FSCC softball has optimism, many new faces

Kristin Schalk heads into her second year as the head coach of the Fort Scott Community College softball team, greeting the new year with optimism and a squad dominated by first-year players.

Schalk, in her fourth year in collegiate coaching after an earlier stint as an assistant at Ottawa University, is assisted by new coach Genna Stambaugh, herself a former Greyhound. They greet a roster of 16 players, 14 of whom are freshmen, with an eye on improving on last year's 2-36 mark.

This year's group has already made its mark in the classroom in the fall, compiling a 3.4 GPA in the fall semester with three perfect 4.0 students. Last year's team recorded a 3.29 GPA and ranked as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top Ten Team. FSCC had five Academic All-America players, including current player Leah Zimmerman.

Schalk hopes her team can replicate that classroom success on the field.

"(They're) a young team, full of energy and passion for the game of softball," Schalk said about her Greyhounds. "They are comprised of a group of talented young ladies from Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

"I think we have great potential. Both of my sophomores had good years last year and many of my freshmen are coming off of very successful senior years of high school and travel ball. They mesh very well and are close on and off the field and that can make a huge difference in the success of a team.

Youth will be one of the things to overcome initially as they season gets underway. The Greyhounds also have just two healthy pitchers right now as the third one is injured.

But the pair of "veterans," Lizzie Aller and Leah Zimmerman, are already providing sophomore leadership, Schalk said.

"Both ladies excel with their different styles of leadership," she says. "The freshmen rely heavily on them and they do a great job."

The coach is hoping FSCC can combat its lack of experience with a deep bench of interchangeable players.

"One of our biggest strengths is the versatility of this team," Schalk said. "Most of the ladies can play at least two positions if not three.

"We also have a great deal of speed on the team. Running and forcing other teams to make mistakes on defense will be a strength of ours."

The coaches expect that each member of the team will play a key role.

It starts though, with Aller, from Lees Summitt, Mo., and Fort Scott native Zimmerman.

"They are the veterans, with speed and versatility, who had successful freshman seasons," noted Schalk. "Both picked up right where they left off last spring and have continued to get better throughout the off season. Both received offers from good four-year institutions, showing that their success is not unnoticed. "

Aller has already signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball at NCAA Division II Lincoln University next year. She stole 37 bases in 39 tries, a .948 success ratio, in 2013, which was 12th-best in the nation. She started all 38 games in the leadoff spot of the batting order, playing 25 games at shortstop, 12 behind the plate and one at second.

She compiled a .456 batting average and an on base percentage of .491. She scored 26 runs and had 47 hits.

Zimmerman started all 38 games as well in 2013. She wound up with a .329 batting average from the No. 9 spot in the order, a .387 on base percentage and nine steals to go with 28 hits, 10 runs and 8 walks.

"The freshmen 14 will also have a large impact," Schalk added, pointing to Ashley Lake, Liz Clark and Alex Yeoman. "They add a great deal of speed to the lineup on the base paths." she said of the trio.

"Bailey Seetin, Kalee Ewbank, and Akoda Black are all multi-position infielders with solid gloves that will anchor down the infield.

"Samantha Bennett, Payton Hays and Stephanie Evans are rock solid in the outfield, while Julie Gross and Paighton Brock have a great deal of run scoring power at the plate.

All all-freshman pitching staff of Randi Glover, Fort Scott High graduate Kelsey Simons and Christa Merriman will form a "left-right-left" attack on the mound. Left-handed pitchers aren't common in college softball, so opposing batters should have some problems with handling the Greyhound staff.

The coach said she expects to bring in 10 more players the following year, and has nine signees thus far for the 2014 class.

The Greyhounds will have their work cut out, with a challenging schedule.

"Cowley County, Highland, Labette County and Johnson County will be our top competition this year," noted Schalk. "Cowley and Highland attended nationals together for the second year in a row in 2013 and are both ranked in the nation's top 10 preseason poll.

