Cal State San Marcos Softball:  2010 Season Preview
By Kyle Trembley, 1/19/10

Cal State San Marcos softball is coming home.

For the three years of its existence, CSUSM softball has played and practiced at Mission Hills High School.  Though the field is just a few minutes from campus, and hundreds of fans have showed up for big home games, the team has never enjoyed a true home-field advantage.

Until now.

Head Coach Dave Williams, who joined the University last summer, made completing the field on campus his top priority from day one.  With help from the Athletics Department and generous contributions from parents, companies, and community members, the long-planned field was built from the ground-up in just a few short months. 

Located on campus just behind the Clarke Field House in the University's large dirt "front yard," the tentatively-named CSUSM Softball Field will play host to every softball home game this year - 24 total games across 12 home dates, starting on January 30^th.

As for the team that will call the field home, Coach Williams is confident that this year's veteran-heavy squad has the talent and experience necessary to earn the program's first trip to Nationals.  He would know - after taking over as Head Coach at Point Loma in 1998, his teams posted seven 40-win seasons, three 50-win seasons, and two NAIA National Runner-Up finishes.  Under Williams, Point Loma has placed in the top-10 at Nationals every year since 2001, and took fifth last year.

For the Cougars, last year was the program's most successful to date.  The squad went 34-23, earning a trip to the A.I.I. Conference Tournament and making it all the way to the finals before being defeated by the University of Houston -Victoria.  CSUSM finished the season ranked #20 nationally.

While the home game setting will be entirely different in 2010, Cougar fans will recognize most everyone taking the field.  Thanks to the youth on last year's team, only two of the squad's sixteen players are newcomers.

It's no secret that softball starts with pitching, and CSUSM is blessed with an outstanding #1 starter:  Brenna Sandberg.  The junior righty throws with pinpoint control and excellent movement.  In 2009, Sandberg went 11-6 with a 1.52 ERA in 110.1 innings pitched.  She struck out 94 batters and surrendered just 8 walks, and was an All-Conference selection.

"Brenna is a legitimate #1 pitcher," commented Coach Williams.

Perhaps Sandberg's most impressive trait is that she rises to the level of competition.  In 2009, she posted wins over #1 Cal Baptist and #2 Point Loma; and in the fall, she allowed just one unearned run over seven innings to San Diego State, a top-25 NCAA Division I team.

Joining Sandberg on the mound will be a pair of veteran pitchers for the team.  Ciera Ashman, a top-of-the-lineup hitter and everyday outfielder, showed signs of tremendous talent last season in limited work.  The sophomore lefty was 3-2 with a 2.44 ERA on the year in 37.1 innings pitched.

"Ciera had moments of brilliance in the fall," said Williams.  "If she develops consistency, she will be very good."

Junior Chanel Rose should also get her first chance at extended playing time on the mound.  The junior righty was 2-1 with a 2.47 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched in 2009.

"Chanel's velocity has improved, and she's working on her changeup," noted Williams.  "She just needs experience."

In the field, the crucial catcher position will be handled by junior Kimi Villalpando.  Villalpando saw limited action last season, but Coach Williams loves her technical skills behind the plate.

"The number one job for a catcher is to catch the ball, and Kimi is the best I've seen in years," said Williams.  "Her hitting really picked up in the fall as well."

Also seeing time behind the plate will be Tasha Stokes and Mimi Krutein.  Stokes, a senior, is "consistent, confident, and a clutch hitter," according to Coach Williams; while Krutein has one of the strongest arms on the team, and is working on her footwork and hitting.

At first base, multiple hard-hitters may see playing time.  Junior Lauren Nelson, coming off a breakout season in which she hit .345 and was second on the team with 25 RBI, figures to be an everyday presence in the middle of the lineup.  She was an All-Conference selection in 2009.

Newcomer Erin Emde may play first as well.  The senior transfer batted in the middle of the lineup for NCAA school UC Davis last season, and should be a big-time bat for the Cougars.  A high school pitcher, Emde may also see time on the mound.

Fellow newcomer Sandra Rodriguez will get her chance as well.  The lefty freshman transferred from Cal State Fullerton, and demonstrates excellent athletic ability and maturity beyond her years, according to Coach Williams. 

And Alyssa Dronenburg, who may play outfield or first base, will once again provide the pop in the Cougar lineup.  An All-Conference selection as a true freshman in 2009, Dronenburg led the team with a .348 batting average, 10 home runs, and 33 RBI.

"Alyssa is a legit #4 hitter with tremendous power and good athletic ability," said Coach Williams.  "I love her intensity - she is really serious when the game is on."

At second base, super-steady Erica Coelho will continue to patrol the spot she's played since the program's first-ever season.  The senior started 50 games last season, hitting .273 with 23 RBI.  She will likely be batting behind the big middle-of-the-lineup hitters, so expect that RBI total to surge.

Junior Shanti Poston will be moving from third to shortstop this season, where she'll continue to be a regular in the lineup.  Nicknamed "Hoover" for her defensive prowess, Poston was a rock at third base last season, and Coach Williams believes her skills will translate to the crucial shortstop position.

"Shanti is a great all-around athlete who fields the ball very well," noted Williams.

At third, then, will be Ashley Estepa.  The sophomore came to CSUSM as a second baseman, moved to left field in 2009, and will now be back in the infield this spring.  Though not necessarily an imposing figure at the plate, Estepa packs a surprising amount of pop, hitting .270 with 2 home runs and 23 RBI last season.  Coach Williams likes her potential at the new position.

"Ashley has very quick feet and very good hands," he said.  "She'll develop into a really good infielder."

In centerfield, Elizabeth Bush begins her fourth year as a starter for the Cougars.  She'll be a "good, strong, athletic presence" in both the field and at the plate, according to Coach Williams.  Bush will join Ashman at the top of the lineup, where Williams is calling on them to combine to produce at least one run per game.

When fans last saw Alicia Ingram, she was playing shortstop and batting right handed.  This year, the sophomore will be a left-handed slap hitter playing outfield.  She brings tremendous speed to the lineup, and excellent range and an accurate arm to the outfield.

Senior Lindsey Preovolos will play in the outfield as well, moving from the catcher spot she's been in since the program's inception.  A team leader, Preovolos has been a good clutch hitter for the squad for the last three years.

All together, this year's Cougar lineup should be balanced nicely with speed at the top and bottom (Bush, Ashman, and Ingram), power in the middle (Nelson, Dronenburg, and Emde), and solid contact hitters throughout.   With so many returners, Coach Williams expects the team to gel quickly into a force in the NAIA.

"I expect to be in Decatur, Alabama in May for Nationals," stated Williams, "and our goal is to compete in the Elite 8."

While the team will have to earn the right to travel to Decatur, they at least know that this season, for the first time, they have a field to truly call home.