Women's Softball Coach Has High Expectations
Published 03.21.2006
Pennsylvania College of Technology women's softball coach Roger Harris has seven returnees on his 12-player roster and he's confident that good things lie ahead for his squad this season.
The Lady Wildcats open at 2 p.m. Thursday hosting the Elmira (N.Y.) College jayvees at Elm Park.
"We have a very well-rounded team. We have some very good pitching and a solid defense. I have a lot of girls who have been playing ball since they were 12 years old, so I expect a lot out of this team this year and I think I'm going to get it," said Harris, in his fifth year as coach.
Returnees from last year's team that finished 9-10 are catcher Annie Allton (sophomore/York Catholic), left fielder Jenny Berry (senior/Harleysville), first baseman-pitcher Theresa D'Andrea (senior/Weatherly), shortstop Bethany Hoffman (senior/Richfield), right fielder Jennifer Miller (senior/Bellefonte), first baseman Ann Marie Prosser (junior/Elizabethtown) and center fielder Theresa Witherson (junior/DuBois). Hoffman earned all-Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association honors a year ago and D'Andrea was named all-Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference.
Freshmen include left fielder Rebecca Barnhart (Northumberland), Amy Kawchak (Johnstown), Chelsea Lyons (Howard), third baseman Marley Sampsell (Julian) and pitcher Jennifer Vanderpool (Towanda).
"Jennifer did a great job last year at Towanda and we expect her to carry a lot of the pitching load," Harris said. "She is a good pitcher and brings a great record with her."
"We think we have a good, solid infield with the additions of Marley Sampsell and Chelsea Lyons," continued the coach, who is assisted by Lynette Murray.
"We have a lot of speed in the outfield," Harris said, adding that the team should be solid on both offense and defense.
Although Penn College will be competing in the Penn State University Athletic Conference for the first time against some "unknown" competition, Harris is hopeful of reaching the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.
A complete roster and season schedule are available on the college's athletics Web site .