Jan. 9, 2001
Perhaps it was the win over sixth-ranked Oklahoma in the Kia Klassic last season. Maybe it was the highest-ever ranking (17th) the team achieved in 2000. It could have been the 47-14 record or the nine team records that fell last season.
There were many indications of the Notre Dame softball team’s rise into national prominence last season, but none more telling than the reaction of the teams competing in the 2000 College World Series when they found out the Irish would not be there.
“Members of the other teams were coming up to us and saying, `We thought you were going to be here,” senior Melanie Alkire says.
“The rest of the country knows how good we are. We know how good we are. It is just a matter of us going out and proving it to ourselves.”
Alkire and classmate Jennifer Sharron were attending the All-American banquet in Oklahoma City last season when those other players approached them wondering why they were not at the World Series. The Irish are determined to make sure that reaction is not repeated in 2001.
“There is no question the team is at the point where that kind of goal-setting is in place,” Notre Dame head coach Liz Miller says. Miller is entering her ninth year at Notre Dame and boasts a 323-149 record with the Irish.
“We are in the position to reach that ultimate goal, the World Series, because this group of players has the necessary talent, focus and commitment.”
It is a nucleus of players, some entering their fourth year in the starting lineup, that is determined to make sure the early exit from the 2000 NCAA tournament that occured last season does not repeat itself in 2001. In the familiar regional setting of Ann Arbor, Mich., (the Irish have played in the regional at Ann Arbor four out of the last six years) Notre Dame suffered its first shutout loss of the year to DePaul 1-0, then was eliminated by Central Michigan 2-1 the next day.
“We didn’t live up to our potential,” leftfielder Lizzy Lemire says.
“As a team, we looked around at the regionals and realized we can beat these teams. We can move on. Up to that point, we might not have believed that. This year we are starting from the first day of practice knowing we have the ability to move on to the World Series.”
A quick look at the Irish lineup will indicate that Notre Dame has the talent to play with the best. The entire 2000 starting lineup returns for 2001: Senior Danielle Klayman in center field, Jennifer Kriech in right field, Lemire in left field, Andria Bledsoe at third base, Alkire at shortstop, Alexis Madrid at second base, Andrea Loman at first base, Jarrah Myers behind the plate and Jennifer Sharron will be the number- one starting pitcher for the fourth year in a row.
The talent these nine players have is displayed by the awards they have amassed over the past two years. Alkire is a two-time BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year (1999 and 2000). Sharron has won three consecutive BIG EAST Pitcher-of-the-Year awards (1998-2000). Both Sharron and Alkire were picked to repeat their award-earning performances by a 2001 preseason vote by the BIG EAST coaches.
Loman captured the 2000 BIG EAST Rookie-of-the-Year award after Myers earned the distinction in 1999. Klayman, Kriech, Loman, Myers, Sharron and Alkire were all on the first-team all-BIG EAST list while Bledsoe was on the second team. This is a group of players who can score runs, defend and play with anyone in the country.
“Our goal and expectation right now is to finish stronger than we did last year,” Miller says.
“We fully understand taking it one step at a time. That is one thing we have to do a lot more of this year. Take it game by game, inning by inning and every single play. We have appeared in the regional eight times and never advanced to the final eight. That is the next step our program is looking for.”
Alkire and Sharron were named second-team All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association last season. While each player on the roster has an important role in the success of the team in 2001, the first two All-Americans in the history of the program will bear the brunt of the leadership and production responsibility this year.
Alkire compiled arguably the top offensive season in Notre Dame history in 2000. She acheived team records with 13 home runs and 64 RBI while also posting 72 hits (fourth-best in team history) and 15 doubles (third-best). Entering her senior season, she also is poised to eclipse all the career marks in these categories.
“Mel has been hitting three for us and she will hold that spot,” Miller says.
“I think she generally hits better against top competition. She is going to step up against the tough opponents. Her presence in the batter’s box is noticed by her opponent. They know who Mel is because she makes her presence known offensively.”
The presence that Alkire projects in the batter’s box is duplicated by Sharron on the pitching mound. One of the most dominating pitchers in the country over the last three years, she is the anchor of the Irish staff.
