Getting into the swing of things

Megan Masser stood on the hill, focusing on her target, and

started her windup.

As the ball traveled over the plate and into the catcher’s mitt,

Masser sent batters back to the dug out, over and over again. It

happened 109 times over the 2003-04 softball season.

However, this season, that phrase will be no more. With the

graduation of star pitcher Masser the CSU softball team lost a

great leader and contributor on the pitching staff.

In fact, she had the team’s lowest ERA at 1.83 and 12 wins, but

a loss of a veteran pitcher is not all the Rams are missing this

season.

The team also lost Ricki Walker to graduation. Last year, Walker

had a .399 batting average, 67 hits, 37 RBIs and an on-base

percentage of .449. Needless to say, last season brought numerous

losses (including the loss to Utah in the conference

championships).

Despite this, the Rams are still looking forward to this

season.

“(We are going to) play with enthusiasm. Play our best. Play to

our potential, every pitch, every out, every inning,” said head

coach Mary Yori.

Despite the loss of Masser and Walker, the expectations for the

team are high.

“The pitching staff will have to step up,” said shortstop Steph

Roberts. “We got in a bunch of new hitters and our hitting becomes

stronger as a whole, that will help picking up the slack for

Ricki.”

To improve their game the Rams began workouts last week and

began team practices Monday. Their goals for now are to get back in

the swing of things and help bring freshmen Lauren Cusick, Molly

Gallu and Julia Kloppe up to speed.

The Rams took the field for the first time on Sunday, facing CSU

alumni in a scrimmage. Every player on the roster got playing time,

but the alumni, including Walker and Masser, beat the Rams 5-4.

The first true test for the Rams will come this weekend at the

Triple Crown Classic when they will play Colorado-Colorado Springs

and Montana State-Billings. They will also play in Nebraska Fall

Tournament in mid-October to chalk up some experience foe the

competitive spring season.

“The fall season is very much a practice season, but it is

important that we get to play against our competition. We are

trying to get back on the field,” Yori said. “Our goal is always to

play with a lot of intensity and enthusiasm and continue for each

individual to reach her potential as an athlete. We don’t set a lot

of team goals, we just try to do our best individually and put it

together as a team.”