FIGHTING TIGER SOFTBALL CASTS EYES TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL SEASON

The SUNY Cobleskill women’s softball team will enter the 2007 campaign armed with a deeper pitching staff, more experienced position players and potentially more offense on the roster as they look to improve upon a 2006 season that saw them finish 5-15 overall with a 4-12 mark in Mountain Valley Conference play.

Leading an experienced Fighting Tiger offense will be the bats of senior first baseman Michelle Radley, Averill Park, NY, Averill Park High School, who batted .394 with four RBI as a freshman and senior shortstop Kim McMillen, Greenville, NY, Greenville High School, who batted .353 as a rookie. Senior outfielder Leah Trombley, Chazy, NY, Northeastern Clinton High School, returns after spending last year on the injured list hoping to return to her 2005 numbers which saw her hit .444 with eight RBI while senior second baseman/pitcher Kaitlyn Myhre, Greenville, NY, Greenville High School, brings her .315 batting average to the line-up. Also returning for the Orange & Black are senior outfielder Sharon Fitzgerald, Greenville, NY, Greenville High School, who batted .272 with six RBI and senior pitcher Erin Seyforth, Hamden, NY, Delaware Academy, who batted .286 on the year.

Among the newcomers local products: freshman third baseman Kayla Jones, Cobleskill, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, freshman pitcher Janice Stuart, Richmondville, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, should provide additional offense, solid defense and pitching depth to the squad while freshman outfielder Meghan Newton, Torrington, CT, Wamago High School, looks like an opening day starter.

Behind the plate the duo of freshman Kayla Milnyzak, Northville, NY, Northville High School, and freshman Jullian Kotula, Shelter Island, NY, Shelter Island High School, appear to be an upgrade on paper over last season. Freshman pitcher/second baseman Anastasia Yakaboski, Calverton, NY, Riverhead High School, has been designated the opening day starter and should be the Fighting Tigers number one pitcher to start the season.

“We should be much better in the pitching department this year because of our depth and our experience in the infield with Michelle Radley at first base and Kim McMillen at shortstop should help us immeasurably,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Mary Hamm. “We look good on paper right now but we’ll know more when we face some quality live pitching and start playing for real.”

The Fighting Tigers will open the season on Tuesday April 10th when they host the Twins of Columbia-Greene Community College for their home and Mountain Valley Conference opener at the college’s Fighting Tiger Park beginning at 3:00 PM.