Judson softball looking for CCAC repeat
Judson University softball coach Becky Stenning has every reason to be optimistic.
With her team coming off the program’s first CCAC championship, its second straight 30-win season and an 8-4 start to this season, Stenning’s Eagles are poised to challenge for the CCAC title and a berth in the NAIA World Series again this spring.
“I’m really excited,” said Stenning, now in her eighth season at Judson and the program’s winningest coach with 160 career victories. “This team meshes real well together as a group. We’ve got good chemistry and they work well as a team.”
There are holes to fill, most notably the production of four-time NCCAA all-American Nicole Dimiceli, who graduated with five career records including hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs and RBI. The Eagles also lost infielders Carrie Sensor, Brittany Holm and Kristin Krueger to graduation but Stenning is confident her returnees can get the job done.
“They’re all realizing that everyone has to contribute,” said Stenning, who last season was named CCAC Coach of the Year, MCCAA North Region Coach of the Year and NFCA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year.
Two of the top returning players for the Eagles, who were 32-18 overall and 14-4 in the CCAC last year, are NCCAA second-team All-Americans Emily England (2b/SS) and Sam Gladen (P). Gladen, a Cary-Grove alum, went 2-3 in the circle with a 4.34 ERA on Judson’s trip to Arizona last week, while England hit .302 with 9 RBI.
Stenning is also looking for big things from senior outfielder Concetta Lampugnano. The Bartlett product hit .465 and struck out only three times in 43 at-bats in Arizona.
One big bat that could help replace Dimiceli’s production will come from junior catcher Bri DiGiola, who hit .439 with 2 home runs and 17 RBI last week. She is a transfer from Kankakee Community College. Huntley grad Deanna DeBosschere, who also transferred from Kankakee and will play third base, hit .432 last week, while junior outfielder Allison Catlett of Lincoln, Neb., hit .351 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI. As a team, Judson hit 10 home runs in Arizona last week.
In the circle, Stenning was more than pleased with last week’s performance from McHenry grad Sarah Boyer. The junior went 4-1 with a 0.91 ERA in Arizona, striking out 52 in 38 innings. She was named CCAC Pitcher of the Week on Monday. Gladen, St. Charles East grad Victoria Perez and Downers Grove North alum Hallie Niewold will also be looked to for contributions pitching.
“We told them going into the season that we had everything under control and the pitching had to rise to the occasion, and they did a nice job last week,” Stenning said. “We’ll need that to continue.”
Stenning would like to see her defense tighten up. The Eagles committed 26 errors in their 12 games in Arizona.
Judson has every intention of contending in the CCAC again, and then making a splash in the conference tournament, where the Eagles went two-and-out last year. The CCAC tournament champion gets an automatic bid to the NAIA World Series.
“They had a taste of success last year and they don’t want to share it this year,” said Stenning of the CCAC championship the Eagles shared with Olivet Nazarene last spring.
Judson will travel to Springfield, Mo., this weekend for the Evangel University tournament and then open CCAC play at St. Francis March 20. The Eagles’ home opener is a CCAC doubleheader against Cardinal Stritch on March 22.