Sherman Fills In Lineup With Ink
Determined to return Cal State Northridge to the softball prominence it enjoyed four years ago, Coach Janet Sherman is taking a new approach this season: She’s giving her players exactly what they asked for.
“I’m looking for consistency from the players and they’re looking for consistency from me,” Sherman said.
Gone are the days when two lineups were used in a doubleheader. This season the starting shortstop in the first game will also be the starting shortstop in the second. Lineup changes will be minimal from game to game.
“It didn’t work for us last year,” said Sherman, whose team lost its last five games and a chance to win the Big West Conference title, finishing 34-22-2.
“The players asked for this at the end of the season. They said, ‘We don’t want platooning, we want a set lineup.’ And that was the feedback at the beginning of the year. They want to know their roles.”
Starters will be given ample time to prove themselves under Sherman’s new plan, which doesn’t always favor incumbent players. Returning starters Ashlie Hayes and Katrina Nolletti open the season as backup infielders.
Sherman says backup players appreciate knowing where they stand on a team ranked No. 15 in the USA Today/National Coaches’ preseason poll.
“Now it’s, ‘This is your role and be proud of it. You gotta make it what it is,’ ” Sherman said.
Sherman improved Northridge’s experience by adding three Division I transfers to the starting lineup.
Sophomore Jessica Creith, a Granada Hills High graduate, transferred from Indiana and will pitch and bat leadoff.
“Offensively, she has been the most consistent hitter through the fall,” Sherman said of Creith. “She’s just stinging the ball.”
Seniors Augrista Belford and Lisa Flores have earned starting spots after transferring from Arkansas.
Belford has impressed Sherman with her sure hands and instincts, and will play second base in place of Nolletti. Flores, an aggressive defensive player, will start in center field.
Sophomore Jodi Borenstein beat out Hayes at shortstop by playing consistently in the fall, Sherman said.
Chelo Lopez, a four-year starter who batted .346 with 11 home runs and 31 runs batted in last season, returns at first base and will bat third.
Cheri Shinn, the No. 2 pitcher, will play third base when she’s not in the circle.
Two-thirds of the outfield is new. Sophomore Elizabeth Sanches, who batted .292 with 32 RBIs, returns in left field and will bat cleanup. Laura Redding, a part-time starter at shortstop last season, will start in right field.
“The biggest question is our offense,” Sherman said. “Defensively, we’re a top-10 team.”
The most notable improvement appears to be in the pitching staff. Last season, Northridge struggled through a 58-game schedule with only two pitchers, contributing to the team’s unimpressive 2.27 earned-run average, which ranked sixth among the nine conference teams.
Ace Tara Glaister (22-12, 1.94 ERA), a junior riseball pitcher who has won 44 games in two seasons, was worn out by the end of last season.
She won’t have to shoulder as much of the load this season because of a deeper staff that includes Shinn, Creith and freshman Veronica Lopez.
“Having four pitchers allows Tara Glaister to be an All-American,” Sherman said.
Creith, who will be the designated player when not pitching, is a junk-ball pitcher who gives the Matadors a change of pace from the hard-throwing Glaister.
“Jessica Creith wants to be the ace of our staff and that has made Cheri Shinn and Tara Glaister better,” Sherman said.
Catching duties will be handled by senior Traci Gallian and sophomore Jamie Moore, an Alemany graduate and transfer from Palm Beach Community College.
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CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE ROSTER
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No. Player Pos. B/T Yr. Hometown 1 Ashlie Hayes IF R/R Jr. Northridge 2 Katrina Nolletti IF R/R Jr. Fresno 4 Sarah Lang UTL S/R Fr. California City 7 Traci Gallian C R/R Sr. Visalia 8 Chelo Lopez IF R/R Sr. Torrance 10 Laura Redding OF R/L Sr. Sacramento 11 Jodi Borenstein IF R/R So. Chatsworth 13 Lisa Flores OF R/R Sr. Oceanside 14 Jill Passafiume OF L/R Fr. Saugus 15 Augrista Belford IF R/R Sr. Oceanside 16 Tara Glaister P R/R Jr. Claremont 19 Elizabeth Sanches OF R/R So. Long Beach 21 Jessica Creith P/IF R/R So. Northridge 23 Cheri Shinn P/IF R/R Sr. Olivehurst 26 Veronica Lopez P/IF R/R Fr. Anaheim Hills 29 RyAnne Greene OF R/R Fr. Carson 30 Maryke Don IF R/R Jr. Elk Grove 33 Jamie Moore C R/R So. Sylmar 34 Sara Cueva UTL R/R Fr. Culver City 36 Brande Wheeler INF R/R Fr. Kingsburg
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Head Coach: Janet Sherman (UCLA, 1987). Assistant Coaches: Kelly Ford (Oklahoma, 1992), Randy Roeder, Drew Christmon, Scia Maumausolo (Cal State Northridge, 1997).
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE SCHEDULE
February
7-8--Matador Tournament vs. Oregon State, Northwestern, San Diego State, Loyola Marymount, TBA; 13--at Santa Clara (DH), 2 p.m.; 14--at California (DH), 1 p.m.; 15--at Stanford (DH), noon; 27-March 1--Leadoff Classic at Columbus, Ga., TBA;
March
7--at Long Beach State* (DH), 1 p.m.; 8--at Cal State Fullerton* (DH), 1 p.m.; 11--Arizona (DH), noon; 12--UC Santa Barbara* (DH), 1:30 p.m.; 14--Cal Poly San Luis Obispo* (DH), 1 p.m.; 18-22--Pony Tournament at Cal State Fullerton; 28--at Cal State Sacramento* (DH), 1 p.m.; 29--at Pacific* (DH), noon;
April
2--Long Beach State* (DH), 1:30 p.m.; 4--Cal State Fullerton* (DH), 1 p.m.; 8--Utah State* (DH), 1:30 p.m.; 10--at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo* (DH), 1 p.m.; 11--at UC Santa Barbara* (DH), 1 p.m.; 13--New Mexico State* (DH), 1:30 p.m.; 15--UCLA (DH), 1:30 p.m.; 18--at New Mexico State* (DH), 1 p.m.; 23--Cal State Sacramento* (DH), 1:30 p.m.; 25--Pacific* (DH), 1 p.m.;
May
2--at Utah State* (DH), 1 p.m.; 15-17--NCAA Regionals, TBA; 20-24--NCAA Women’s College World Series, TBA.
* Denotes Big West Conference doubleheader.