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Last year's loss haunts top-seeded Flashes
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, May 07, 2008
The 2008 Kent State softball team has searched for ways to put the disappointment of 2007 into proper perspective.
Last season, the Golden Flashes won the regular-season championship in the Mid-American Conference but lost in the second and third rounds of the MAC Tournament to miss making the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year.
The 2008 Flashes regrouped and tied a school record for victories (40) and conference wins (20) to repeat as regular-season MAC champions.
KSU now has a chance to erase the memories of last May in the 2008 MAC Tournament today through Saturday at Firestone Stadium.
''We have used last year as a little bit of a motivation, but we didn't carry it with us,'' said senior shortstop Jessica Toocheck, a Medina High graduate and a candidate for MAC Player of the Year, which will be announced today. ''We are not focused on what happened. We know we can move on to bigger and better things.
''This year, we are confident . . . trusting ourselves. We are not dwelling on last year, stressing over it. It's over and it's a new year.''
The Flashes (40-10, 20-2) enter the MAC Tournament as the top seed and will play the eighth-seeded University of Akron (19-36, 8-14) at 1:30 p.m. today in the first round.
KSU coach Karen Linder believes that her team will play much better in the tournament than in the 2007 event, which was held in Midland, Mich.
''We had a target on our back last year. It seemed like everybody was out to get us and we didn't handle it well,'' said Linder, who has a 344-269 record in 12 seasons with KSU. ''This year, we have a different mental approach. We know what to expect.''
Linder credits senior starters Gabrielle Burns, Jamie Fitzpatrick, Kim Hamilton, Corey Houk and Toocheck — who all played on the 2006 team that won one game in the NCAA regional — with being the catalysts.
''We have had incredible leadership from our seniors. With how we finished last season, they were determined to have a very good senior year. They have done a great job leading and producing,'' Linder said. ''We have great team chemistry. Our kids are very unselfish.''
Toocheck, a shortstop, has been the most productive player, leading KSU in batting (.343), home runs (10) and RBI (43).
The other seniors also have been productive, as have local products Leah Archual (Tallmadge), Jessi Carmichael (Dalton), Heather Duhon (Ellet), Aimee Bassett (Wadsworth), Amy Hair (Perry). Lauren Brocklehurst (Medina) and Katie Wheeler (St. Vincent-St. Mary).
The Flashes have been solid offensively and defensively, but the pitching of Burns (18-5, 1.06 ERA), Kylie Reynolds (21-4, 1.21 ERA) and freshman Markie Pozzuto (1-1, 2.44 ERA) has been just as crucial. KSU's staff ERA of 1.19 ranks in the top 15 nationally among NCAA Division I programs.
On Tuesday, Reynolds won her fifth MAC Pitcher of the Week award this season. In five appearances last week, she was 3-0 with two saves.
''All three of our pitchers work well together. They are not out to be individuals. They work off each other,'' said first-year pitching coach Amy Densevich, a former Field and KSU standout who coached Hudson to the 2007 Division I state high school championship.
''Both Kylie and Gabe have been our mental warriors. They are so mentally strong. They have fought hard and gotten out of so many tough situations.''
The Flashes finished 51/2 games ahead of second-seeded and West champion Central Michigan (25-18, 14-7) for overall MAC honors.
Zips make field
The University of Akron swept a doubleheader from Toledo on Friday to put the Zips in position to claim the final seed in the eight-team field.
Designated hitter Julie Boyes, who pitched Lake High to the 2005 Division I state championship, leads the Zips in home runs (seven) and RBI (37). She also is batting .264, which is second to center fielder and Perry High graduate Lisa McLean (.348).
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
The 2008 Kent State softball team has searched for ways to put the disappointment of 2007 into proper perspective.
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