For the Grace College softball team, experience will be a key this year.

In a conference in which first through seventh place were separated by just three games in the final standings, the Lancers will look to break out of the pack with a nucleus of six players who saw regular time in the lineup last year.

Grace ended in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Mid-Central Conference at 7-7 overall, while Bethel won the MCC at 10-4. The Lancers also finished 16-18 on the season after opening with a 2-11 record. With every pitcher returning and four players who hit at least .328, there is reason for optimism.

"With four seniors coming back, it makes you feel more comfortable," head coach Stephen Liebsch, entering his fourth season with a career record of 44-58, said. "Especially when you consider they are playing key positions at catcher, pitcher, left field and center field."

The pitching will certainly be the anchor for this team. Senior Rachel Liebsch, Liebsch's daughter, and junior Nicole Chessum were among the nation's leaders in numerous categories.

Chessum was second in the NCCAA in strikeouts (7.91 per game), and Liebsch ended 10th in strikeouts (4.84 per game) and 20th in ERA (1.96). Chessum was named first-team all-conference and MCC All-Tournament.

Adding offense and defense to the equation will be a handful of players. At catcher, Shannon Haskins returns for her senior season. She hit .355 last year and has a career average of .330. She was named all-conference after scoring 17 runs and driving home 12.

Seniors Kelli Irish and Elicia Defreez will play leftfield and centerfield respectively to give the Lancers one of the quickest and best outfield pairs in the conference. Irish hit .328 last year and stole a team-high 15 bases, while Defreez struggled and hit just .235. However, she did hit .347 as a junior and will look to bounce back. Irish was named both all-conference and MCC All-Tournament.

In the infield, junior Christina Clark will play first base. As a freshman, she hit .357 and last year, she hit .343. She was named MCC All-Tournament after going 7-for-13 with three stolen bases.

"We don't have one dominant player," Liebsch said. "What we do have is a steady group of players who have performed well together in the past. Our teamwork may be our strength."

The Lancers often played to the level of their competition during the 2000 season. The women swept NCAA Division I Valparaiso and went 3-1 against NCAA Division II schools, but struggled against NCAA Division III and NAIA schools with an 11-17 record.

"We have usually played to the level of our competition," Liebsch said. "When we played DI and DII, we were 5-1. If we can play at that high level and jell together with the newcomers, we will have a lot of potential."

Grace will rely on numerous newcomers to fill out the roster and provide much-needed depth.

Freshman Amy Smith comes from Muncie Central High School and will be the Lancers' third pitcher when called upon. At catcher, Nicole Allen and Kim Jefferies provide depth that Grace hasn't had in the past. Liebsch can now afford to rest Haskins, which should help her durability.

Meredith Simpson, a sophomore who played in just 15 games last year, will play second base for the Lancers. Haskins will fill in at second also when she needs a break from behind the plate.

Sarah Brosey, another sophomore, will take over at shortstop. She played in 19 games last year backing up graduating senior Tami Romagnoli. Freshman Emily Rummel will also play there.

At third base, sophomore Sarah Steinmeyer and freshman Autumn Gross will split time. Steinmeyer played in just 11 games last year, while Gross comes to the Lady Lancers from Hamilton Heights High School.

In right field, the only outfield position up for grabs, Abby Dean, Kim Jefferies, Lori Marvin and Michelle Doran will battle for time. All four are newcomers to the team, but Jefferies is a sophomore in eligibility.

Grace opens the season February today at the Lambuth Tournament and will follow that by playing in the Kentucky Games March 2-3. The Lancers will open home play at Miller Field at 3 p.m. March 29 against Goshen.

Grace College Softball

2001 Roster

No. Name Pos. Yr. Hometown High School

3 Sarah Steinmeyer 3B So. Rochester, IN Rochester

6 Kelli Irish OF Sr. Xenia, OH Heritage Christian

7 Emily Rummel IF Fr. Bainbridge, PA Mount Calvary Chr.

9 Sarah Brosey IF So. Bainbridge, PA Elizabethtown Area

10 Amy Smith P Fr. Muncie, IN Muncie Central

11 Elicia Defreez CF Sr. Galien, MI Galien

12 Christina Clark 1B Jr. Delaware, OH Delaware Christian

13 Nicole Allen C Fr. LaPorte, IN LaPorte

14 Meredith Simpson 2B So. Galion, OH Galion

15 Kim Jefferies OF/C So. Plymouth, IN Plymouth

16 Rachel Liebsch P Sr. Warsaw, IN Warsaw Community

18 Abby Dean OF Fr. Clinton Twp, MI Homeschooled

20 Nicole Chessum P Jr. Wheaton, IL Worthington Chr.

21 Lori Marvin OF Fr. Elkhart, IN Elkhart Baptist

22 Shannon Haskins C/Ut Sr. Bourbonnais, IL Bradley Bourbonnais

30 Autumn Gross 3B Fr. Arcadia, IN Hamilton Heights

N/A Michelle Doran RF Fr. Waterford, MI Southfield Christian

Head coach - Stephen Liebsch [[In-content Ad]]