Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University softball team begins its season Sunday afternoon, traveling to Chowan for a doubleheader starting at noon. The projected starting lineup for the Bulldogs features six returning players and three newcomers.

“My expectations for the year are to break several offensive records along with being in the top three in the conference,” first year head coach Lani Shaffer says. “I truly believe with our freshman class and returners this year, that we have the talent and ability to do so. Our preseason so far has been focused on getting back to the softball grind mentality and physically. This team has really done a great job on adapting to a new head coaches’ philosophy and system, now they are just ready to play.”

The infield will be similar to the 2012 infield. Sophomores Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) and Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) will be at third base and shortstop, respectively, with junior Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) returning at second base. Senior Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) suffered an injury during preseason. While she recovers, sophomore Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) will move from catcher to first base. Braswell was a second team All-SAC selection last year, while earning first team preseason All-SAC accolades this season. “These young ladies will bring cohesion and leadership among the infield,” Shaffer says.

Owens led the Bulldogs with 143 assists in the field last season, posting a fielding percentage of .946. She also drove in 10 runs, hitting .209 on the year. Burrell hit .260 with five homers, nine doubles, three triples and 26 RBI. She led the Bulldogs with 31 runs scored. Whitley led the Bulldogs with 10 sacrifices in 2012, adding three doubles and 10 RBI.

One of three seniors on the team, Loudermilt tied for the team lead with a .336 average last season. She had five homers, 10 doubles and a team-best 32 RBI. Braswell also hit .336, leading the team with 50 hits, eight homers, 11 doubles and 87 total bases, ranking second with 29 RBI. Starting the season at catcher will be freshman Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.). She earned multiple All-Conference and All-District accolades at Cherryville High School, while also being named the District Player of the Year. She will jump right into the heart of Wingate’s lineup, projected to hit in the cleanup spot for the Bulldogs.

The outfield will have a pair of seniors along with a freshman. Seniors Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) and Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) will play beside freshman centerfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.). “These young ladies will bring speed and years of knowledge to the bulldog outfield,” Shaffer says.

Maffucci hit .301 in her first season with the Bulldogs in 2012, with a homer, five doubles and four triples. She drove in 12 runs while scoring 25 runs, adding nine sacrifices and three stolen bases. Pendley hit .239 with 11 runs scored as a junior. She registered five sacrifices last season. Adems led D.H. Conley to three conference titles and a state championship, hitting .425 with 40 runs scored and 24 stolen bases during the state championship season. She is projected to be the lead-off hitter for the Bulldogs this season.

The Wingate pitching staff will consist of freshman Stacy Houser (Mooresville, N.C.), junior college transfer Kaity Schultz (Pittsfield, Ill.), and sophomore Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.). “All three of these young ladies will contribute different pitching styles and philosophies to the circle,” Shaffer says.

Houser was a four-time All-Conference and All-State selection at Lake Norman High School, going 9-0 as a senior with a 0.00 ERA. Houser also hit over .400 in her career at Lake Norman, and is projected to be in the middle of the Wingate lineup. Paul set a Wingate single season record in 2012, throwing 280 1/3 innings. She went 23-23 on the season with a 2.57 ERA. Paul had 32 complete games, seven shutouts and 156 strikeouts during her freshman season.

The Bulldogs hit the road again after the season-opening doubleheader Sunday. Wingate will travel to Erskine Tuesday for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs will play their first home doubleheader Saturday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. against Coker. Wingate opens conference play March 9 at Lincoln Memorial, while the first home conference matchup will take place March 16 against Carson-Newman.  
WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University, ranked as the 6th “best value” in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves nearly 2,700 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy and education.

With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity.

In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past six years.

Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000’s with 52 selections. Among North Carolina’s colleges and universities, Wingate’s 52 Academic All-America® honorees are tied for first (with Duke University) during this millennium. Wingate’s 61 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.