Spring Sports: Union Catholic Softball Boasts Batting, Pitching Prowess

could be the softball team to beat in the Union County Conference’s Mountain Division. The division’s co-champions, Cranford and Gov. Livingston, were promoted this season to the Watchung Division (where they’ll face ), and the Vikings roster boasts a number of returning standouts.

Sixth-year head coach Ed Ryan, however, is taking nothing for granted.

“On paper things look very good, but we still have to perform on the field,” said Ryan, who last season was named Union County Coach of the Year by The Star-Ledger.

Union Catholic went from a 7-10 finish in 2009 to a 16-8 mark in 2010, including two state tournament victories and a 3-2, 10-inning setback to Gov. Livingston in the Union County Tournament quarterfinals.

This is the sport where it all starts with pitching and for the Vikings that means hard-throwing sophomore right hander Colleen Dow. The Scotch Plains resident is one of six returning starters. She made quite an impact on the Union County scene as a freshman last year, fashioning an impressive 15-8 record that included 180 strikeouts in 141 innings.

“She has a pitching coach and has gotten stronger,” Ryan said. “Speed-wise she’s a little quicker. She has five pitches and is comfortable with all of them.”

Her repertoire includes a screwball, changeup, off-speed, rise-ball and fastball.

“She has more strength in her legs and you can see her growing and having more maturity,” Ryan said. 

Returning at catcher is three-year starter behind the plate and four-year varsity performer Erin Farley, who is a resident of Woodbridge. 

“Erin is our senior leader,” Ryan said. “She caught Colleen last year and they have a nice chemistry.” 

Farley batted .405, drove in 21 runs and scored 27 runs last year. She will be batting number four in the lineup, Ryan said, and, joined by junior first-baseman Ashley Straile, will be one of the team’s two main power hitters.

Straile is coming off a first varsity season where she clubbed a team-leading 10 home runs and also paced the Vikings in RBI with 31 and runs scored with 34. Not just a home run hitter, Straile batted .524, with 43 hits in 82 at-bats. 

“Ashley, who has hit two home runs in the pre-season so far, is a power hitter, but can do so many other things well,” Ryan said. “She’s a strong girl with good arm length, is a fast runner and can also bunt. She also made only one error last year at first base.”

Kelly Schulhafer, a junior, moved over to third base last year after playing second base. “Kelly’s a nice, little player that is very good at bunting and comfortable at third base,” Ryan said. “She’s a nice singles and doubles hitter who does a lot of little things for us.” 

Katie Bree, a junior, is back in center field. “Katie does a little bit of everything,” Ryan said of his leadoff batter a year ago. “She can hit, slap, bunt, drag bunt and is very hard to get out.”

Ryan described new shortstop Courtney McGovern, a sophomore, in the same fashion. They both could see time in the leadoff spot. “They are both very good at finding ways to get on base,” Ryan said. 

The other returning starter is senior Sam Nizolek at second base. Left fielder Ella Chamis, a senior, and right fielder Loren Franco, a junior, were also on the varsity roster last season. 

“I think we’re stronger defensively and our team speed has really improved this year,” Ryan said. “We can play small ball and that will be important for us as well.”

UNION CATHOLIC VIKINGS
SOFTBALL 2011 

PITCHER:
Colleen Dow, sophomore right hander 

CATCHER:
Erin Farley, senior

FIRST BASE:
Ashley Straile, junior

SECOND BASE:
Sam Nizolek, senior 

THIRD BASE:
Kelly Schulhafer, junior 

SHORTSTOP:
Courtney McGovern, sophomore 

LEFT FIELD:
Ella Chamis, senior 

CENTER FIELD:
Katie Bree, junior

RIGHT FIELD:
Loren Franco, junior

RESERVES:
Casey Hauck, sophomore
Kaitlyn Norge, freshman
Amanda Szyszkiewkz, sophomore pitcher
Vickie Lopes, junior
Emily Cimilluca, sophomore

REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE:
April 1 Roselle Park, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 5 Summit, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 7 Johnson, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 8 at Brearley, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 12 at Rahway, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 14 at Linden, 4 p.m. – conference-crossover
April 15 Kent Place, 4 p.m. – conference-crossover
April 19 at New Providenve, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 21 Plainfield, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
First Viking Classic at Union Catholic – April 23: Union Catholic, Roselle Catholic, Dunellen, Piscataway. Game times to be announced.
April 26 at Summit, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 28 at Johnson, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
April 30 Brearley, 10:30 a.m. – Mountain Division
May 3 at Roselle Park, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
May 4 Rahway, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
May 10 New Providence, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division
May 17 Cranford, 4 p.m. – conference-crossover
May 18 Plainfield, 4 p.m. – Mountain Division 

UNION COUNTY CONFERENCE
SOFTBALL FOR 2011

WATCHUNG DIVISION (7 schools): Cranford, Elizabeth, Gov. Livingston, Linden, Scotch Plains, Union, Westfield.
Defending champion: Union

MOUNTAIN DIVISION (8 schools): Brearley, Johnson, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle Park, Summit, Union Catholic.
Last year’s champions: Cranford, Gov. Livingston 

VALLEY DIVISION (8 schools): Benedictine, Dayton, Hillside, Kent Place, Oak Knoll, Roselle Catholic, Roselle, St. Mary's, Elizabeth.
Last year’s champion: Roselle Park