2013 Softball Season in Review
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – The softball program at Finger Lakes Community College showed elevated signs of growth this past spring. With a talented roster in place, the Lady Lakers, who boasted 10 freshmen and six sophomores, collected 14 wins in 2013. Overall, they finished the season 14-23. Their 14 wins tied the school record for most victories in a season (2009).
As a team, Finger Lakes batted .302 on the season. Its pitching staff, led by freshman Rachel Mertens, posted a 3.96 Earned Run Average. On the defensive end of the field, the Lady Lakers accrued a .924 fielding percentage.
On the hitting front, Finger Lakes saw six of its players boast averages of .300 or better. Mertens led the team in hitting with her .376 batting average. Sophomore Tamara Robertson followed her in the hitting department as she reeled off a .375 average on the season. Also joining the .300 hit club were Taylor Briggs (.368), Katie Plummer (.354), Samantha German (.349), and Kelly Kier (.349).
Sophomores Robertson and German both finished their FLCC careers with strong seasons offensively. Robertson made a huge splash in the hitting department. After hitting .260 her freshman year, the Farmington, N.Y. native served as one of the teams most consistent hitters in 2013. German, in addition to her batting average, produced team highs in home runs (4) and RBIs (26) this spring.
The freshmen cast of Mertens, Briggs, Plummer, and Kier showed great promise on the diamond. Mertens served as a solid all-around player. She could hit, pitch, and play the field all at effective levels. Briggs added great value at the catching position both offensively and defensively. Behind the dish, she posted a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage and was on the receiving end of 77 put outs.
To go along with her strong bat, Plummer casted a solid glove all season long. The first baseman totaled 146 put outs and a .938 fielding percentage in 32 games. Kier's bat became lethal as the season picked up steam. Over her last 51 at bats, she tallied 23 hits.
In the pitching department, Mertens showcased her talented arm all season long as she posted 109 strikeouts to go along with a 3.00 ERA. Her strikeouts were the most ever in a season in FLCC program history. Freshman Elaina Evinsky also served as a force on the hill. Over 85 innings pitched, the Spencerport, N.Y. native charted a team-high 8 wins and a 4.28 ERA.
Defensively, sophomore Nicole Taylor produced the most amount of put outs. Behind the back stop, the catcher came up with 165 put outs in 31 games. Mertens and freshman shortstop Courtney Edger paced the team with their 79 assists and 61 assists, respectively.
The Lady Lakers began their season down in Myrtle Beach, S.C. While down there, they went 2-6 before returning to Upstate N.Y. Finger Lakes played its first set of home games on Apr. 6 against then No.3 ranked Herkimer County Community College. It would fall to the Lady Generals in both games before taking the road for a pair against Broome Community College. The Lady Lakers, on Apr. 7, would drop two to Broome before heading back home to host Genesee Community College on Apr. 9.
They would then split with Genesee and would take five of their next six games. Finger Lakes, after its first 19 games, would stand in at 7-12. The Lady Lakers would then go 2-8 over their next 10 games before finishing the season 5-3 in their final eight games.
Of its 14 victories, Finger Lakes recorded four wins via the shutout. Six of the Lady Lakers wins came with them scoring 10 or more runs. They twice scored their season high run total, which was 15. They reached the 15-run plateau against the likes of Jamestown Community College-Olean and Fulton-Montgomery Community College on Apr. 17 and Apr. 27, respectively. In the 37 games that Finger Lakes played this past season, the final outcome in 14 games was decided by three runs or less.
As a unit, the Lady Lakers took a step forward in the right direction this past season. The program will only look to gain strength in 2014 and beyond as it will focus on building upon the positive step it took in 2013.