ShawneeDispatch.com

Hoping to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2004 season, the Shawnee Mission Northwest softball team hopes to return to the elite of the state.

With a squad that returns four seniors who have signed to play in college, including three who have played on state championship teams, those hopes are rapidly giving way to expectations.

"Our expectations are very high because of the seniors that are returning," Cougar coach Mark Balderston said. "Last year injuries really hurt us."

Indeed, injuries played a big part in slowing down a squad that had claimed state titles in 2002 and 2003 but yet lost in a regional final to Olathe North last year. This year, the Cougars are looking to move back into state championship contention.

Balderston's confidence in that return to form is a result of a returning junior-senior core of players who have garnered attention from college-level scouts across the area. These returnees are a multi-dimensional bunch who offers a variety of offensive and defensive challenges this year to teams from the Sunflower League and beyond.

The senior returnees include catcher Tiffany Carter. Carter, who has signed to play with Kansas City Kansas Community College after graduation, is a power hitter who set a Northwest single-season record for home runs last year and is experienced in handling pitchers.

Two other seniors help anchor the returning interior defense. Katie Mathis, a Rockhurst University signee, brings fielding range and speed to the shortstop position while Missouri State signee Alex Schmidt returns from a 2004 campaign in which she made only one error at third base.

While Mathis will use her contact hitting and speed skills to lead off the Cougar offensive attack, Balderston plans to use Schmidt's clutch-hitting skills in the third or fourth spots.

Senior outfielder Melissa Skelly returns to the squad fresh off an 18-3 season in basketball. The Pitt State signee brings good range in the outfield and will keep opposing runners honest with a strong arm from deep.

Two juniors round out the returning interior defense for the Cougars.

Amanda Jobe is a first baseman who is currently being scouted by several NCAA Division I schools. Her power hitting will most likely land her in the three or four spot on offense. Amber Freeman rounds out the returnees, bringing solid defensive skills and good contact hitting.

The Cougar pitching rotation is also set, as right-handers Kelly Martin (Sr.) and Kim Jones (So.) will provide a powerful 1-2 punch off the rubber.

"Our keys will be pitching and defense," said Balderston when asked to profile this year's team in pre-season. "We need to keep the game at a low score. It could be a one- or two-run game every time for us. We don't have much speed. We're more of a power hitting team."

With a junior-senior core combining power and contact hitters, and a solid, experienced defense, Balderston's aspirations appear no less than a reasonable hope for 2005. And the more he looks at what he's got, that hope turns into an expectation