Penn State New Kensington catcher Rachel Lojas (20) takes throws from the pitchers while other players await their turn in the batting cage in the campus' Athletics Center.
Lions finally get on the field to
prepare for upcoming season
UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- While El Nino has supplied western Pennsylvania with a relatively mild winter, replete with a few 60-degree days, the Penn State New Kensington softball team will count on sunshine uniformity in Orlando, Florida, for preseason training during the campus’ spring break, March. 7-11.
The New Kensington Lions will break out the shorts and sunscreen and begin spring training March 8, with practices and games. While the weather will be above normal in the Pittsburgh region, about 60 degrees, it will be closer to 80 degrees in central Florida. The Sunshine State will provide the first opportunity for the team to play outside.
"Going south will give the players as much field time as possible before we have to face conference opponents,” said Mike Marsili, beginning his eighth season as head coach. “The outfielders can actually shag fly balls, and we can face live pitching instead of hitting off of the machine.”
During January and February, Marsili had the team doing its conditioning, fielding, and hitting in the Athletics Center. The squad worked out in the weight room, fielded grounders in the gymnasium, and took swings inside the batting cage. In addition, pitchers threw on the sidelines while position players executed defensive drills.
"We can only do so much in the gym, so I'll be excited to get them on the field and see what they can do," said Marsili, a resident of Vandergrift. "The Florida schedule gives the coaches an opportunity to analyze players' strengths and determine their positions."
The team will spend six days in Florida and will play games against Walsh University and Owens Community College from Ohio, Mott Community College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Glen Oaks Community College from Michigan, and Monroe Community College from New York.
The schedule is not all diamond-related as it provides time for a trip to Disney World. And in keeping with the spirit of the campus' spring break, the players will also have some beach time.
“We want everyone to have a good time and get to know their new teammates,” Marsili said. “I hope to use the Florida experience to get off to a fast start during the regular season.”
Marsili fields a squad dominated by freshmen. Seven first-year players are expected to start on opening day. The Lions, 2-14 a year ago, are bolstered by the return by all-conference catcher Rachel Lojas (Norwin High School), who sat out the 2015 season because of shoulder surgery. Lojas will provide leadership, as well as stability behind the plate. She hits for both power and average.
“This year's team has quite a few freshmen who played on travel teams, so they come in with some seasoning and having played with and against some good competition,” said Marsili, a former baseball player at the campus. “This team needs the Florida trip to jell together and get to know each other.”
The 2016 campaign gets under way at noon, Sunday, March 20, with a nonconference doubleheader at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, Pennsylvania. The home opener is set for 2 p.m., Saturday, March 26, with a double header against Southern State (Ohio) Community College at the Lions new home, Alcoa Field. The newly renovated field is located about five minutes from campus on the property of Alcoa Technical Center at the intersection of state Rt. 780 and White Cloud Road in Upper Burrell.
Marsili's squad is set to play six home doubleheaders at Alcoa Field. The 22-game schedule features 16 Penn State University Athletic Conference games and six nonconference contests.
With eight years under his belt, Marsili is the dean of head coaches at the campus. His assistant coaches are Caitlin Nealer, Bob White and Bubba Hileman.
For the full softball schedule and roster, visit http://psnkathletics.com/sports/sball/index