Softball: Bison picked ninth in PAC preseason poll

Written by Colin Herb 

BETHANY, W.Va. - Bethany College softball is predicted to finish ninth in the President's Athletic Conference (PAC) preseason coaches poll. The annual poll collects votes from each of the league's 11 head coaches. The rankings are then based on a point system stemming from your place on the coaches' ballot. 

The votes are spread out more than your typical coaches poll with four different teams earning a first place vote. Waynesburg is predicited to finish first with the most first-place (six) and a total of 95 points. Westminster and Allegheny both collected two first place votes, with Westminster overtaking Allegheny for the runner-up position based on records. The Titans own 89 points. The Gators tallied 83 points. Geneva misses the podium at fourth, but they have a first-place vote to boast along with 73 points. The rest of the rankings are as follows: Saint Vincent (63), Grove City (55), W&J (37), Chatham (36), Bethany (33), 8 Thiel (30), and Franciscan (11). 

The Bison struggled to get things started early last spring. By the end of the season, the young Bethany team improved immensely finishing their last half of April, 6-2. For this season, the women will have a new leader in the form of head coach Olivia Scarbrough. 

Scarbrough comes to Bethany with some PAC coaching experience. She served as an assistant for the Grove City Wolverines for their winningest season in program history. Scarbrough's winning history goes further back with her time at Division III Houghton University. She was a part of a staff that earned coaching staff of the year while leading Houghton to program records for most wins in a season, runs scored, and highest team batting average.  

Scarbrough inherited a young team that was in what most fans called a "rebuilding phase" for the Bison. With some young talent that began to hit their stride at the end of last season, the Bison have some potential to make unexpected waves in the PAC. 

One piece of that standout young talent is sophomore Brooke Markland. The Bison's shortstop led the team in on base percentage (OBP) last year with a big time .410. Markland led the team in a few other areas that typically tip off opponents how efficient she is at the plate and on the base path. She led the team in walks (12), runs (22), and total plate appearances. She also uses that eye to select good pitches to hit (and run on) as she was second on the team in hits (29), steals (14), and slugging (.396). 

The only person that Markland trailed in many categories was then senior Morgan Huey, who's competing for the Bison in her graduate year. Huey puts bat-on-ball only striking out five times in 97 at-bats last year; and good things happen when she does. Huey had a solid season at the plate slashing .320 with a team leading 31 hits, 13 extra base hits, and 25 RBI. Even when Huey slapped a single, the speedster swept 10 stolen bases without getting caught. Her .474 slugging can very well hit the coveted .500 mark this season if her bat manages to get hot.  

The third PAC player to watch is Destiny Goodnight. The senior is what some fans will call a "fake double" specialist. Goodnight had 25 singles last season. While on the bases, she stole a team leading 18 bags. Teams have to stay wide awake if Goodnight ends up on the bases. That situation happened quite often last season with her average falling just short of the .300 mark at .292.  

A player to watch not on the PAC list is Elizabeth Shubert. The young slugger's first two hits as a Bison were an RBI double and a home run that was launched over the fence. While she struggled to get comfortable into the box in the beginning of the year, Shubert ended the season with a .316 OBP. She was also the runner up in RBI with 12 despite only having 65 AB on the year. 

Senior Josie Wise is set to be the main starting pitcher for the Bison. In 20 appearances last season, Wise served up a 4.74 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. She started 13 games for the Bison. Eight of those games she completed. Wise will bring the most experience to the Bison pen and is set to be the primary workhorse.  

The Bethany Bison softball season will begin on spring break in Florida. They will play a doubleheader everyday over the course of five days. Their first game will be March 2, against Anna Maria at 9am. Following that game the Bison will play Rockford University.