"These four teams are also the top four finishers from last year and preseason rankings for this year. "

Even so, Schalk believes her team can be competitive.

"Because we are so young, the key for our success this year is 'keeping it simple.' Many of the ladies have learned new skills this fall and in the off season, as well as learning to do other things a different way.

"As long as we do the little, routine things correctly, 'keeping it simple,' I think we could find great success."

NOTES -- Fort Scott had to postpone its opening doubleheader with Muscatine Community College Feb. 7 due to weather. That has been rescheduled for March 9 at 11 a.m. at the Betty Ruth Willard Complex. The Feb. 18 twinbill with Barton Community College also was called off due to weather. Both were home dates.

The Greyhounds did get a pair in with Rose State College, dropping 11-3 and 9-0 outings at Midwest City, Okla., on Feb. 13.

In the opener, Merriman, who is from Holton, took the loss on the mound. After giving up two runs in the first, she came back with three scoreless innings before Rose State managed to add two more runs.

A seven-run sixth broke open a 4-3 game.

FSCC collected two runs in the third and one in the fifth.

Aller went 2 for 3, with a run and an RBI, while Ewbank was 1 for 2 with a run. Zimmerman scored the third run.

Rose State outhit the Greyhounds 10-5.

In the second game, the hosts scored all of their runs in the third against Simons, benefitting from 11 walks to go with four hits.

FSCC collected five hits, with two by Bennett and one from Aller, Merriman, and Ewbank.

The Greyhounds return to action, weather permitting, this weekend in the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas, taking on Northern Oklahoma, Seminole State, and Western Texas Friday. They will face Ranger College and Western Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Fort Scott will open at home, pending weather, Feb. 25, with a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader against Coffeyville at the Betty Ruth Willard Complex.

2014 FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Feb. 18......at Rose State, Okla. (L. 3-11, L. 0-9)

Feb. 21.......vs. Northern Okla.-Tonkawa, 9 a.m. (a)

Feb. 21.....vs. Seminole State, 11 a.m. (a)

Feb. 21.......vs. Western Texas, 3 p.m. (a)

Feb. 22........vs. Ranger, Texas, 9 a.m. (a)

Feb. 22......vs. Western Okla. State, 11 a.m. (a)

Feb. 25......................COFFEYVILLE, 1 p.m.

Feb. 27.........at Carl Albert, Okla., 1 p.m.

Mar. 1...........at Missouri Valley JV, Noon

Mar. 2.....................at Bacone JV, 1 p.m.

Mar 4............................at Highland, 1 p.m.

Mar. 6....................CARL ALBERT, 1 p.m.

Mar. 8..............MAPLE WOODS, Noon (b)

Mar. 9...........MUSCATINE, Iowa, 11 a.m.

Mar. 11.........JOHNSON COUNTY, 1 p.m.

Mar. 14.................................at Pratt, 3 p.m.

Mar. 15.......................at Dodge City, Noon

Mar. 18............at Neosho County, 2 p.m.

Mar. 19......NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI, 2 p.m.

Mar. 23........EAST CENTRAL, Mo., 1 p.m.

Mar. 25...............................LABETTE, 2 p.m.

Mar. 28..........................COTTEY, 2 p.m.

Mar. 29................................COWLEY, 1 p.m.

April 1.....................at Kansas City, 2 p.m.

April 4...............at Brown Mackie, 2 p.m.

April 5...................at Cloud County, Noon

April 8.........MISSOURI VALLEY JV, 2 p.m.

April 11.............................HESSTON, 3 p.m.

April 12..............HUTCHINSON, Noon (C)

April 15...................................ALLEN, 2 p.m.

April 17................INDEPENDENCE, 2 p.m.

April 22.CENTRAL METHODIST JV, 2 p.m.

CAPS -- Home games.

(a) -- Cowtown Classic, Fort Worth, Texas

(b) -- Cancer Awareness game.

(c) -- Sophomore day.