HAMDEN–Finally, Quinnipiac softball coach Hillary Smith has her own team.
The fourth-year head coach for the Bobcats has recruited every single player who is on this year’s Quinnipiac roster, so the results from here on out are solely on Smith and her coaching staff.
“I feel like my baby has grown up,” Smith said. “We’ve been through a lot. It’s never a straight line to success and there are bumps in the road; a lot of turns and craziness to get there, but they’ve grown through it and they’re leaders and upperclassmen now. They’ve learned how to handle adversity.”
Smith is hoping that means improvement on last year’s 20-25 squad that graduated five players.
Of those 25 losses a year ago, 14 of them came by three runs or less, so the Bobcats were in many of the games in which they were on the short end of the scoreboard.
“Those close games,” Smith lamented. “We’re going to know how to find that extra gear and find ways to win those.”
Smith feels the Bobcats are always solid defensively and she expects to have her best offensive team in her tenure, as well.
“When we play defense we are a hard team to beat,” she said. “We were just talking about this the other day. What is one of our team’s strengths? We know it’s defense.”
In the circle, the Bobcats know they will have experience as all three pitchers return from a year ago and a trio of others have arrived, as well.
Quinnipiac saw a lot of growth out of senior Sydney Horan (8-16, 4.31 ERA, 116 Ks in 151 innings) during the fall and Smith is hoping she’ll rise up as the team’s ace this spring.
“Sydney Horan is special,” Smith said. “I’ve been around some great pitchers and I know Syd has it and I tell her that all the time. I think in the past she’s sold herself short in terms of not realizing how good she actually is. She’s been lights out for us since fall.”
Fellow senior Jaclyn Gonzalez (10-9, 3.63 ERA in 117.2 innings), who hails from Newington, brings both experience and emotion to the circle and was voted a team captain.
“Between (Horan) and Jackie, those two seniors on the mound, if both of them are on, I think we can compete with anybody,” Smith said. “When she plays, she energizes the team.”
In the infield, Natalie Apatiga is an all-conference returnee at shortstop. She led the team in hitting last season at .343 and had a home run with 15 RBIs.
“She’s a special player, too,” Smith said. “She’s one of our top hitters, our best defender. She works so hard and plays with a chip on her shoulder.”
Sofia Vega, Ella McGalliard, and Brooke Hilliard (.308, team-high runs scored, 13 RBIs) will all see infield action, as well.
Behind the plate, a pair of California kids, Kennedy DeMott and Riley Potter, will handle the crux of the duties. DeMott (.302, 11 RBIs) saw most of the action last season, playing in 32 games while Potter played in 17.
“Both control the defenses really well,” Smith said. “Pitchers love to throw to them.”
In the outfield, Smith has something special.
“Our outfield is good,” she said.
Mary Fogg (.248, 13 RBIs), Amanda Engels (.262, 12 RBIs) and Mia Rubirosa, a freshman out of West Haven, are QU’s likely starters with Engels holding down center field.
The Bobcats are deeper this season, too, so Smith will have to find time for other talented players and an influx of freshman players, as well. Players like Zoe Nelson and Sydney Rosenkranz have the talent to find playing, as do others.
In addition to Gonzalez and Rubirosa, other Connecticut players suiting up for QU this year are: Madison Waltke (Norwich), Aryn Bombery (Naugatuck), and Alex Lewey (Fairfield Ludlowe).
Smith has been impressed with her incoming freshman class, as well.
“I don’t know what impact they’ll have yet, but they’re pushing all these returners to work harder,” Smith said. “They can feel them breathing down their necks.”
The Bobcats, despite all those close losses a year ago, were picked to finish in a tie for ninth in the 13-team league.
“We’re reading this book called ‘Habits of Champions’ and it says it’s a great advantage to be underestimated if you use it the right way,” Smith said. “I just hope they get everything they dreamed of. I told them when they came here they’d be champions one day and they’ve been loyal and bought into everything we’ve said. For these upperclassmen, I just want to be able to let them hang up their cleats the way they deserve. I just want to help them get to postseason play.”
Quinnipiac opens the season on Friday at the Roar City Invitational in Nashville. The Bobcats face Tennessee State University at 12 p.m. and then Mercer University at 7:30 p.m.
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