Christina Haake finished last season with 2.49 ERA during conference play, pitching four complete games in 29 overall appearances. She recorded two saves in 120.1 innings of work posting 73 strikeouts. Virginia Fritsch returns healthy and ready for the season after battling injury last season . A crucial part of the line up, Fritsch will play a key role behind the plate. She finished last season with 34 starts, hitting .286, posting 14 runs, 20 RBI , and two homeruns. Danielle Treiber is slated to work the infield at second base for USO. Treiber was a key part of the Toreros offense, coming up with base hits at important times during the season . Hitting .266 last season in 23 appearances, she finished with eight runs scored, 11 RBI, and two homeruns. Alicia Massei enters the 2007 season ready to take the field for her final season at first base. Massei fought her way back through injury last season having finished with a .222 batting aver– age in her 35 appearances. She had seven runs scored, 13 RBI and one homerun. The 2007 opponents will step into the box facing some new hurlers in the circle this season . In addition to senior pitcher, Christina Haake, the Toreros gain three new arms from the pitching rubber. Sophomore Katie Jo Nelson transferred to USO after one year at Fresno State. Two freshmen, right-handed pitcher Jennifer Ellenbeck (Poway, California) and left-handed pitcher Jessi Waers (Simi Valley, California) complete the 2007 pitching staff. Beside catcher Virginia Fritsch, will be junior Stacy Compton and freshman Coley Woyak behind the plate. Rounding out the infield include senior Alicia Massei covering first base, senior Danielle Treiber will cover second base, and junior Kathleen Bonja will cover third base. Returning veterans contributing to the infield include juniors Celine Pujol and Stacy Compton , and sophomore Emily Passovoy. Freshman Carey Casciola helping out at shortstop, as well as freshmen transfers Danielle Duhart and Alexa Baldino may find themselves contributing to the middle infield this season . Junior Nichole Valenzuela returns with her rocket arm and will most likely post up in centerfield. Sophomore Katie Burk is likely to cover the area in left field . Also contributing to a solid outfield line-up in a supporting role include sophomores Kaslin Tucker, Kim Milkovich and freshmen Keely Helbock, Danielle Duhart and Alexa Baldino. Prior to the start of conference on March 31 against Loyola Marymount, the Toreros will have to pass the gauntlet of pre-season ball consisting of 30 games; 15 home games and 15 road

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games. Besides their tournament on March 2-4, San Diego will participate in two tourna–

ments; one at UC Riverside and the other at cross-town rival San Diego State. "Our pre-conference schedule is very challenging and will prepare us to compete for the PCSC title and a post season bid," comments McElvain. "Our schedule is also very geo– graphically diverse, fielding teams from ten different states: California, Rhode Island, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Oregon , New York, Colorado, North Dakota, and Connecticut." Coach McElvain is personally very excited about USD's trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma for a three game series against Oklahoma State, her alma mater. "It will be exciting to coach against the team I played for and show my team where my rural college experience took place," joked McElvain . The Torero's conference opener is on the road on March 31 against Loyola Marymount.

2006 Team Captains (l-r) Danielle Treiber, Alicia Massei, Christina Haake, Virginia Fritsch