2016 Oregon State Softball Season Preview
February 04, 2016 | Softball
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Energy. Excitement. Passion. Grit.
Those are the words that head coach Laura Berg used to describe the 2016 Oregon State softball team. In her fourth year at the helm of the program, Berg boasts a squad that returns six regulars from a record-setting lineup as well as a pair of pitchers – one right-hander, one south paw – and a talented class of newcomers. This year's edition of OSU softball will lean on those four aforementioned characteristics to navigate a challenging schedule.
Oregon State's 2016 slate begins on Friday, Feb. 12 with games San Jose State and No. 18 Kentucky, the first of nine teams that the Beavers will play in their non-conference slate that reached the NCAA Tournament in 2015.
“Those games are the ones that are going to prepare us for the Pac-12,” Berg said. “Pac-12 series aren't easy. It doesn't matter who you're playing, one through nine in the standings. It's not easy, it's a grind. Playing a tough schedule before that is really going to prepare our players for those types of games, in terms of what to expect and for what types of pressure will be on them in conference play.”
Along with the Wildcats, Oregon State faces 2015 tournament participant CSUN in its season-opening trip to the Kajikawa Classic from Feb. 12-14 in Tempe, Ariz.
Oregon State will face three more of last season's NCAA Tournament participants at the Mary Nutter Classic from Feb. 25-27 in No. 9 Oklahoma, Northwestern and New Mexico State. 2015 national-runner up and preseason No. 2 Michigan highlights four Judi Garman Classic (March 4-6) opponents – along with No. 16 Baylor, North Carolina and Fresno State – that made the tournament last season.
Put together, the Beavers are set to play 11 games against last season's NCAA Tournament participants before opening the Pac-12 schedule from March 19-21 at preseason No. 23 Utah, one of seven conference foes to be nationally ranked prior to the 2016 season.
“Playing in the Pac-12 is like playing a Super Regional every weekend,” Berg said. “It really is - you're playing tough teams and very good competition. Having seven of the nine teams in the Pac-12 ranked is not uncommon.”
Following the trip to Utah, Oregon State plays its first home games of the season from March 24-26 against the 21st-ranked California Golden Bears. The Beavers host sixth-ranked Oregon two weekends later (April 8-10) and Portland State on April 12. Oregon State's final two home series come against No. 20/19 Washington (April 22-24) and No. 22/20 Arizona State (May 12-14).
The Beavers wrap up their 2016 conference slate with three additional road series: at Stanford from April 1-3, at seventh-ranked UCLA from April 15-17 and at No. 13/15 Arizona from May 6-8.
“We're the underdog,” Berg said. “We want to take on the underdog role and upset people. We want to be the ones that are ranked. That's one of the goals we're working towards and have set for this year.”
In advance of the 2016 season, OSUBeavers.com sat down with Coach Berg and broke down the pitching staff, the infield, the outfield and the newcomers.
THE PITCHING STAFF
Oregon State will lean on several pitchers in its 2016 matchups, led by returning senior ace right-hander Bev Miller. Junior south paw Taylor Cotton gives the Beavers a look from the other side of the circle, while highly regarded freshman righty Meehra Nelson completes the core trio.
“We've got a complete staff this year,” Berg said. “We've got Bev Miller coming back, who threw the majority of the innings for us last year. She's got Pac-12 experience now and knows what to expect. She also knows that she doesn't have to put the entire team and pitching staff on her shoulders, but definitely has the experience to lead our younger pitchers.”
Miller tallied the fourth-highest innings pitched total in the Pac-12 last season (194.1) en route to a 15-13 record and an ERA of 3.64, the ninth-best mark in the conference in 2015. The Portland, Ore. native struck out 122 batters last year, the sixth-highest total in the Pac-12, while holding opposing batters to a combined batting average of .270, the eighth-lowest mark in the league.
Cotton picked up 49.1 innings in 22 appearances last season, including 15 games in relief, the Pac-12's fifth-highest 2015 total. Nelson, a hard-throwing right-hander out of Simi Valley, Calif., will also look to be a factor in her freshman campaign, while sophomore Heidi Hall gained experience in an appearance against Arizona last season.
“Taylor Cotton is a lefty, so you're seeing pitches from the other side, as well,” Berg said. “She's got some dirty spins. When she gets the ball to do what she wants it to do, she can be pretty tough to hit. Meehra Nelson throws hard and wants the ball in her hand. She wants to be in that circle and she'll chew up some innings for us this year.”
THE INFIELD
Of the six lineup regulars returning for Oregon State in 2016, five return in the infield, marking the Beavers' most experienced unit.
While the Beavers return experience at every infield position, key roles both offensively and defensively lies with a pair of 50-game starters in the middle infield, specifically with sophomore McKenna Arriola, who gained international experience with the dominant gold medal-winning U.S. Junior National Team, as well as senior Mikela Manewa, who owns the Beavers' top returning batting average from last season (.338).
“With the experience that those two have from last year, as well as their leadership qualities out there on the field, we have high expectations for them especially in double-play opportunities,” Berg said. “Our expectations are especially high given McKenna's experience winning gold with the U.S. Junior National Team this summer, and with the phenomenal season that Mikela had last year. She carried the team on her shoulders quite a bit.”
