Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Look to Rebound in 2004
January 22, 2004 | Softball
Jan. 22, 2004
Entering the 2004 season there is only one thing that Lady Raider softball head coach Bobby Reeves knows for certain -- youth will be served. Texas Tech will enter the season with many new faces and an entirely different-looking roster than the one that ended the 2003 campaign. Eleven newcomers join the program and will have to make an immediate impact in order for the team to be successful. The team will also be led by a pair of new assistant coaches who will inject youth and experience into the program.
The team has a trio of dynamic seniors who will help lead the new players into one of the most competitive conferences in America, the Big 12. Andrea Joachims is a four-year starter, who in addition to providing power and consistency to the batting order, is a defensive standout and will see most of the action at first base. Britney Stolle is a stellar second basemen, who Reeves touts as one of the best fielders on the team. Elyssa Sigala will bring her powerful bat to the line-up for a complete season as her 2003 campaign was cut short due to injury.
Returning to the middle of the line-up is last season's leading hitter Kelly Rhyne. As a sophomore, the outfielder led the team with a .316 batting average, nine home runs and 35 RBI. Junior catcher Lisa Lawler also brings experience to the field as she has started 78 games over the last two seasons for the Lady Raiders and chipped in offensively with a .248 average last season.
"Joachims, Rhyne, Sigala and Lawler should be the heart of our line-up and will be a big part of our success in the spring," Bobby Reeves noted.
In the infield, the team will likely start a pair of freshmen on the left side to complement Joachims and Stolle. Natalie Kula is in position to see much of the playing time at third base and freshman Heather Parker will look to nail down the hole at shortstop. Freshmen Brandy Moulin, Ashleigh Renfro and Tessa Powell will provide depth and flexibility in the infield for the Lady Raiders.
Rhyne will be the team's only returning outfielder. Junior college transfer Natalie Enderlin, who hit .388 for Navarro College last season, should see playing time along with sophomore Amanda Oakes, and freshmen Ashley Parker and Meagan Stewart. Lawler and Heather Parker may also see time in the outfield during the season.
The biggest change for Tech in 2004 will be the pitching staff, which will feature only one returning pitcher from a year ago. Erin Crawford, who was 7-15 with a 2.99 ERA as a freshman in 2003, will be the only familiar face in the bullpen. Another import from Navarro joining the Lady Raiders this season is junior Keely Tucker, who was 11-6 with a 1.19 ERA last season. Sophomore Julie Hauck comes to Tech after pitching for softball powerhouse Florida State. The Yukon, Okla., native made four appearances in 2003, recording a 2.62 ERA with seven strikeouts for the Seminoles. The only freshman of the group is talented right-hander Kassy Planck from Palm Desert, Calif.
Players are not the only new faces in the dugout for the Lady Raiders this season, as the team will be lead by a pair of new assistant coaches. Kellyn Tate moves over to the softball department after serving the prior two years as a graduate assistant for Texas Tech academic services. The 1998 University of Michigan graduate was a third team All-American for the Wolverines during her collegiate playing days. Jenny Kohler was a two-time letter winner for Tech during the 1998-1999 seasons.
The young team will be tested early on as they participate in five tournaments before jumping into play in the elite Big 12 Conference.
"One of the keys to playing in the Big 12 is being prepared," Reeves commented. "All five of the tournaments will help us prepare us for conference play."
The team will quickly adjust to life on the road, as Tech will play 20 of its first 22 games on the road. The Lady Raiders will kick off the first games of the season at "The Rock" on Wednesday February 18th as they host the UTEP Miners in a double header. Tech will kick off its 2004 Big 12 schedule when they welcome the Iowa State Cyclones to the "The Rock" on March 27th.
