2002 PREVIEW WOMEN'S SOFTBALL: FOR SOFTBALL TEAM, YOUNGER BETTER.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

An all-freshmen battery is in place, several key contributors are gone and one of the toughest conference schedules in the NAIA looms.

But The Master's College softball team figures to be significantly improved from last season, when it was 26-26-1 overall but 10-18 and sixth in the Golden State Athletic Conference.

There are several reasons for optimism:

--Better pitching. The Mustangs' starters last season combined to walk 154 batters against 108 strikeouts. The freshmen tandem of Kristen Neil and Trisha DeSimone aren't overpowering. But wicked off-speed pitches and more strikes will keep teams from getting on base without earning it.

Neil throws a curve that third-year head coach Randy Clark said is one of the best he's seen.

``We're not going to get a lot of strikeouts, but we don't need them. We'll need a lot of groundballs and let our defense work,'' Clark said. ``They're keeping the ball down and out (in the strike zone). Both of them have good control of their movement.

``I've got kids who are coachable, who want to be the best they can be. When you have that strong desire to listen, it helps. They're always saying, `What am I doing? How can I get better? Let me throw more.' ''

The Mustangs hit .306 as a team and scored 250 runs. Even without prolific Chari Erambert (.372, seven home runs, 58 RBI), the Mustangs will do plenty offensively. And with DeSimone and Neil throwing to freshman catcher Braeden Huusfeldt, they might not have to get into as many high-scoring games.

``I think pitching is the key that's going to help our team a lot,'' said sophomore right fielder Stacey Cureton, who batted .441 last season (No. 3 in the GSAC). ``Last year we struggled because we would score a ton of runs, but they would still score more runs than us. (The new pitchers) have really impressed me.''

--Sound defense. Junior Holly Pacini is a natural second baseman, but necessity forced her to play shortstop last season. The Mustangs struggled, committing 120 errors.

But the arrival of junior college transfer Nicole Belair shifts Pacini back to her more comfortable spot at second and gives the Mustangs a nifty double-play combination. Throw in returning veteran Danielle Tucker at third and freshman Tiana Alonzo at first, and the infield has been upgraded.

``We have a really good chemistry and connection. And that works very well. We're both very comfortable,'' Belair said. ``I think we're solid all around. We have awesome pitchers, and our defense is untouchable.''

The defensive improvement was evident in the fall when the Mustangs played a schedule loaded with NCAA Division I teams, including defending national-champion California.

With DeSimone and Neil relying on putting the ball in play rather than blowing fastballs by hitters, how well the fielders catch those grounders will determine whether the Mustangs are successful.

--Clutch players. In Pacini (.369, six homers, 38 RBI), Cureton (49 runs scored), center fielder Shannon Richwine (.358, 26 RBI) and Tucker (.307, seven homers, 32 RBI), The Master's contains proven performers.

Belair seems likely to join them with big-time statistics. The Riverside native who transferred from Arizona Western Junior College already made an impression in her third game as a Mustang. Against La Verne on Saturday, The Master's trailed 4-1 and was on the verge of being swept after winning both ends of a doubleheader the previous day against Patten College.

Representing the tying run, Belair was told by her coach he sensed a game-tying home run was coming. He wasn't the only one with a hunch.

``He said, `Let's take this pitcher out,' because they just changed pitchers,'' Belair said. ``Holly said, `Hey, BP, you're all over it.' (Assistant coach Cristal Brown) said, `This is all you. It's your type of pitcher.' Everybody called it. It was so cool.''

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Photo:

The Master's Holly Pacini is playing her more natural position of second base this season.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer