Lady Tigers return mixed bag
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst Central softball combines a mix of youth and experience heading into the 2007 season.

Lady Tigers' coach Mike Chatelle returns four-year player and ECIC Division II second-team selection Mollie Lang at second base and three-year player Rebecca Masters, who moves from the outfield to third base. Other returning players include seniors Liz Reid in center field, Julie Halm in right field, Sam Sweeney, who will replace Michelle Paul at catcher, and sophomore Eva Lankes at shortstop. Lang and Masters are co-captains.

Chatelle had many positive thoughts about each of these players.

"Mollie brings a lot of experience and good skills, Liz had good speed and is a leader in the outfield, Becca has a pretty good bat, Julie has speed and can do a lot on the bases, and Sweeney has come a long way since last year and can also play at first," said Chatelle.

Other starting positions will be filled by juniors Kelly Dixson and Jenny Newhouse at first base and juniors Alana Madrid or Katie Bardak in left field. Bardak can also catch.

Juniors Carolyn Trabert (infield, outfield) and Dana Ruh (outfield) provide depth.

The biggest question mark is pitching. Holly Johnson, an ECIC II first-team selection last year, who would have been the team's No. 1 hurler, moved to Indiana in January, and Lindsay McWhite left the program. The departures leave Chatelle with eighth-grader Jessica Banning, junior Katie Tirella, and Newhouse, all from JV.

"All three play tough and have a bunch of different pitches," said Chatelle. "(But because they're inexperienced), they can't afford to get behind the count or walk a lot of batters. We're going to have to play great defense behind them."

When they're not pitching, Tirella will back up Masters at third, Newhouse can play first and Banning could see time at shortstop or in the outfield.

Amherst finished 12-7 last year and lost 2-1 to Williamsville East in the Section VI Class "A" prequarterfinals.
        Amherst Central
          2007 Schedule
4-4 at South .................. 4:30 p.m.
4-16 at East .................. 4:30 p.m.
4-18 at Iroquois............ 4:30 p.m.
4-19 at Lake Shore 4:30 p.m.
4-20 at North Tonawanda Tourn.
Lew-Port ....................... 4:30 p.m.
4-21 at North Tonawanda Tourn.
Frontier ......................... 8:30 a.m.
4-23 at W.S. East.......... 4:30 p.m.
4-24 at Hamburg .......... 4:30 p.m.
4-28 at North Tonawanda .. TBA
5-1 South....................... 4:30 p.m.
5-2 East ......................... 4:45 p.m.
5-4 Iroquois................... 4:30 p.m.
5-7 at Tonawanda ........ 4:30 p.m.
5-9 W.S. East ..................... 5 p.m.
5-11 Hamburg............... 4:30 p.m.
5-15 Lake Shore........... 4:30 p.m.
5-16 John F. Kennedy . 4:15 p.m.
5-17 at Sweet Home.... 4:15 p.m.
5-18 Sacred Heart........ 4:15 p.m.
5-22 W.S. West................... 4 p.m.
5-23 Clarence ............... 4:45 p.m.
e-mail: pnavy@beenews.com