Jan. 20, 2005

After the most successful season in program history in 2004, the Baylor softball team hopes a foundation was set that will propel the 2005 version of the Lady Bears to even greater heights. With several experienced and talented players returning, along with the addition of four newcomers, this year's team hopes last season was just a prologue for what might be a storybook ending for the 2005 Baylor Lady Bears.

With seven returning starters and both highly-acclaimed pitchers returning from a squad that went 48-17 and finished fourth in the competitive Big 12 Conference, the Lady Bears have set the bar high for the 2005 season. Within the team's sights are a finish at the top of the Big 12 Conference and a run at the 2005 Women's College World Series. Head coach Glenn Moore understands this may be the most talented team ever to wear the Baylor green and gold and the most capable of reaching its lofty goals.

"We have the most depth we have had since I have been coach," Moore said. "We are deep at almost every position and this may be the most talented team from an offensive standpoint that I have ever coached."

The depth comes in the form of seven returning starters in addition to six returning seniors: Melissa Huffhines, Carrie Leerberg, April Luce, Stephanie Pomes, Cristin Vitek and Kim Wilmoth. With six seniors leading the way, Moore understands one of the big keys for a successful team, leadership, will not be in short supply.

"We have a number of leaders on this year's squad," he said. "The seniors have all experienced success and failure and they have relayed to the underclassmen what it takes to be successful at this level. They have a tremendous work ethic and have passed the trait down to the underclassmen."

With a talented and experienced group anxious for the start of the season, the goals for this year's team are lofty. In fact, this year's team believes it has a shot to do what no other Baylor softball team has accomplished.

"This team believes it can do something special," Moore said. "I do not think they want to settle for anything other than first-place in the Big 12 Conference. They have experienced post-season play at the regional level and I think the team has its sights set on a top-10 finish and a berth at the College World Series. These players feel they can complete with anybody."

Although Baylor had its most successful season in 2004, Moore believes this year's squad will not rest on its laurels and will continue to strive to improve.

"Last season left a bad taste in our mouths," Moore said. "We were so close to beating LSU and coming within a game of the College World Series. I think the team has used the loss as motivation and is hungry after coming up just short."

In order to prepare for the upcoming season, Moore put the Lady Bears under a rigorous training program during the fall practice schedule. The effort each player made during the period has given Moore the belief the 2005 season will be a successful one.

"Every player made an effort to improve during the fall season," Moore said. "We focused on conditioning throughout fall practice and the team worked extremely hard. It was an extremely productive period, which is just a credit to our upperclassmen. I think it shows the team is ready for this season to be a special one."

In order to help the Lady Bears reach their goals in 2005, Moore has created one of the toughest schedules in school history. In addition to the rigors of the Big 12 Conference schedule, Baylor's non-conference slate reads like a who's-who of past College World Series participants.

The 2005 schedule finds three opponents who reached the College World Series last season (Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU) in addition to national-power Arizona, who was ranked at the top of the polls for much of the 2004 season.

Baylor will also face four opponents who participated at last year's NCAA Waco Regional, including Illinois, who eliminated the Lady Bears from the tournament a year ago.

"Our schedule is significantly stronger this year," Moore said. "This could be one of the strongest seasons ever for the Big 12 Conference and we knew we needed to schedule some of the best teams in the country in order for us to be successful in conference play and in the post-season."

PITCHER

Although the 2004 pitching staff put together one of the most impressive seasons in school history, the 2005 Baylor staff has a chance of putting up even better numbers. The reason: depth. Last season, Baylor was forced to go primarily with two pitchers, Vitek and right-handed freshman Lisa Ferguson. Due to a string of injuries to other pitchers, the two were forced to pitch for a combined 97 percent of the team's total innings on the season, tossing 441.1 out of 457.0 innings.

This season, Baylor has added depth at the position which will allow Vitek and Ferguson to toss less innings; and, possibly, be more effective. The depth comes in the form of junior RHP Tessa Lynam, who returns after red-shirting last season due to injury, and newcomers Nicole Jackson and Sarah Hausner.

"The depth of our pitching staff will play a key role in determining how the team performs this season," Moore said. "Hopefully, we will not be forced to use only two or three pitchers throughout the year, which will make every pitcher on our staff more effective when it matters the most at the end of the season."

The added depth could mean an impressive season for Vitek, who had one of the most successful seasons of any pitcher in Baylor history last year. The senior went 31-7 on the year and tied the school record with a 0.89 ERA. Among the many accomplishments, the left-handed hurler was a 2004 USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist and earned first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors and was named a second-team NFCA All-region selection.

In addition, she established the new career strikeout record for Baylor and enters the year with 644 career strikeouts. She became the career leader after a historic performance against North Carolina when she struck out 28 Tar Heels in Baylor's 1-0 win in the first round of the NCAA Softball Championships. The number established new NCAA, Big 12 Conference and Baylor single-game strikeout records as the Lady Bears advanced in the NCAA Tournament.

