The Tarrah Beyster era in Toledo Softball began this weekend as the first year head coach led the Rockets into the 2010 season with a 1-4 record in the First Pitch Classic in Charlotte, N.C.
“I’m very excited to be a part of the Rocket family,” Beyster said.
UT was no-hit in a 14-0 loss to Stony Brook on Friday in five innings. Alyssa Struzenberg had eight strikeouts with three walks in 18 at-bats for the no-hitter.
In the first game on Friday, the Rockets went eight innings in a 6-5 loss to Saint Francis.
Toledo lost both games of a double-header against host Charlotte on Saturday. The 49ers won 7-4 in the first game and 4-1 in the second.
The Rockets scored seven runs in the ninth inning yesterday to beat Saint Francis 9-3 for their first win of the season. Senior shortstop Lacy LeVier hit a solo homerun in the top of the sixth inning to force extra innings.
Senior center Mica Sanchez hit 2-of-4 with two RBI and a run scored. She was Toledo’s best offensive threat over the weekend, going 7-of-15 with five RBI.
Freshman outfielder Erinn Wright went 2-of-4 yesterday with a run scored. She went 6-of-15 for the weekend with two RBI and two runs.
Sophomore pitcher Brooke Gates earned the win yesterday, allowing one run off two hits with a strikeout in just over four innings.
“I’m looking forward to putting Toledo softball back on the map and building the program up to where it was in the 80’s and 90’s,” Beyster said. “Initially, we want to compete in the MAC, but turning the team into a powerhouse is the ultimate goal. I’m ready and excited to get the program running.”
Beyster, who was hired in July, has experience as an assistant coach for Bradley University from 2003-05 and for Indiana University from 2005-08. She spent the 2009 season as the head coach at the University of Vermont.
Hoping to build upon last year’s abysmal 8-38 record, the Rockets will rely upon Sanchez whose .278 batting average was second on last year’s squad.
Senior pitcher Hannah Rockhold returns this year after pitching 128 innings and posting 6-19 record last year. She led the team in strikeouts with 98 and threw nine complete games with one shutout.
Junior pitcher Shana Szypka will be back on the mound for UT in 2010 after recording a team-best 3.93 ERA last year. She ranked second among Rockets pitchers last year in total innings (82) and strikeouts (30).
Junior pitcher Trisha Rons threw 16 innings last year and finished 2009 with an 0-1 record.
Classmate Whitney Young will also pitch for the Rockets in 2010. Young wrapped up 2009 with a 0-2 record in just 10 innings pitched.
Gates had a rough season on the mound in 2009 going 0-8 with a 6.90 ERA. Offensively, she had 15 runs batted in and six homeruns.
Sophomore first baseman Jillian Spink had a .211 batting average and .990 fielding percentage for Toledo, only committing two errors in all of 2009.
Sophomore outfielder Kate Ricchio started 40-of-45 games she played in last year. She was second on the team in RBI and stolen bases last year with 14 and five, respectively.
Sophomore utility player Melissa Rons started 15 games for UT last season and scored six runs.
The Rockets are off until they face Radford at 1:30 p.m. on March 5 in Clearwater, Fla. Toledo will play 13 games in Florida from March 5-14 in the Under Armour Invitational and the Under Armour Classic.
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