The women's softball team has not experienced much turnover from last season - except, that is, in the outfield. With the graduation of former captain Randee McArdle and the transfer of Jenica Spogen to another school, the Jumbos are looking to fill two big holes in the outfield.
For the first time in four years, McArdle will not be roaming centerfield for the team - a loss which the Jumbos will clearly feel. Last season's NESCAC Player of the Year and third-team All-American, McArdle recorded one of the best individual seasons in Tufts history, which included 35 RBI's in 34 games, a .369 batting average, 11 doubles, four triples and six home runs.
The impressive statistics were not exclusive to McArdle's senior season. She ranks fourth all time at Tufts in hits (147), first in doubles (33), triples (13), RBIs (103), total bases (242), second in career games played (145), third in homeruns (12), and fourth in slugging percentage (.559).
Senior Jen Mackey said losing McArdle puts a huge dent in the team. "She was a great player and she always stepped up in big situations," Mackey said. "She is a great person and great leader."
Team members say those intangibles won't easily be filled, but that leaders will surely emerge.
"She had a certain style of leadership," senior pitcher Jodie Moreau said. "She was very unique in that she touched all the players with her leadership. Each player has a different style of doing things. Yes she will be missed, but [the older players] have picked up where she left off."
Mackey, Moreau, Emily Ferrazza and Tiffany Trahan are the four seniors who will be counted on to take key leadership rolls this season.
Spogen's absence could prove troublesome. The two-year team member did not quite have the resume as McArdle, but was one of the team's better players. Last season, Spogen finished fourth on the team in batting average (.337), RBIs (19) and total bases (46).
"Jenica is gonna be a huge loss," Mackey said. "She kept things light. She was a great outfielder and a great hitter."
Not only is the team going to miss Spogen for her talents on the field, but her personality was endearing to teammates. "Jenica was very unique to the team and we are really going to miss her a lot," Moreau said. "It's kind of sad that she didn't want to stay, but I know it's the best thing for her."
One player who may benefit from the absences of McArdle and Spogen is sophomore utility player Julie Fox, who will likely play full time in one of the vacated outfield spots. Fox has the potential to emerge this season, having batted .333 with a .439 slugging percentage in limited action last year. She was also perfect in the field, not recording an error in 22 chances.
"Julie Fox stepped up last year on more than one key occasion," Moreau said. "She has come through both on the offensive and on and the defensive side."
Mackey echoed her teammate's sentiments. "[McArdle and Spogen] were obviously very productive hitters but when Julie Fox got in their she was a good power and contact hitter. So I'm sure she will step up. Last year she made a few spectacular plays that opened up some eyes."
While it seems all but certain that Fox will fill one of the two outfield holes, it remains to be seen who will fill the other vacancy. There is a chance that one of the three freshmen, such as Courtney Bongliolatti, could become a starting outfielder. Another player with a chance at earning a starting position in the outfield is sophomore Maggie McClory, who batted .250 in 18 games and also went 2-0 with a 2.02 ERA in 17.1 innings on the mound.
"I'm confident in others filling [Spogen and McArdle's] rolls," Mackey said. "I'm sure Fox will step up and a few freshman have been hitting well."
How the outfield picture shapes up could go a long way toward determining the team's fate.
"We have had two scrimmages so far and compared to last year we look a lot better than we did," Mackey said. "We look good as a team. Everyone has been making good contact and we want to make up for last year cause we lost in regionals. Our team is really driven to get back and to prove that last year was a fluke."
