Lake Forest College Softball
News & Notes
 
2000 Season Preview:
"Foresters Focused on MWC Tournament"
     After being eliminated from the Midwest Conference tournament race on the last weekend of the season the last two years, fourth-year Head Coach Diane Kanney believes the learning curve of her Forester softball squad is pointed squarely on an appearance in the 2000 Conference Tournament.  "The last two seasons have ended somewhat disappointingly, especially last year because we had the talent to do well in the conference tournament.  But I'm happy with the progression of this team and we're now more ready than ever to play for a conference championship."
     The Foresters got a taste first place last season.  They occupied the top spot in the Midwest Conference South Division the entire year and finished the season in a four-way tie for first place, but tie-breaking procedures kept Lake Forest out of the conference tournament, which takes the top two teams from both the South and North divisions.
     The Foresters also have the momentum of a strong finish to the '99 season to accompany them into their 2000 campaign.  After struggling through a 2-12 start to the '99 season the Foresters caught fire in April and rattled off nine wins in their next 12 games, including an extended weekend in which they won five of six conference games in four days.  Overall, they finished the season by winning 9 of their final 14 games.  "One of our goals is to get off to a better start to the season," commented Coach Kanney.  "We lost a lot of close games early last season.  This year, we'll be that much more experienced and better prepared to win more of those close games.  We'll take a different approach to the '99 season."
     Sophomore third baseman Kara Ellerby and junior Kim Magee, a left fielder and co-captain for 2000, will not only patrol the left side of the Foresters' defense in 2000, but one of the two led the team in nearly every offensive category in 1999.  Ellerby hit .426 with a .500 slugging percentage, and Magee hit .351 with 19 runs scored, 17 runs batted in, 5 doubles, and 2 homeruns.  "Both Kara and Kim are packed with power," adds Coach Kanney.  "Kara is not only extremely talented, but she's fundamentally sound and makes good decisions at the plate.  Kim is a threat at the plate, but she's even more dangerous on the base paths."  Magee stole a team-high 11 bases last season while being thrown out just once.  Magee was a 1999 first-team All-Midwest Conference selection and Ellerby was an All-Great Lakes region third team member.
     Cari Poznansky, a senior, is the Foresters' top returnee on the mound.  She recovered from a shoulder injury, which caused her to miss the entire '98 season, to register a 3.50 ERA and lost just once (3-1) in conference play.  "As successful as Cari was last year, she still wasn't at full strength.  After another full off-season of strengthening and rehab she should be at or near 100%."
     A pair of sophomores - centerfielder Erin Valentour and second baseman Megan Smith - along with senior co-captain Jessie Griffin and junior Karla Gribble, are also back for the 2000 season.  Valentour hit .308 with 12 runs scored last season, while Smith hit from the Forester's leadoff spot nearly all season and registered 18 hits in 23 games.  Griffin had a .368 on-base percentage and Gribble had 20 hits and drew 10 walks last season.
     Coach Kanney feels good about the nucleus of her returnees, "We've got some good softball players coming back and we're starting to develop some solid experience.  If we can learn a few lessons from last season and improve as a unit, we've got the talent to compete for a conference championship."