Oregon State returns two athletes who split time at first base in 2015. Redshirt junior Natalie Hampton, who set the single-season school record for RBI as a freshman (50), appeared in 30 games with 27 starts in a season limited by injury, while Alysha Everett made an appearance in 37 games with 28 starts. As a freshman, Everett notably led the team in batting average in games played against Pac-12 schools (.400).
“Both are very, very good hitters,” Berg said of the duo at first base. “Natalie is obviously our power hitter - everyone knows you've got to be careful throwing the ball to Hampton. She has dealt with some injuries, but she has overcome them, and that has made her mentally tough. She's got three years of experience, and this is her redshirt junior year. So we have her for another year, which is fantastic.”
Depth at third base has created competition heading into the season. A three-way battle at the position continues between redshirt junior Christie Langlois, who made 15 appearances with a start last season; sophomore Gina Bond, who made four appearances last season; and transfer Madison Anthony, who was an RBI producer (73 in 2014) and an all-region performer at North Idaho.
“Madison Anthony is a big, strong, athletic kid,” Berg said. “She can hit the ball and has good reactions and a strong arm. Gina Bond has been on a hitting tear this winter. Right now, it just doesn't matter what you throw to her – she's going to hit it. Christie Langlois has the postseason experience (2013) that is so important to us. She has a strong bat and does not get cheated when she takes a swing, I can tell you that.”
Completing the theme of depth in the infield is at the catcher position. The Beavers benefit from the return of senior Sammi Noland, who started all 52 games in 2015 and hit .312 with eight home runs and a team-high 40 RBI. A pair of newcomers, Kayleen Shafer and Dacia Sykes, round out the depth at the position.
Shafer picked up big-game experience at Mission Viejo High School, where she helped the team to a No. 1 national ranking in 2014. Sykes, a sophomore, joins the Beavers after hitting .453 with eight home runs and 47 RBI at the College of Southern Nevada last season.
“Sammi played most of her career here in the outfield once Pac-12 play hit, but she did gain experience catching for us a bit, so I'm expecting a lot from her behind the plate,” Berg said. “Kayleen has won a CIF championship and actually had the game-winning hit to win it, so she is definitely able to perform under pressure. Dacia Sykes just transferred here over winter break and she's certainly in the mix as well.”
THE OUTFIELD
Youth is the theme for the Oregon State outfield this season. In 2016, the Beavers will a field a combination of outfielders that includes sophomore Lovie Lopez, a 2015 Pac-12 All-Freshman Honorable Mention who hit .319 in conference play last season, as well as freshmen Jessica Garcia, Riley Gregoire, Michelle Sass and Shelby Weeks.
“Lovie Lopez is the 'veteran' out there – when that kid connects, watch out,” Berg said. “The other four are all freshmen. We have a very, very young, but very talented and very fast outfield. They will cover a lot of ground and catch a lot of balls that were not caught last year. They've all got arms. It's going to be fun to watch.”
Each newcomer adds a dimension to the Oregon State softball team in terms of speed and in production at the plate. Garcia, a four-time all-state selection, hit .636 her senior year at Hughson High School in California, while Weeks hit .500 or higher three times, including a .587 mark as a junior at Merrill F. West High School in Tracy, Calif. Gregoire and Sass, a two-time all-state performer who hit .432 her junior season, each slugged their way to four all-league selections in their high school careers.
THE NEWCOMERS
Additions to the Oregon State softball team were not just limited to players this season. 2016 will mark the debut season for assistant coach Aaron Vail, a native of Oakdale, Minn., who joined the staff with over 14 years of coaching, operations, management and playing experience.
“Aaron Vail has brought a new energy to the staff and to the team,” Berg said. “He was a men's fastpitch player – catcher and second baseman – so he brings a lot of knowledge about a lot of technical things that we've been missing. With him, we're looking to cut the number of errors that we've had in the past couple of years. I think he's done a very good job. The players buy in and we have a great atmosphere.”
Overall, what can Beaver fans expect to see out of the eight OSU newcomers set to make their respective collegiate debuts this season? For Berg, it's a competitive spirit that stands out for this group of newcomers.
“This group of young women just wants to win,” Berg said. “They're very competitive. It's not always on the field, but off the field as well with a new type of energy and youth. These ladies just go out there and have fun. They're competitive and want to win.”
The Oregon State softball team is set to begin its 2016 campaign on Friday, Feb. 12, when the Beavers face San Jose State to open the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. OSU will face the Spartans at 3:30 p.m. PT, before a Friday nightcap with the 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats at 8:30 p.m. PT. The Beavers will continue the tournament with a 6:30 p.m. PT meeting with CSUN on Saturday, Feb. 13, and close out the weekend with a 10:15 a.m. PT matchup with Cal Poly and a 12:30 p.m. PT matchup with New Mexico on Sunday, Feb. 14.
For more information on the Oregon State softball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/OregonStateSB, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateSB or on Instagram at Instagram.com/OregonStateSB.
