The Ball State softball team will be in a much different position this season. Last season, the Cardinals fielded a veteran pitching rotation headed up by southpaw ace Randi Freese.
Freese, however, will be redshirted this spring as she suffered slight tears in her shoulder cartilage during the off-season and will sit out, nursing the injury. She will return to play with two years of eligibility next fall.
"(Randi) will really focus on what our pitchers are doing and what they need to do," seven-year head coach Terri Laux said.
"She (will be) kind of like our extra pitching coach," senior Cortney Winger said.
Last year Freese posted an 11-12 record and 2.89 ERA. She pitched in 30 of the Cards' 45 games, starting 22 of them, and logging 145 1/3 innings.
The starting rotation will be comprised mainly of a quartet of pitchers in 2003. Winger (9-8, 2.20, 98 2/3 innings), sophomore Amy Brownfield (3-2, 2.73 64 innings) and freshman newcomers Quincy Doran and Nicki Hellem will all see time on the mound during the year.
No rotation has been determined at this time, according to Coach Laux. The Cardinals will employ a "pitching by committee" strategy throughout the year, Laux said.
"All of our pitchers have different strengths," she said. "But to be honest, I don't know if anyone will pitch for seven innings this season."
"I think we're pretty solid; it'll be hard to replace (Freese's) left-handed pitching though," Winger said. "We're still really young, but we may keep the same type of rotation. We put more than one pitcher in the game."
Laux said the team's four pitchers all have varying strengths, which can be utilized in different game situations. Laux said she would not hesitate when it came to putting freshmen Doran and Hellem in the game.
"Everybody has to step it up," she said. "Quincy (Doran) and Nicki (Hellem) are very hungry to compete at this level."
The coach said all four pitchers would see time coming out of the bullpen as well and would have opportunities during the season.
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