2008 Dominican College Softball Season Summary
The 2008 Dominican College Lady Chargers softball team finished the year with a 30-24 overall record and a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) record of 18-4 which included a sweep of eventual CACC Tournament winner, Caldwell College. The team finished third in the CACC and was seeded third in the CACC Tournament under Interim Head Coach Joe Burbridge.
In the CACC Tournament, the Lady Chargers faced the sixth seeded Devils of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in the opening game. DC lost in extra innings, 3-2 to put them in the loser's bracket and where they had to face the #5 Wilmington University in an elimination game. The Lady Charger offense came alive as they won 9-4 to eliminate the Wildcats. One day two, DC once again started off the day against USP in another elimination game. This time Dominican came away with the 3-1 victory and set up a clash with fourth seeded Tigers of Holy Family University. The Tigers broke a scoreless tie with a three run fifth inning and went on to the 3-1 victory to end the Lady Charger season.
Sophomore shortstop, Cara Piasecki, led the team this season with a .414 batting average and set a new school record with 12 home runs. She led the team with a .695 slugging percentage, 72 hits, 42 runs 42 RBIs and 13 doubles. She also ranked first in the CACC in hits and home runs, second in slugging percentage and total bases and third in batting average, on base percentage and RBIs. For her efforts she was named to the All-CACC First Team and was the Louisville/NFCA Division II Player of the Week for the week ending April 27th.
Junior captain, Sarah Beck, had another stellar season with a .383 batting average. She led the team with 175 at bats and finished second with 67 hits, 35 RBIs, 87 total bases and tied for second with 9 doubles.
She finished the season with a .423 on base percentage and a .914 fielding percentage after switching from a catcher to an outfielder. Beck finished ninth in the CACC in batting third in hits and fourth in at-bats. She was named to the All-CACC First Team and to the 2008 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Northeast Region First Team.
Senior first basemen Kristine Knuth received All-CACC Second Team honors for the third straight season. She sported a .988 fielding percentage in all 54 games started at first base. She led the team with 181 at bats and tied for the team lead with 17 walks. She finished third on the team with 53 hits and 8 doubles.
Senior hurler, Christine Stathes, battled through the season with a shoulder injury to post a 17-13 record and a 2.75 ERA. In a 180.2 innings pitched, she had 86 strikeouts and opponents hit .279 against her. She had 20 complete game performances this year and ranked 14th in the CACC in ERA, second in innings pitched, fifth in batters who struck out looking, third in wins and second in both games started and appearances.
The Lady Chargers will lose four players this season as
Knuth, Stathes, third basemen
Jackie Terpstra and Chrystina
Tirado all will graduate after solid careers at DC.
With a wealth of talent returning for the 2009 season and the
addition of new recruits in key positions, the Lady Chargers are
striving for a CACC Title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament next
year.