Softball: Lions are young, but roaring to go

Amara Aguilar

The Vanguard University softball team will depend on Gina

Liebengood to be pitcher perfect this season and play a key role in

leading the Lions’ bid for success.

Liebengood, an NAIA All-American and one of only two seniors on the

squad, will be the Lions’ main starting pitcher. She went 19-9 last

season, had a 0.98 ERA, and struck out 196 in 199 1/3 innings.

“She will be a definite key for us as a main starting pitcher,”

Vanguard Coach Beth Renkoski said. “She has the potential to dominate a

team. She’ll start the first game (of doubleheaders), pretty much all of

the time, and she’ll be ready to come in for relief.”

Backing Liebengood up in the circle will be Cheri Smith, junior

Marciea Ball, junior Celina Camarillo and sophomore Jenny Willis.

Camarillo (2-1) was second on the team with a 1.40 ERA last season en

route to All-Golden West Athletic Conference honors. Willis was 3-1 with

a 1.75 ERA last season.

“We don’t want to overuse Liebengood, but I do plan on her carrying a

big load for us,’ Renkoski said. “We don’t want to wear her out before

the biggest part of the season comes up.”

Although Smith, Vanguard’s other returning senior, has experience as a

pitcher, she will start at first base for the Lions. She went 4-2 with a

2.63 ERA last season.

“Her time in the circle will depend on other people because we have

five pitchers on the roster,” Renkoski said. “She keeps the defense

steady at first. Most of the time, she’s probably going to be at first.”

Stepping in at third base will be junior Jill Jessen.

Returning behind the plate will be sophomore catcher Rachael Rolle,

who caught every game for the Lions last year.

“Our corners and our catcher return,” Renkoski said. “Rolle is a good

field leader and very aggressive. She learned a ton as a freshman. She

shows her love for the game in every play she makes.”

Although the corners of the infield are set, the Lions did not have

their starting shortstop or second baseman set as of late last week.

“The shortstop position is very crucial,” Renkoski said. “At this

point, freshman Lisa Jackson is the front-runner in that position.

There’s still Jill Ramsey who is fighting for that spot as a junior, but

she’s hurt right now and hasn’t been able to give her full shot at it.

Lisa, as a freshman, brings a good bit of talent defensively and

offensively.”

The Lions will look for Camarillo and Jessen to provide offensive

leadership. Camarillo hit .328 last year with 12 RBIs while Jessen hit

.313 with a team-leading 25 RBIs.

“Jessen hit third and fourth last year and Camarillo hit fourth,”

Renkoski said. “Midway through the season, Camarillo took over that

(cleanup) role and kept it and was chosen all-conference because of her

hitting, but Jessen was right there as well and was one of our top RBI

people last year.”

Although the Lions lost four key seniors from last season -- including

their starting shortstop, center fielder and second baseman -- they do

have a handful of incoming freshmen, seven to be exact.

“We’ll have a different look this year and the freshmen definitely

bring energy to the team,” Renkoski said. “We are very versatile with the

freshmen that can move around a lot. Our catchers can play other

positions. The infielders can play in the outfield, but that also means

that if somebody does go down, we are going to have to make a lot of

adjustments.”

The Lions already have a few players with injuries. In addition to

Ramsey, who has a hand injury, junior Sarah Ashley has been having back

problems.

“As an outfielder, Ashley is a quick person,” Renkoski said. “She

started for us last year and it will be key if she can be healthy enough

to be out there.”

The Lions begin the season Friday at Cal Lutheran in a 1:30 p.m.

nonconference game. Although Renkoski acknowledges the team is young, she

has high hopes for the squad.

“The potential is very good for this team,” she said. “We would

probably be considered young in terms of having seven freshmen and a few

who will probably be seeing a lot of time on the field. However, we do

have two seniors, the last two on our team that were part of the 1999

team when we took fifth place at the NAIA nationals.”

Vanguard (34-20, 13-11 in conference) finished fourth in the GSAC and

did not make the playoffs last year. Biola won the GSAC.

“The biggest key for us as a team, as far as a success level for this

year, will be our ability to play well consistently and beat the teams we

have to beat,” Renkoski said. “That is a very generic statement, but it’s

true. Our conference is going to be extremely strong and if we don’t beat

the people we are supposed to beat and beat some we’re not supposed to

beat, we’re not going to be there in the playoffs.”

Vanguard University softball roster

2 Beth Burchell, OF Fr.

5 Sarah Ashley, OF Jr.

6 Celina Camarillo, P/OF Jr.

7 Asley Mauro, IN/OF Fr.

8 Jill Ramsey, IF Jr.

9 Lisa Jackson, IF Fr.

10 Lindsey Dyer, C/IF Fr.

11 Andrea Smidt, C/OF Fr.

12 Marciea Ball, P Jr.

13 Holly Martinez, IF/OF Fr.

14 Alison Smidt, IF Jr.

15 Lauren Manriquez, IF/OF Fr.

16 Cheri Smith, IF/P Sr.

20 Jessica Thompson, OF So.

21 Rachael Rolle, C/IF So.

22 Jenny Willis, OF/P So.

30 Gina Liebengood, P Sr.

33 Jill Jessen, IF Jr.

Coach: Beth Renkoski