Corsairs will build on experience as they make their move up the Little East Conference standings

(Dartmouth, MA) -- UMass Dartmouth softball coach Marilyn Ritz has seven starters returning from a young squad last season which posted a 12-19-2 overall mark and qualified for the Little East Conference Tournament. A team thin on experience and filled with new faces last season went 5-9 and finished sixth in the LEC. One year later, the Corsairs hope to benefit from a year of seasoning and returning players at several key positions.

"With the seven returning players, our experience is the strength of this team," said Ritz, who is entering her 19th season with the Corsairs. "We were a young team last season, but this year we've got experience at important spots on the field, including on the mound and behind the plate."

As they did a season ago, junior Sara Charboneau (New Bedford, MA) and sophomore Mary Beth Lima (Westport, MA) will share the pitching duties for UMass Dartmouth with sophomore Chris Sullivan (Plymouth, MA) ready to fill in as needed. Charbonneau had a record of 6-10 last season with one save and one shutout to her credit and an earned run average of 3.85. In 19 games, Charbonneau pitched 103 2/3 innings, walking 41 and striking out 37. Lima appeared in 20 games for the Corsairs, posting a 5-9 overall record with a 3.30 ERA. Lima tossed 108 1/3 innings last season, walking 28 and striking out 27.

"Both pitchers were solid for us last season and they split the duties right down the middle," said Ritz, who will be joined by long-time assistant Joan Allison again this year. "We will do pretty much the same thing this year. What's important for both of them is that with a season under their belt, they both know what to expect from our opponents and what they need to do to succeed."

An infielder last season for the Corsairs, Sullivan has worked on her pitching skills during the offseason and could see some innings this season.

"I think all three of our pitchers have improved their pitches and have focused on the need to get ahead in the count," Ritz said. "In the LEC, hitting is the strength for a lot of the good teams so that means our pitching has to be equal to that."

The Corsairs will also be an improved team on offense this season with several key players returning from last season, led by senior captain Jennifer McGuinness (East Taunton, MA). Last season, McGuinness was an LEC Second Team All Star as a utility player. She led UMass Dartmouth in hitting with a .351 average and 11 RBI. McGuinness also led the Corsairs in several other offensive categories, including runs (tied for 1st, 20), total bases (48), doubles (eight), sacrifices (10), and slugging percentage (.511).

"Jen McGuinness means so much to this team because she is such a solid defensive player, who can help us at several positions," Ritz said. "And on offense, she hits the ball so well that she can make something happen every time she's up."

Joining McGuinness in the Corsairs' infield will be a pair of returning starters in Sullivan at shortstop and sophomore Jen Kelley (Taunton, MA) at second base. Sullivan hit .266 with one home run and 10 RBI last season, while Kelley hit .160 with12 hits and six RBI. A member of the UMass Dartmouth women's soccer team last Fall, Kelley will be ready for softball season following surgery to repair a damaged ACL in her knee last fall.

Rounding out the UMass Dartmouth infield are newcomers sophomore Alison Letendre (Fall River, MA), a Massasoit Community College transfer at first, and sophomore Karli Gliesman (Fiskdale, MA), a transfer from Rivier College at second base. First-year players Leah Segrin (Holden, MA) at short stop and Betheny Brogna (Lynn, MA) at third will also try to get some playing time as well.

UMass Dartmouth will be solid behind the plate with the return of junior Lauren Johnson (West Boylston, MA). One of three Corsairs to appear in all 31 games last season, Johnson handled the Corsairs' catching duties, while also hitting .256 with 23 hits, and 15 RBI. Vanessa Kennedy (Lakeville, MA), a newcomer to the program will back up Johnson behind the plate.

Sophomore Heather Lomuscio (Boston, MA) (.211, 12 hits, six RBI) is the leading returnee in the UMass Dartmouth outfield. Battling it out for playing time in the outfield spots are a host of talented players, led by Chrystal Alcock (New Bedford, MA), a transfer from Bristol Community College. Among the other outfielders are junior Courtney Gougen (Billerica, MA), and first-year players Leanne Griffen (Lynn, MA), Meghan O'Toole (Berkley, MA), Tracy Penney (West Roxbury, MA) and Meghan Steeves (Hamilton, MA), who could also play third base as well.

"Chrystal and Betheny are the types of players who can do so much on offense. They can move runners along and make things happen and that's what you have to do at this level," Ritz added. "One of the advantages of having seven returning starters is that they all know what to expect on offense. A year ago, I think most of them thought they had to be big hitters, but what they've learned is that a lot of offense can be created by moving runners along. I think we've got the right kind of players and plenty of speed to generate some offense this season."

UMass Dartmouth will need to continue to show improvement again this season because the Corsairs play in the always competitive Little East Conference. LEC rival Western Connecticut advanced to the NCAA Tournament a year ago and Southern Maine along with Keene State are always strong teams.

"Last year, the top six teams went to the last week of the season separated by just a few games," Ritz said. "We want to move up in the standings and get into the mix. We got into the tournament's first round last season, and now we want to build on that. We got to see what it was like to play in the tournament and we know what we have to do to get back there."

UMass Dartmouth will open the 2002 season by playing a series of regular season games against a variety of intercollegiate teams at the Gene Cusick Classic in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Corsairs will return to New England and host three straight home games during the last week of March. Wheaton College, the NCAA's second ranked team a season ago, will face the Corsairs' in UMass Dartmouth's home opener on March 26. The Corsairs will host Worcester State College in a non-conference game on March 28, before opening LEC play on March 30 with a doubleheader against UMass Boston.