"Clearly, Cristin (Vitek) is the leader of the staff," Moore said. "She has been working hard to continue her success and should have a tremendous year for us."

Another pitcher who played a key role in the success of the 2004 squad, and should play a large role in determining how far the 2005 team will go, is sophomore Lisa Ferguson. The right-handed fire-baller had one of the most impressive freshman seasons in Baylor history last year, finishing with a record 16-8 and a 1.28 ERA.

Ferguson was also a force in relief for the Lady Bears last season as she finished second in the country and established a new Baylor single-season record with eight saves on the year.

After tossing the first extra-inning no-hitter in school history against Auburn she was named Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week and also earned spots on the Getterman Classic and Compass Bank Invitational All-Tournament teams for performances throughout the year.

"Lisa (Ferguson) has been improving every day since the first day she has stepped on campus," Moore said. "She throws extremely hard and has worked on improving other parts of her game as well. She should have a great year."

Lynam returns inside the circle after red-shirting last season due to a back injury. Although she saw limited duty inside the circle last season before her injury, the junior is looking for a return to the success she saw inside of the circle while at LSU, where she played before transferring to Baylor.

While at LSU, Lynam earned first-team all-Louisiana honors in 2003, and she was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. As a freshman in 2002, Lynam earned all-tournament honors at the NCAA Region 3 Tournament, the SEC Tournament and the Tiger Classic. She was also a first-team all-Louisiana selection as a freshman. In the circle, Lynam posted a 16-3 mark with a 2.24 ERA in 2003, striking out 145 batters in 153.0 innings.

"Tessa (Lynam) has responded well to treatment of her injury and has looked solid so far in practice," Moore said. "If she continues to improve health-wise, then we could see some special things out of her this year."

Rounding out the pitching staff in 2005 are newcomers Nicole Jackson and Sarah Hausner. Jackson, a native of Waco, comes to Baylor following a standout career at Midland High School. The left-handed hurler finished 10-1 with a 0.51 ERA her senior season and was named District 15-4A Pitcher of the Year.

Hausner enters her first season at Baylor after graduating from Seminole State (Okla.) College. While at Seminole State, Hausner posted impressive numbers, going 37-21 her sophomore season, allowing only 96 earned runs in 396 innings pitched. In addition, the junior earned NJCCA National All-Tournament honors during her career."

"Nicole (Jackson) had an outstanding fall while Sarah (Hausner) continues to improve," Moore said. "The pair will provide valuable innings for us this season and should have an impact in several games."

CATCHER

With the departure of last year's starter Danelle Arnold to graduation, the catcher position is one of the few positions where there is competition for a slot in the starting line-up. Looking to fill the spot of Arnold are Huffhines and Erin Sheek.

Both players played a key role in the success of the 2004 squad and it is likely both will see extended time at the position throughout the year in 2005. In fact, with two quality catchers returning, Moore knows fatigue will not be a factor at the spot.

"We have two very capable players who will be playing catcher for us throughout the year," Moore said. "They will push each other during the year and should both have great seasons for us."

Huffhines, who saw most of her time last season at the designated player position, returns after a successful junior season. Throughout the year, she had a knack of driving in big runs for the Lady Bears as she hit game-winning home runs against Sam Houston State and Oklahoma State during the year. In addition to her clutch performances, the senior earned Speedline Classic All-Tournament honors for her play at the tournament in early March.

The senior finished last season with an average of .233 and was third on the team with 21 RBIs and second with three home runs. Her double off the wall in the 16th inning against North Carolina gave Baylor a 1-0 win in its' first-ever NCAA Tournament contest.

Sheek returns after seeing action in 22 games last season. She led all non-regular starters with six RBI a year ago while collecting five hits in 30 at-bats.

FIRST BASE

Sophomore Chelsi Lake gets the nod at first base for the Lady Bears after a strong sophomore season for Baylor. The returning first-team NFCA All-Region selection is looking to follow her strong freshman campaign, where she hit .243 for the Lady Bears while seeing action in 59 contests.

Lake finished the 2004 season fourth on the team with 17 RBI and fifth on the squad with five doubles. The sophomore found her way into the line-up after she delivered a pair of pinch-hit game-winning RBI singles against Kansas and Texas A&M to open conference play.

"Chelsi (Lake) worked extremely hard this off-season and should have an outstanding year," Moore said. "She is poised to have an outstanding year at the plate and should be much improved from a year ago."

Backing up Lake at first base will be freshman Jordan Daniels. Daniels, who hails from Tomball, Texas, comes to Baylor after an outstanding club and high school softball career. She posted a batting average of .500 her senior season and led the team with a .999 fielding percentage.

In addition to Lake and Daniels, Lynam and Luce have seen time at the position in the past and can step in immediately for the Lady Bears if needed.