Sharron compiled a 0.88 ERA in 2000, lowering her career ERA to a miniscule 1.26. She has won 61 games in her career, struck out 504 batters, thrown 24 solo shutouts and is averaging six strikeouts per seven innings pitched.
“Jennifer is at the top of her game,” Miller says.
“She is physically and mentally stronger than she has ever been in her career. Her competitiveness and work ethic are her strengths. She is not intimidated by anyone. Jen is confident that she can get anyone out at the plate. There is no doubt that our team plays great defense behind her because of the confidence she provides.”
Alkire and Sharron’s classmates, Klayman and Lemire, have both been in the starting lineup since their freshman seasons. Lemire hit .330 in 2000, knocking in 33 runs and posting a .423 slugging percentage. Her defensive prowess is just as notable as her offensive numbers. In 176 career games, Lemire has committed just seven errors in left field.
“I have all the confidence that anything hit in left field, Lizzy will be on top of it,” Miller says.
“I also consider her a power hitter and an asset on the basepaths. She is one of our leaders, both on and off the field.”
Klayman hit .306 in 2000, was third on the team in doubles with 10 and also had 12 stolen bases. She is fifth in career stolen bases with 33 and ranks second in Notre Dame history in the toughest to strike out category (21.48 at bats per strikeout).
“Offensively, Dani is one of those players who has a variety of attack options,” Miller says.
“She can bunt, slap or hit away. She is a natural lefty so she has the ability to do all three. Defensively, she is one of our better divers. She can really go down and get the ball. She also is a smart outfielder who uses her experience as an advantage.”
Without question, experience is the strength of the Irish outfield. Klayman, Lemire and Kriech have played together for two full years.
Kriech is the Irish leadoff hitter and a constant offensive threat each time she steps up to the plate. She had 72 hits in 2000 with 14 doubles, a school-record eight triples and 16 stolen bases.
“Jenny has a variety of weapons, from power hitter to bunt for a hit. There is nothing she isn’t capable of doing,” Miller says.
“Her biggest strength is her mental approach to her offensive game. She always believes she is going to get a hit.”
Kriech also has the strongest arm of the three above-average arms the Irish boast in the outfield.
“Jenny is a very versatile outfielder,” Miller says.
“She is aggressive and reads the ball well. She can cover a lot of ground.”
Contrary to the experience in the outfield, Notre Dame is relatively young in the infield. Subtract Alkire at shortstop and the Irish start three sophmores in the infield, plus junior Jarrah Myers at catcher.
2000 GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American Myers is the quarterback of the group at catcher. The 1999 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and a 2000 first team all-BIG EAST selection, Myers is entering her second year behind the plate after starting at first base as a freshman.
One of the most imposing hitters in the Irish lineup, Myers is a threat to pop a home run out of the park at any moment. She was second on the team in RBI (47) and home runs (12) in 2000 while batting in the cleanup spot. She will return to that role again this season and hope to build on her spectacular .513 career slugging percentage.
“I would match Jarrah’s strength and intensity with anyone in the country,” Miller says.
“She is a great athlete with tremendous intensity, focus and knowledge of the game. She just loves to play softball. A powerhitter, Jarrah can go with the pitch the best of anyone on the team. She is just a great ballplayer and a joy to coach.”
The athleticism in the Irish infield is not limited to Myers behind the plate. 2000 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Loman brings an ability to make the spectacular plays at first base.
“Andrea is very consistent and focused on the field,” Miller says.
“She might have the best reaction to the play that I have ever coached. She made some plays last year that I have never seen anyone make before. On the bases, her reaction and instinct are so far ahead of anyone else that you pretty much just want to give her free reign to run whenever she wants.”
Loman supplemented her .273 batting average in 2000 with a team highs in stolen bases (17) and walks (25). She also hit .400 in BIG EAST Conference competition and committed just four errors to post a team-best .989 fielding percentage.
“Andrea is just a great athlete,” Miller says.
“When she steps on the field, she is out there to get the job done.”
Loman also has the ability to play at third base, but everyday third basemen Bledsoe allows the Irish two strong athletes on the corners. Bledsoe was named to the all-BIG EAST second team as a freshman last year. She hit .301 with 19 RBI in 2000 and is slated to hit sixth or seventh in the 2001 lineup. Steady defensively, Bledsoe led the team in assists with 102 from the hot corner.
