Concordia Softball Seniors Eyeing Postseason Success
PORTLAND, Ore. –For the Concordia women’s softball team in 2009, the magic number is 2,470 – which is also known as the number how many miles it is from Portland to Alabama, the site of the 2009 NAIA Softball Championships.
“For our girls, there is no pressure to reach the national tournament,” Concordia head coach Carrie Kosderka-Farrell said. “For them, they look at the national tournament as another game on the schedule. It’s a goal they are dead set on achieving.”
To aid in earning a trip to Decatur, Ala., for the national tournament, Kosderka-Farrell will rely on eight seniors and a strong recruiting class with several instant impact newcomers. It all adds up to a promising and intriguing season for the Navy and White.
The coaches of the Cascade Collegiate Conference have taken notice to what the Cavs are doing and recently voted Concordia second in the preseason poll.
“I’ve always said that I don’t necessarily want to be at the top when the (preseason) poll comes out,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “I have a lot of respect for OIT (CCC preseason favorite) and what they’re doing down there, but we feel very good about our chances this year.”
The Cavs return a solid core of eight seniors, many who have been in the program for four years and have been with Kosderka-Farrell for the bulk of her six seasons at the helm at CU.
“Most have been with me four years and have helped build the program,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “They are absolutely great kids, great role models and intense competitors.”
Leading the way for the Cavs this year will be a nucleus of seniors including Denise Benedict, Janelle Cristifaro, Samantha Daline, Nicole Illias, Rebekah Wirkkala, Shalina Morris and Jen Marquette.
“Denise is kind of the rock of our program,” Kosderka-Farrell said of her fifth-year senior shortstop. “She had a big season last year after coming of a torn ACL and this will be the first year we have her the whole spring, instead of waiting for the basketball season to end. We have high expectations for her and she has high expectations for herself.”
Benedict, Cristifaro and Illias all made the All-Region I team last year in addition to All-Cascade Conference honors. Benedict led the team with a .417 batting average. Cristifaro battled injuries but still managed to put up a .396 batting average and will see time in the outfield and at the DH.
“Her bat will be in the lineup,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “She maybe in the outfield, she maybe at DH, but her bat will be out there every day.”
Meanwhile from the catcher position, Illias was third on the team in batting average with a .394 average.
The pitchers circle will once again be dominated by Pulfrey, a flame-throwing strikeout machine from Hillsboro, Ore. As a sophomore, Pulfrey led the conference in innings and strikeouts en route to all-conference honors. Combined with Illias’ ability to call games from behind the plate, two of the most important positions on the field are in capable hands.
“Danielle has added to her repertoire each year here,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “She has added a change-up and when you are throwing 65 miles per hour, that’s a devastating pitch. She also has her other go-to pitch, the screwball. She is tough to hit”
Assisting Pulfrey behind the plate is Illias, a strong-armed and smart backstop who manages the personalities of pitchers well.
“Nicole calls a very good game,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “She has helped with Danielle’s improvement but she just knows how to read the situation and make the right calls.”
The corner spots in the infield will be handled ably by two more seniors in Wirkkala and Daline.
“Those two have great gloves and are great players,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “Rebekah is our emotional leader, a very caring player. Sam has become a dominant infielder and one of the best in the conference. She has a confidence about her and we look for her to have a breakout season.”
Wirkkala had a solid junior campaign and has been consistent since arriving on campus. She batted .307 in both her junior and sophomore campaigns and adds another tough out to a devastating lineup.
Junior Tina Garcia returns after a breakout campaign as a sophomore. The Concord, Calif., native was fourth on the team with a .337 batting average in 35 games played after appearing in 19 games as a freshman.
While the infield is full of experience and elder statesmen, the outfield is reasonably green. Talented, but green. Two-newcomers, Kayla Vickaryous and Becca Gawlista will roam left field and center field.
Gawlista, a junior, transferred to Concordia after two stellar seasons at Midland (Tex.) College where she helped lead the Chaparrals to the National Junior College softball national tournament. She batted .458 as a sophomore for the Chaps and played in the national tournament with a torn ACL.
In left, Kosderka-Farrell turns to Vickaryous, a sophomore transfer from Lower Columbia University.
“Becca and Kayla are huge additions to our team,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “They bring great speed and intensity to the outfield. They are very similar in their attitudes and their approach to softball.”
Right field remains up for grabs with Cristifaro and another newcomer, Robin Gawlista seeing most of the time in that spot. Senior Jen Marquette and freshman Tara Baglai will add depth and versatility to the outfield.
Other new additions to the roster include sophomore pitcher Bethany Dempster who will give Kosderka-Farrell solid innings to spell Pulfrey and Crater (Ore.) graduate Breyanna Reed who will see time in the pitchers circle as well. Baglai, a freshman from Valley Catholic (Beaverton, Ore.) is a two-time 4A Player of the Year in the State of Oregon and will add more depth to the outfield and behind the plate to spell Illias.
“This group of kids all come from successful programs,” Kosderka-Farrell said of her newest additions. “Three have won back-to-back state championships in high school and they have the attitude to win. They know how to win.”
Overall, Kosderka-Farrell will have a solid group to make run at the conference championship and beyond. And, perhaps more importantly, the team doesn’t need reminders from the coach to take care of business. A core group of returners, strengthened by a battle-tested and elite pack of newcomers makes the 2009 season a season of great promise.
“They want the national tournament badly,” Kosderka-Farrell said. “They’ve been improving every year and they have an intense determination to get there.”