Softball Preview: James Wood

Coach: Ted McDaniel, 12th year.

Last year: 14-6-1, 5-3 (Northwestern).

Key losses: Erin McCarthy, P/3B; Morgan Baker, CF; Dana Holtzfel, OF; Sara Hoover (out for season with torn ACL).

Key returners: Morgan Sykes, Sr., INF; Kierstyn Peacoe, So., P; Rachael Largent, Jr., OF; Charlotte Viands, Jr., 1B; Megan Christian, Sr., C/3B, Whitney Dick, Soph., OF.

Key newcomers: Haley Whitacre, Soph., C/INF; Taylor Rizzari, Fr., P/OF; Laura Gates, Fr., INF; Kenzie Garrett, Fr., C/OF.

Outlook: The Colonels have the type of team that is built for contending. Sykes (.485, 32 hits, 13 RBIs, seven doubles, 21 runs, four triples) set a school single-season record for batting and was an all-Region II selection. Largent (14 runs, 10 RBIs) was all-district, Viands set a school single-season record for fielding percentage with just one error at first base, and Peacoe made a fast impression, recording a school single-game record 18 strikeouts.

McDaniel will use a talented group of freshmen in hopes of molding his team into another top-notch unit.

"We'll have to fight tooth-and-nail," McDaniel said. "We should have a balanced hitting attack and I think we have some solid players to build around."

Opener: Tonight vs. Tuscarora, 6