Cobber Fastpitch Softball History

First Year of Fastpitch: 1987
All-Time Record: 274-337 (20 seasons)
All-Time MIAC Record: 180-208
Years in Postseason Play: 0

Cobber Fastpitch Softball Information
2006 Record: 15-19
Home: 5-7
Away: 5-7
Neutral: 5-5
2006 MIAC Record: 10-12
Home: 5-7
Away: 5-5
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 11/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/3

2007 Top Returning Players:
Kelli Niess

2006 MIAC All-Conference; 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District; led the team in batting average (.373), runs scored (28), hits (41) and stolen bases (20) in 2006.
Shantelle Nogowski

2006 MIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention; led the team in on base percentage (.443) and walks (16) in 2006; second on the team in batting average (.337), slugging percentage (.506), RBIs (22) and stolen bases (4).
Amanda Johnson

Lled the team in slugging percentage (.645), home runs (6) and total bases (60) in 2006; second on the team in runs scored (24) and hits (30).
Jill Reinert

Led the team in ERA (4.66) in 2006; one of two returning starting pitchers in 2007; struck out 43 in 46.1 innings pitched in 2006.

OUTLOOK

After finishing just two games shy of the MIAC playoffs in 2006, the 2007 Concordia fastpitch softball team is hungry to get their first taste of postseason action in program history. The Cobbers return seven of their starters from a year ago and have all three of their top hitters back from last season.

The key to Concordia’s success in 2007 will be to find a replacement to MIAC All-Conference pitcher Lindy Sparby who graduated in the spring. Sparby started 20 of the team’s 34 overall games last year and 14 of the team’s 22 conference games in 2006. She was able to keep the Cobbers in almost every game over the course of her career and ate up the majority of the innings in her three-year career at Concordia.

THE PTICHING STAFF

The leading candidate to take over for Sparby is sophomore Jill Reinert (Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer HS). Reinert posted a team-best 4.66 ERA in her limited action during her freshmen season. She also had 43 strikeouts in her 46.1 innings pitched en route to recording a 4-4 overall record. Reinert has been the team’s No.1 pitcher through the start of the 2007 campaign. In the team’s 10 games during their spring trip to Arizona, she started six games, struck out 44 in 40 innings pitched and picked up both of the Cobber victories.

Lisa Kott (Sr., Bozeman, Mont.) is the only other returning player that has started a game for Concordia in the past two seasons. Kott appeared in seven games last season and started on six occasions. She posted an ERA of 5.89 and went 2-4 in 2006. Kott will be joined by a pair of freshmen in giving support to Reinert. Becki Zimmerman (Chokio, Minn./Chokio-Alberta HS) and Erin Johnson (Fargo, N.D./West Fargo HS) both saw action during the team’s spring trip. Zimmerman had a team-best 3.82 ERA and appeared in two games and Johnson started one game and came on in two others and finished with a 6.00 ERA.

THE OFFENSIVE ATTACK

The mainstay of the Cobber team in 2007 will be their offensive attack. Concordia returns their top three hitters from last season and five of the six hitters who averaged .250 or above last year. Kelli Niess (Rice, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice HS) returns after an MIAC All-Conference season in 2006. The team’s leadoff hitter has a career .340 average and last year led the team in batting average (.373), runs scored (28), hits (41) and stolen bases (20). Niess led the team during their Arizona trip as she hit .417 after playing in all 10 of the team’s games. She will also be the anchor of the team’s infield. Niess has shown great range from her shortstop position throughout her career at Concordia.

Catcher Shantelle Nogowski (Twin Valley, Minn./Norman County East HS) had a breakout season in 2006. After hitting just .218 in her first two seasons at Concordia, she cranked up a .337 average in 2006 and was named to the MIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention Team. She finished second behind Niess in almost every offensive category. She led the team in on-base percentage (.443) and walks (16) in 2006 and was second on the team in batting average (.337), slugging percentage (.506), RBI’s (22) and stolen bases (4).

After Niess and Nogowski, head coach Stacey Holm will rely on Amanda Johnson (Jr., Grey Eagle, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle HS) and Amanda Michaelson (So., Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) to come through at the top of the order. Johnson led the team in slugging percentage (.645), home runs (6) and total bases (60) in 2006. She was also second on the team in runs scored (24) and hits (30). Johnson is the team’s starting second baseman and made only three errors in 150 chances to post a team-best .980 fielding percentage. Michaelson returns for her second season as the team’s starting third baseman. She hit .269 last year as a freshman and will be slated into the No.2 spot in the batting order.

When not in the lineup as pitchers, Reinert and Kott will contribute to the team’s offense and also be placed in the outfield on defense. Reinert hit .250 last year and is coming off a spring trip where she batted .400 and had one of the team’s two home runs. Kott, who like Reinert will get the nod in right field when not on the mound, hit .321 in Arizona and hit safely in six of the nine games she appeared. She will most likely be in the top four in the CC batting order come the start of the MIAC season.

If the Cobbers can have some of the other players who are getting a chance to play for the first time in their careers or any of the top-notch freshmen step up and contribute at the plate, then Concordia will have a serious chance to be playing in their first playoff game in school history.

2007 MIAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL

With 11 first place votes, St. Thomas topped Gustavus for first in the 2007 preseason poll. The Tommies have won or shared six of the last seven MIAC regular season titles and have won all three of the MIAC Playoffs. MIAC regular season softball starts on Saturday, March 31.

The MIAC Playoffs will be held May 4-5 at Bethel and Hamline with the top four regular season teams competing.

1. St. Thomas (11)
2. Gustavus (1)
3. Saint Mary's
4. Saint Benedict
5. St. Catherine
6. Concordia
7. Bethel
8. Hamline
9. Augsburg
10. (tie) Carleton
10. (tie) St. Olaf
12. Macalester