A pair of integral components to the University of Charleston softball team no longer wear a Golden Eagles uniform. UC knew of one departure since the end of last season. The other was much more recent and much more of a surprise.
Even with that pair of All-Mountain East Conference first-team selections gone, UC coach Ray Loeser remains confident in the roster that returns, a group stocked with talented veterans and newcomers that take the field for the first time in 2016 at 10 a.m. Saturday with a doubleheader at Pfeiffer University in Meisenheimer, North Carolina.
"We can still have the same outlook on the season because of what these other players have done," Loeser said.
The Golden Eagles, who finished last season at 38-14 and qualified for their first NCAA Division II regional, - will enter this season without their top pitcher and hitter. Pitcher Courtney Fain, whose 228 strikeouts ranked her 18th in Division II, graduated. First baseman Cortney Norris, who led UC with a .353 average, 10 home runs and 43 RBIs, withdrew from the school right before classes began for the spring 2016 semester.
Loeser said finding replacements for those two wasn't the mission heading into this season. Both Fain and Norris are tough to replace.
"The object is to find another kid to pick up where you left off," he said.
At the plate, that player could be Laura Ashlock, a junior infielder who transferred from Northeastern Oklahoma Community College. She hit 20 home runs there last season, which tied her for eighth in the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division I. Loeser has Ashlocked penciled in as cleanup hitter between sophomore utility player Bethany Williams, who was second on the team last season in batting average (.333) and home runs (nine), and senior second baseman Jenna Evans, who hit .279 and tied for the team lead with 11 doubles.
Joining All-MEC second-team pitcher Jessie Rowe as the 1-2 punch in the circle will be former South Charleston star Alli Burdette, a two-time all-stater who transferred to Charleston from Division I Elon.
"She's had a great fall and a good offseason to where we think that, when she goes out there, we have an opportunity to win," Loeser said of Burdette. "She threw about 100 innings at Elon, so her arm's fresh. It's not like it's taxed. She's very similar to what Courtney was. She throws very similar to the same speed, tries to throw up, tries to throw a good rise ball, breaks off a curveball and will throw a ball inside to keep you honest."
Those new faces slide into an experienced group. Loeser is comforted in the fact that he has longtime starters around the field. Evans, Kelly Browning and Katelyn Hamilton are stalwarts at second base, third base and center field, respectively. Loeser likes the attitude the entire group has brought to the table as the season begins.
"We were supposed to play the No. 1 team in the nation and they weren't scared," Loeser said. "We were supposed to open up with North Georgia, the defending champions, and they were like, 'Let's go.' And when they found out they weren't playing [due to inclement weather], they were bummed."
UC was picked by MEC coaches to finish second in the conference's South Division, garnering one first-place vote while West Virginia Wesleyan took the other 11. With so many unknowns concerning other rosters, Loeser said it was too early to worry about other teams in the league. Right now, the Golden Eagles will work on things under their control.
"You make sure you don't get outworked, you don't get outhustled and, for me, you try not to get outcoached," he said. "If you do those things, you give yourself a great opportunity."