The Shepherd University softball team finished with an overall record under the 500 mark last year. In spite of that, they have put their mediocre 2013 season behind them and they are looking to surprise the Mountain East Conference by showcasing their immense talent, earning more wins and achieving a significant level of success in the postseason. The Rams are gearing up for their fast-approaching first game which will take place against Virginia Union in Raleigh, N.C. at the annual Shaw Tournament on Friday, Feb. 21. If you are interested in making the trip, first pitch is at 3 p.m. Last season, despite the obvious amount of talent and potential talent on the roster, the team managed only 23 wins while they suffered 28 losses. The 2013 season can, for the most part, be summed up with one word: consistency. Lengthy winning and losing streaks characterized the season for the Rams. One loss almost always seemed to result in the team immediately losing confidence and momentum thus leading to a string of defeats. The same often proved true, in respect to victories, as one win would commonly result in a streak of wins.
Several players from the 2013 team will be returning for this season and they will be counted on to use their experience and to provide leadership to benefit new players and the rest of the team. Junior outfielder Tayler Schaefer will return for the 2014 season and will be a critical part to the Rams’ offense as she led the team with 62 hits, a .451 on base percentage and a .395 batting average in 2013. In addition, she scored 36 runs and hit three game-changing home runs last year. Junior catcher and third baseman Savannah Snyder will return and is looking to replicate her 2013 season during which she led the team in slugging percentage, runs scored, home runs and triples. Pitcher Tiffany Biggs was the Shepherd softball team’s top arm in 2013. However, she will not be on the mound for the Rams this season. Nonetheless, skilled sophomore pitcher Shannon Lyons has the experience to fill the void left by Biggs and she has the opportunity to be this pitching staff’s ace for 2014. Last year, she recorded a .480 win-loss percentage while leading the team in wins, games started, games finished, innings pitched and games in relief. However, she also led the team with 26 wild pitches and 22 hit batters, so there is still room for improvement in some parts of her pitching repertoire. Moreover, the Shepherd softball team recruited several new freshman players during the off-season including Karly Pence, Alexandra Witt, Tara Hanson, Rubie Tefeteller, Rachel Kline, Kristen Barstad and Jennifer Schofield.
The 2014 Mountain East Conference softball preseason poll, which is voted on by the leagues coaches, was released on Feb. 4. The West Virginia State Yellow Jackets collected 10 of the possible 12 first place votes and were selected to win the leagues inaugural softball championship. After posting a record of 42–14 and advancing to the NCAA tournament last season, they are the clear preseason favorite while the Shepherd University softball team received none of the first place votes and has been picked to finish sixth in this poll. It is obvious the rest of the league is not expecting much from the Rams; however, they may very well be mistaken. Shepherd softball fans should be optimistic and excited for the upcoming season as success for this team is fast approaching.