“Andria has a very steady glove,” Miller says.
“She will not make a mistake very often. Her range and aggressiveness have increased over the offseason. Her communication is a lot stronger as well.” Completing the Irish starting lineup in the infield is sophomore Alexis Madrid. Able to cover a large expanse of ground in the hole at second base, Madrid is invaluable to the Irish defense and has worked hard at her offensive production.
“Alexis reads the play well and has tremendous range,” Miller says.
“She has a very quick release, the quickest release of any player that I have coached. She can go deep in the hole and make the play at first. Offensively, her speed is her asset. She has a great short game and continues to work on her long game.”
The talented Irish roster goes far beyond the starting lineup. A number of players on the bench will be counted on for some heavy production in 2001. Junior utility player Kas Hoag is the traditional first option off the bench.
“Kas has all the qualities that you want in a player,” Miller says.
“She is going to go out there and get the job done. She is what I consider our first person off the bench. I expect her to have a lot more playing time this season.”
Depth in the outfield will be handled by both Hoag and senior Sarah Kirkman. Kirkman gives the Irish a strong arm defensively and the ability to provide some power off the bench.
“As a senior, Sarah has played a lot for us defensively,” Miller says.
“She is someone who could step into the starting lineup if we needed her. She has an excellent arm and can hit the ball for power.”
Lisa Mattison posted nine hits while backing up starting first basemen Loman in 2000 and gives the Irish a reliable option should Loman slide over to third base. Mattison also brings a 1.000 fielding percentage mark into the 2001 season.
“Lisa stepped in and played a great first base for us last year,” Miller says.
“I have confidence that she can get the job done anytime she is in the lineup.”
Relief pitcher Jessica Sharron will see an increased role this season as well. Limited to just seven appearances last season, she will see some action at designated player as well as more relief innings on the mound.
“Jessica will be doing some hitting for us this year,” Miller says.
“We will use her as a designated player or designated hitter this year. She swings the bat very hard with good bat speed. When she gets hold of the ball, it is going to go somewhere. I also expect her to see more pitching time as well this year. She has more confidence in all of her pitches and her location. She can pretty much put the ball where she wants it now.”
Notre Dame’s depth also will be bolstered by the addition of three freshmen. Catcher Chantal DeAlcuaz, utility player Nicole deFau and pitcher Kristen Schmidt give the Irish some additional talented options on the bench.
Schmidt might see the most playing time out of the three after an impressive fall pitching campaign.
“Kristen is a great addition to our pitching staff,” Miller says.
“She has stepped in and it seems like she has been here for three years. She has not missed a beat. There is no doubt that Jen (Sharron) being her mentor has been a tremendous help because they both share the same approach to the game. Kristen will see a lot of pitching time this year in a starting role.”
Just as Jennifer Sharron has taken a leadership role with Schmidt, Myers has taken DeAlcuaz under her wing.
“Chantal will be a backup catcher for us,” Miller says.
“She is very focused and has a great work ethic and is excited to be learning everything about the position. Jarrah is a great mentor for her.”
Backing up the starting middle infielders, deFau could see playing time at both shortstop and second base.
“Nikki is playing both infield and outfield right now, but she will be our backup middle infielder,” Miller says.
“She is quick and can play second base if the need presents itself. She has good range and is a smart ballplayer.”
With nine returning starters, it might be easy to jump to the conclusion that the Irish could improve on their 47-14 record from a year ago. The road to that goal will not be an easy one. The team will take part in the Holiday Inn Invitational (Feb. 16-18 in Tampa, Fla.) which features two ranked opponents in Washington and South Carolina. Notre Dame will also travel to the highly-competitive Kia Klassic (March 15-18), and will also face an improved BIG EAST Conference schedule.
“The BIG EAST gets stronger every year,” Miller says.
“All the teams, top to bottom, are much stronger. The addition of Syracuse and Virginia Tech will make it a tough battle all the way through. There is not one game you can walk into and say `this is a gimme game.'”
Tough schedule aside, Miller knows that this team is poised to accomplish some special goals in 2001.
“We have the experience and we know what it takes to get where we need to go,” Miller says.
“Everyone on the team is focused on the big goal and not so much on individual goals. It is not about them, it is about the team.”