Lions open season ranked No. 10

For the first time in the new millennium, the Vanguard softball team doesn’t have to rely upon the alumni game to hear about the experience of playing in the postseason.

The 2007 Lions earned the school’s first postseason bid since 1999, competing in both the NAIA Region II and NAIA national tournament, where they finished tied for ninth among the 20-team field. So, the 10 returners have first-person accounts with which to familiarize the program’s nine freshman about what is expected to return to the national stage.

“Last season, all our players heard was hearsay from coaches and former players, about how hard it was to get into the playoffs,” said Coach Beth Renkoski, entering her 12th season. “This year, our returners have a vision, but they still need to get the nine freshmen to buy in.”

The Lions have more than souvenirs to show for last season, as they return three solid pitchers and most of their lineup from a team that went 41-16, 15-9 in the rugged Golden State Athletic Conference, in which they finished third.

Vanguard finished the 2007 regular season ranked No. 8 in the NAIA and opens this season in the No. 10 spot.

But GSAC rivals Cal Baptist (No. 2), Point Loma Nazarene (No. 3), Biola (No. 19) and Concordia (No. 25) also inhabit the preseason top 25, as the Lions open their season today at 1 p.m. with a home doubleheader against La Verne.

Tops among the returners is senior Jen Olvera, whose pitching and hitting prowess were a big part of last season’s success. Olvera finished 19-6 with a 1.36 earned-run average as a pitcher, despite suffering from a mysterious arm ailment down the stretch. She struck out 214 in 149 2/3 innings and opponents batted just .191 with her in the circle.

Olvera, who earned second-team All-American honors while also being named All-GSAC and All-Region II, hit .317 and tied for the team lead with four home runs. Her 32 RBIs ranked second on the squad.

She is still nursing her valuable right arm, but Renkoski expects her to anchor a pitching staff that also includes sophomores Kelsey Boyer and Melissa Forrester.

Boyer was 11-3 with a 1.60 ERA as a freshman when her 24 appearances included 14 starts.

Forrester was 5-2, with a 1.08 ERA last season, when she appeared in 16 games and made six starts.

Adding offensive punch from last year’s squad is junior Sarah Howe, who figures to shift from third to shortstop, where she will take the place of Rachel Bomgren, arguably the best position player in the history of the program.

Bomgren hit .527 in the leadoff spot last season, scoring 53 runs, driving in 23 and lashing 23 extra-base hits to compile a .734 slugging percentage and a .617 on-base average. She graduated last spring as the proud owner of several Vanguard records.

Howe hit .376 last season with a team-leading 34 RBIs. Her four homers matched Olvera and Bomgren for the team lead and she also matched Bomgren’s 23 extra-base hits. Her 42 runs were second-best on the squad and she was successful on 18 of 23 stolen-base attempts, trailing only Bomgren, who was 23 for 27.

Jennifer Bergh, who started 53 games at second last season, is another proven offensive commodity, having hit .394 with 29 RBIs, ranking second and fourth on the team, respectively.

April Glenn (.210 with 14 RBIs, 20 runs and eight steals), and Noelle Navarette (.196 with 17 RBIs) both started all 57 games last season at first base and center field, respectively, but they figure to be pushed by a talented freshmen group.

Katie Daniels, a Costa Mesa High product, is another returner of note. She started 53 games in the outfield last season, hitting .235 with 12 RBIs and 18 runs.

Ashley Ocasio, who hit .208 with 17 RBIs while starting 47 games at catcher last season, also might face a challenge to keep her job, Renkoski said.

Renkoski said catching prospect Angela St. Croix, out of Orange Lutheran High, and Kaysie Flasck, a potential third baseman, are two freshman who could bring some thunder to the lineup.

Patty Olvera and Bethany Dempster are freshmen hurlers that could make more than cameo appearances in the circle, especially should Jen Olvera reexperience arm problems.

The Lions open GSAC play March 4 with a home doubleheader against Concordia.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.