2010 Softball Outlook

The Cedar Crest College Softball team is preparing itself for a hard hitting season.

Having lost three of their key players last year to graduation, the team is looking to their younger players to fill some big shoes.  “While more than half of the team is first-year players, I think we have the ability to do well,” said senior outfielder Cassandra “C.J.” Krise.

The Falcons are looking to have a winning season, despite losing pitcher Allison Holland, infielder Alyssa Kabat, and outfielder Sarah Campbell.  “We have a lot of returning talent and a lot of incoming freshman, so we're really excited for the upcoming season,” said captain Amy Stumpff.

Newcomers to the team include:  Brianna Moran, Daniella Mendez, Lauren Salge, Stephanie Weisel, Laura Swanhall, Samantha Kitts, and Alyson Mason.  While all freshmen, they are not the only new faces to the team; sophomore Natalia Dial and transfer student Michelle Palmisano will also be suiting up for Cedar Crest this spring.  Dial and Palmisano are gearing up to make for an outstanding pitcher/catcher combination this season. 

Key returners for Cedar Crest include: Junior Tammy Gruzdis, senior Alyssa Bonner, Stumpff and Krise.  Gruzdis batted .315 last season, with 10 stolen bases, and 23 runs scored.  Gruzdis started all 30 games last year at first base for the Falcons.  Bonner, Stumpff, and Krise are all expected to be slated in the starting lineup.   

Also returning for Cedar Crest are: junior Danielle Freeman, sophomores Amy Nasinka, Samantha Makey, and Samantha Olier.

The team also has a new head coach with a familiar face.  Herman Gestl has taken the head coaching position for the 2010 season after being an assistant coach at Cedar Crest for the past six seasons.  Gestl is the father of former Cedar Crest softball coach Kristy Henritzy, the winningest softball coach in Cedar Crest history.

Stumpff is very optimistic about season and all of the new players, “We have high hopes for playoffs this year with all the talent that we have.”   

The team will travel to Florida for spring break, where they will compete in Walt Disney Wide World of Sports.  The team’s first game will be away against the College of St. Elizabeth on March 16, with their home opener against Wells College on March 26 after battling it out with conference rival Cabrini on March 20.

Written by - Jesenia Holguin (Athletics Intern)

No.	Name	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/Previous School
3	Brianna Moran	Fr.	OF/IF	Ambler, PA/Upper Dublin HS
4	Amy Stumpff	Jr.	2B	Warrington, PA/Central Bucks South HS
5	Daniella Mendez	Fr.	OF	Cedar Grove, NJ/Montclair Kimberly Acad.
7	Amy Nasinka	So.	OF	Waterbury, CT/Chase Collegiate
8	Tamera Gruzdis	Jr.	1B	Allentown, PA/Liberty HS
9	Samantha Olier	So.	OF	Belvidere, NJ/Warren County Technical
10	Lauren Salge	Fr.	SS	Robbinsville, NJ/Allentown HS
11	Alyssa Bonner	Sr.	OF/IF	Levittown, PA/Neshaminy HS
13	Stephanie Weisel	Fr.	C	Dunmore, PA/Dunmore HS
14	Danielle Freeman	Jr.	3B	New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle HS
15	Laura Swanhall	Fr.	OF/IF	Cobleskill, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville HS
16	Samantha Kitts	Fr.	P	Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central HS
19	Samantha Makey	So.	1B/C	Aston, PA/Sun Valley HS
20	Natalia Dial	So.	P	Kannapolis, NC/Jesse C. Carson HS
21	Cassandra Krise	Sr.	OF	Flinton, PA/Glendale HS
22	Alyson Mason	Fr.	OF/IF	Salem, CT/East Lyme HS
24	Michelle Palmisano	Jr.	C/IF	Pen Argyl, PA/Pen Argyl HS

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