Pioneer softball recruits for the future
Jared Wilkes
Issue date: 2/24/10 Section: Sports
Expectations are high for the MNU softball team, coming off a successful season and an appearance in the HAAC postseason.
"We want to finish with 30 wins and top four in the conference," head coach Steven Babinski said.
With only three seniors returning, Babinski and his coaching staff brought in five junior college transfers to offset the youth movement.
"Even though there is a lot of new faces, inexperience is not a problem," Babiniski said. " All five were standouts at their junior colleges and are surrounded by a very solid squad."
The Pioneers will add more players to next year's roster as they signed five for the 2010-11 season.
"Our new Pioneers are outstanding," Babinski said." We added speed, power and talent."
Three of the new signees are from California and the other two are from Missouri.
Scoring runs are key for another successful season for the Pioneers.
"We are extremely talented this year and have more weapons on offense so the runs should come. It takes pressure off our pitching staff and allows us to play in the in the lead," Babinski said.
The Pioneers looked promising this weekend as they opened up the 2010 season in Batesville, AR, winning 3 out of 4.
The Pioneers defeated Southern Nazarene University in their first game 4-3. Down 3-0 going into the 6th inning, the Pioneers rallied with the first two batters reaching on an error and base hit, junior Brianna Payne laid down a sacrifice bunt scoring sophomore Cait Gardener for MNU's first run of the game.
After Ashley Saiter ground out RBI, the Pioneers trailed 2-3, with runners in scoring position, when Junior College transfer Jennifer Costa lined a shot to right field tying the game at 3-3.
Freshman Leslie Jones stepped up to the plate singling up the middle scoring Costa giving the Lady Pioneers the lead for good 4-3. Senior pitcher Penny Eastman, earned her first win of the season, throwing a complete game, giving up five hits, four walks, one earned run, and 13 strikeouts.
The next game was a different outcome as the Lady Pioneers were shutout 0-5 by Central Baptist College. Mustang sophomore pitcher Jessica Book only allowed two base runners, getting the win while Pioneer pitcher Jennifer Costa lost her first game of the season giving up five runs on seven hits, two walks and striking out nine.
The Pioneers bounced back Saturday morning smashing Kansas Wesleyan 9-1 in the first game and winning a close game against Lyon College (Ark.) 1-0 later that day, improving to 3-1 on the season.
Their next action is Feb. 26 as the Lady Pioneers host the MNU Softball Tournament at Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park. MNU will play back-to-back-to-back games starting at 2:30 p.m. against Northwestern College, Peru State and Haskell.
"We want to finish with 30 wins and top four in the conference," head coach Steven Babinski said.
With only three seniors returning, Babinski and his coaching staff brought in five junior college transfers to offset the youth movement.
"Even though there is a lot of new faces, inexperience is not a problem," Babiniski said. " All five were standouts at their junior colleges and are surrounded by a very solid squad."
The Pioneers will add more players to next year's roster as they signed five for the 2010-11 season.
"Our new Pioneers are outstanding," Babinski said." We added speed, power and talent."
Three of the new signees are from California and the other two are from Missouri.
Scoring runs are key for another successful season for the Pioneers.
"We are extremely talented this year and have more weapons on offense so the runs should come. It takes pressure off our pitching staff and allows us to play in the in the lead," Babinski said.
The Pioneers looked promising this weekend as they opened up the 2010 season in Batesville, AR, winning 3 out of 4.
The Pioneers defeated Southern Nazarene University in their first game 4-3. Down 3-0 going into the 6th inning, the Pioneers rallied with the first two batters reaching on an error and base hit, junior Brianna Payne laid down a sacrifice bunt scoring sophomore Cait Gardener for MNU's first run of the game.
After Ashley Saiter ground out RBI, the Pioneers trailed 2-3, with runners in scoring position, when Junior College transfer Jennifer Costa lined a shot to right field tying the game at 3-3.
Freshman Leslie Jones stepped up to the plate singling up the middle scoring Costa giving the Lady Pioneers the lead for good 4-3. Senior pitcher Penny Eastman, earned her first win of the season, throwing a complete game, giving up five hits, four walks, one earned run, and 13 strikeouts.
The next game was a different outcome as the Lady Pioneers were shutout 0-5 by Central Baptist College. Mustang sophomore pitcher Jessica Book only allowed two base runners, getting the win while Pioneer pitcher Jennifer Costa lost her first game of the season giving up five runs on seven hits, two walks and striking out nine.
The Pioneers bounced back Saturday morning smashing Kansas Wesleyan 9-1 in the first game and winning a close game against Lyon College (Ark.) 1-0 later that day, improving to 3-1 on the season.
Their next action is Feb. 26 as the Lady Pioneers host the MNU Softball Tournament at Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park. MNU will play back-to-back-to-back games starting at 2:30 p.m. against Northwestern College, Peru State and Haskell.
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