ANALYSIS: SOFTBALL TEAM GETS A NEW LEASE ON FUN.Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer What's this? The Cal State Northridge softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' team huddling close together during a photo shoot? Joking and laughing in the cold wind? Junior Chastity Chastity See also Modesty, Purity, Virginity. Agnes, St. virgin saint and martyr. [Christian Hagiog.: Brewster, 76] Artemis (Rom. Diana) moon goddess; virgin huntress. [Gk. Myth. Johnson and assistant coach Scia Maumausolo dancing during weightlifting sessions? Freshman Elizabeth Pierce making her teammates laugh with her Baby Spice/cheerleader antics? ``You can see we have new energy,'' coach Janet Sherman said. That sums up the Matadors' attitude as their season opens today with a doubleheader at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX (7-0). New energy, coming from the youngsters, has rubbed off on the veterans. ``We're just playful,'' freshman Ui Bal said after the photo session, ``and being playful is to have fun. You work hard, but you still have fun.'' The emphasis on this season is to have fun and not takes things too seriously. ``The excitement is contagious to the seniors,'' Sherman said. Senior pitcher Tara Glaister has seen much in her years here: Cliques and bickering bick·er intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers 1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue. 2. and finger-pointing, not to mention a lot of tense faces after being swept yet again from the NCAA Tournament NCAA Tournament can mean: Men's Sports
As this season begins, however, Glaister feels something's different. ``We all get along really well. There always hasn't been a team where everybody gets along,'' she said. ``I feel I am still a freshman. I feel like I have four more years.'' Fun might be new to her, but the Matadors' talent level shouldn't be. There again will be plenty of offensive power to battle for the Big West Conference (Northridge won it last year), and Sherman hopes the pitching will be improved not only with Glaister (19-10, 2.01 ERA, 172 strikeouts in 178 innings) but with the addition of Pierce and Boron boron (bōr`ŏn) [New Gr. from borax], chemical element; symbol B; at. no. 5; at. wt. 10.81; m.p. about 2,300°C;; sublimation point about 2,550°C;; sp. gr. 2.3 at 25°C;; valence +3. graduate Summer Richardson. ``We have a lot of contributors,'' Sherman said. ``We have a lot of producers.'' Pierce will take over for the graduated Chelo Lopez at first base when she isn't pitching, and Richardson likely will bat. Other top returnees are shortstop Ashlie Hayes (.302, 42 hits, 23 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in ) and left fielder/pitcher Jessica Creith (.319, 43 hits; 4-0, 2.83 ERA). Third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Veronica Lopez (.128 average) pitched last year but chose to give it up this year so she could work on her hitting. Jamie Moore Jamie Moore can relate to:
Jodi Borenstein (.235 in 30 games) gets the start in right field. Northridge actually is off to a late start. A tournament it was supposed to host two weeks ago was canceled because teams dropped out. So the Matadors might start slowly, or they might take off. Either way, though, they figure to enjoy it. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO ``We all get along really well. There hasn't always been a team where everybody gets along. I feel I am still a freshman. I feel like I have four more years.'' - Tara Glaister Matadors senior softball pitcher |
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