Jacobson optimistic about ECC softball team
Elgin Community College’s softball team will have a new look to it this season on a number of different fronts.
The Spartans welcome new head coach Lizzy Jacobson to the fold. She replaces longtime coach Anne Vogt, who is now the head coach at Larkin High School, her alma mater. Jacobson was a standout pitcher for Judson University and previously coached at Larkin.
Jacobson inherits a roster that features only two returning players in sophomores Ashley Scheffler (SS, Burlington Central) and Jen Jordan (P-3B, St. Charles North).
Sophomores Whitney Carranza (IF, Streamwood native), Gabriella Moe (P-1B, St. Charles East) and Katherine Quick (Utility, Elgin) are out for the team for the first time this season.
The rest of the squad features freshmen Lindsay Vellega (IF, St. Charles East), Shannon Bieber (OF, Hampshire), Audrey Djukic (IF-OF, Burlington Central), Mia Gorkowski (IF-OF, Elgin native), Samantha King (3B-OF, Larkin), Denise Bergdahl (P-OF, Crystal Lake South) and Jaclyn Navarro (C-IF, Elgin).
“We have a pretty small roster, but we have talented girls competing for spots,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson is excited about the team’s pitching prospects with Moe, Jordan and Bergdahl.
“I think our pitching staff will definitely anchor the team,” she said. “We have solid pitching. All three can contribute for us.”
ECC also will rely on its speed this spring.
“We have a lot of speed and we’ll look to use that to our advantage,” said Jacobson. “We have a lot of speed, especially at the top of the lineup with Ashley Scheffler and Audrey Djukic. They will probably be 1 and 2 in our lineup.”
At the plate, Jacobson sees a team that will blend contact with the big hit.
“We have a nice mix of contact hitters and we have a few girls that can hit the long ball,” she said.
Jacobson also is confident ECC will get it done behind her pitching staff.
“We should be pretty solid defensively,” she said. “We only have 12 girls on the team. We’re a little light with the roster, but we have girls that can play different positions. That is going to help with our depth on defense.”
Jacobson’s main concern with the smaller roster is keeping everybody healthy.
“That’s the only concern with the roster,” she said. “We will be OK if we can stay healthy. That’s very important. We’ll lean on our pitchers to throw strikes and keep us in games. If we can be strong on defense we will be OK.”
Jacobson has been pleased with how quickly the team has bonded together.
“We have a lot of newcomers,” she said. “They have all blended nicely. We have good chemistry on our side, for sure.”
Being new to the junior college game, Jacobson isn’t familiar with the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference the Spartans plays in. However, she has a strong feeling the league will be competitive.
“Every team we are going to play is going to be a pretty decent team at this level,” she said. “We have to bring our ‘A’ game to beat any team in the conference.”
ECC opens the regular season March 17 at the McKendree University tournament in Lebanon, Ill. The Spartans open the home portion of their schedule March 22 at 3 p.m. at Kishwaukee at the Elgin Sports Complex.