SECOND BASE

One of last season's great success stories, senior Carrie Leerberg, returns for the Lady Bears and is penciled in as this year's starter at second base. Leerberg followed a disappointing sophomore campaign with one of the best season's for a Baylor second baseman in school history.

The senior led the team and finished fifth in the conference last season with a .372 batting average in 63 games. In addition, the speedster finished tied for the team lead with 28 stolen bases and 29 runs scored. The outstanding year earned her numerous honors as she was selected first-team NFCA All-Region and first-team All-Big 12 Conference for her performance.

"Carrie (Leerberg) had an absolutely phenomenal year last season," Moore said. "She was deserving of All-American status last year. Although she received numerous accolades, she has continued to show a great amount of leadership and has worked hard. She should have another outstanding year."

Backing up Leerberg at second base is sophomore Kylie Conroy. Conroy, a sophomore, returns after a freshman season where she saw action in 26 contests for the Lady Bears. The sophomore finished last season with an average of .308, collecting four hits in 13 at-bats. An effective base-runner, Conroy came into pinch-run several times during the season and finished the year with three stolen bases.

SHORTSTOP

Kim Wilmoth, one of the conference's best shortstops, returns for senior season and is poised for another solid year for the Lady Bears. A defensive standout, Wilmoth, along with Leerberg, looks to provide Baylor with one of the nation's most formidable middle-infields.

Last season, Wilmoth finished third on the team with a .287 batting average and finished third on the team with 28 runs scored. The standout finished the year strong as she was named to the NCAA All-Tournament squad following her performance at the NCAA Softball Regionals.

The senior comes into her final season near the top of several career categories, including stolen bases, where she is Baylor's career leader with 66. A standout in the classroom as well, she is looking to become only the fourth student-athlete in Baylor history to be named CoSIDA Academic All-American for three straight seasons.

"Kim (Wilmoth) is one of the best defensive shortstops in the country," Moore said. "She had a great fall offensively and she looks like she will have an outstanding senior season."

While Wilmoth is the shortstop of the present for Baylor, perhaps the shortstop of the future for the Lady Bears is Wilmoth's back-up, freshman Katie Ottens. Ottens comes to Baylor after posting huge numbers at Hollywood Christian High School in Hollywood, Fla.

The freshman earned all-state honors for three of four seasons at Hollywood Christian and posted a .417 batting average her senior year, recording 33 hits in 84 at-bats while helping lead her team to a 31-1 record and the state championship.

"Katie (Ottens) will give us great depth at the position," Moore said. "She will definitely see some time at the spot this year and will learn a great deal from Kim (Wilmoth)."

THIRD BASE

Pomes, who spent most of last year at third base, and Lynam, return for Baylor to give the Lady Bears two choices for the position throughout the 2005 season. Regardless of who is in the line-up for Baylor at third base on any given day, it is likely the other one will be in the line-up at the designated player position. Both players pose threats at the plate and will see plenty of action during the upcoming season.

"We have a lot of offensive power at third base this season," Moore said. "Stephanie (Pomes) had the best fall season since she has been here and Tessa (Lynam) is a threat to hit a home run every time she steps up to the plate."

Pomes finished last season with a .254 batting average and was tied for the team lead with 23 RBI. She also finished tied for second on the team with three home runs. The senior provided the game-winning two-run home run against Texas A&M in the Big 12 Conference Tournament and also hit a grand slam in a win over Texas during the regular season.

Lynam looks to repeat the success at the plate she had while at LSU where she hit .284 with nine home runs and 38 RBI for the Tigers during her sophomore season.

OUTFIELD

The outfield is the only other position on the team where the Lady Bears lose a starter from a year ago as center-fielder Kelly Levesque is gone following graduation. However, Harmony Schwethelm moves from right to center to fill her spot as Luce is penciled in as the starter in right. In addition, Kelly Osburn returns to her regular role in left field for the Lady Bears.

"I think we have one of the best outfields in the Big 12 Conference," Moore said. "All of our starters possess great defensive skills and can each get the job done at the plate."

If last year is any indication, Moore might be right-on with his assessment of the 2005 Lady Bears outfield. Schwethelm, who earned first-team All-Big 12 Conference and first-team NFCA All-Region honors last season, finished the year with a .355 batting average and was tied for the team lead with 28 stolen bases. In addition, the junior finished fourth on the team with 27 runs scored and second with a .399 on-base percentage.

Osburn, who will likely become Baylor's career home runs leader this season, returns after leading the team with seven round-trippers and 23 RBI a year ago. The second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection finished the year with a .264 average and led the team with a .444 slugging percentage.

Luce, who spent a majority of last season at first base, moves to the outfield after posting solid numbers a year ago. The senior hit .213 last year while adding two home runs and 16 RBI for the Lady Bears.

"All three players had outstanding fall seasons," Moore said. "They are extremely confident in the field and should provide a big spark for our team throughout the year."