Fort Recovery softball looking to improve

The 2008 season was one marked by contradiction.

Fort Recovery's softball team struggled through the regular season. The Indians were just 5-15 when the tournament began, having gone winless in the Midwest Athletic Conference.

But once the tournament began the Tribe went 5-2, including wins over MAC foes Marion Local and St. Henry, the No. 1 seed, to win the sectional title. It took a state-ranked team, No. 6 Parkway, to eliminate them from the district tournament.

Needless to say, coach Marie Osterholt is hoping the 2009 campaign goes more like the end of 2008 rather than the beginning.

"We definitely want to improve on last year," said Osterholt, whose team has opened the season at 4-0. "We didn't win a game in the MAC last year. And this year we're hoping to be pretty competitive and win quite a few of them."

The linchpin to the Indians' operation is Kinsey Wenning, who is in her fourth year as a varsity pitcher.

Walks were a problem for Wenning for much of her first two seasons, but she turned that around as a junior. She averaged 2.3 strikeouts for every walk, giving up just 27 free bases in more than 80 innings.

She tossed a shutout in the sectional semifinal round a year ago, and allowed just one run to top-seeded St. Henry in the title game.

She finished with five wins, two in the tournament, and one save with a 3.40 ERA.

"She improved tremendously last year," said Osterholt, who will also send Andi Sutter and left-hander Shelby Brunswick to the rubber. "I'm looking for her to be a real leader for us."

Wenning is also the top returning hitter after batting .343 last season. Kelly Sudhoff is the top player back for the Indians in almost every other offensive category after racking up 20 hits, 13 RBIs, 12 runs and 11 steals last season.

Joanna Snyder, a senior, is the only other FRHS player back that had double digit hits (16) last season. Four 2008 seniors - Val Fortkamp, Ashley Grube, Leanne Tobin and Heather Schmackers - had 20 or more a year ago.

"I think the seniors are going to be our big hitters," said Osterholt of the class that includes Snyder, Sudhoff, Wenning, Kelly Thien and Amy Hart. "They've been looking good in practice."

A big hole to fill on the diamond comes at catcher, an especially strong position for the Tribe as Joscie Kaup and Val Fortkamp controlled the spot for most of the last seven seasons. Josie Guggenbiller steps into the starting slot this year.

"She's got a fantastic arm," said Osterholt. "She's going to fit right in. She played some varsity last year when Val was hurt and did an excellent job. I think she's just going to be great back there."

The rest of the defense behind Wenning and the other hurlers has Snyder and shortstop, Carly Staugler at second base and Sudhoff in center field. Position battles or time-shares exist everywhere else, with Amy Hart and Kelly Thien at first base, Kendra Brunswick and Olivia Thien at third, Kelsey Faller, Lorraine Shier and Shelby Brunswick in left field and Sutter, Hillary Staugler and Kelly Thien in right field.

The biggest key will be finding the mix that can play clean defense over the long haul, Osterholt said.

"That's what we really needed to improve on from last year," she added. "We can't make all those errors and expect to win games. So far they're doing much better."

The Tribe has endured back-to-back losing seasons, salvaging last year with their late run. Now it hopes to get back to the winning ways that brought a combined 60-32 record from 2002 through 2005.

"They're just a great group and they're working hard," said Osterholt. "They're coming along."[[In-content Ad]]