Sunday, April 21, 2002
TMC coach has head for softball
By Shannon Russell srussell@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The way Everett Roper saw it, he had nothing to lose. A year and a half ago, he and the Thomas More College fast-pitch softball team were down on their luck, struggling through another losing season.
Four seasons in a row, to be exact. The first three were winless, marked by a dismal 0-47 overall record; the fourth ended at 12-32. Roper was exhausted, the players were frustrated and the defeats were becoming embarrassing.
He issued a team challenge: Win 20 games in a season and he'd shave his head bald. It would be some time, he believed, before the Saints' program would earn such status.
But for the Thomas More softball players, it's the reason for the season.
“Those words have come back to haunt me. I kind of thought no one would remember,” Roper admitted. “But I think we can win those games, and I anticipate being bald.”
The Saints, who have gone 38-112-1 since the program launched intercollegiate play in 1997, have sparked the biggest turnaround in school history. In Thursday's NCAA Division III softball statistics, Thomas More was ranked nationally for the second time in school history in as many weeks: seventh in scoring (8.5 runs a game) and eighth in team batting average (.385).
They have a school-best 15-9 record. Eight regular-season games remain.
Sophomore Maria Gallo, the starting right fielder and a Reading High School graduate, said it's time to sharpen up the razor.
“We haven't discussed who will be doing the shaving, but we know we want this to happen before the tournament. We've worked really hard together this year, and this is our goal,” Gallo said.
Several Thomas More players earned NCAA Division III individual accolades, including Gallo, who is 29th in doubles with eight. Kings graduate and freshman Shannon Heekin is 29th in home runs (5); sophomore Danielle Smith (Glen Este) is 27th in RBI (26); and junior Kelly Taylor (Glen Este) is 20th in stolen bases (15-for-16).
Thomas More offers no athletic scholarships.
When Roper began actively seeking players three years ago, he didn't have much to go on.
“The junior class is the first real class we got to go out and recruit. Most of those girls have been starting since their freshman year. We took our lumps then, but the experience is starting to pay off now,” Roper said.
Tri-captain Caryn Rieck didn't care what the Saints' softball reputation was, as long as she got to play. Rieck is one of four Glen Este graduates who played on a 1999 high school sectional championship team; former Trojans coach Paul McDonald also migrated to Thomas More as an assistant coach.
Rieck, a junior catcher, shared 29th place in the first NCAA Division III polls for stealing 12 of 13 bases in her first 20 games. As leadoff hitter, she has batted .366 with five doubles, two triples, three home runs and 25 RBI.
“If you go to a school with a winning program, you don't necessarily get the chance to play. I knew if I came here, I'd get to play as a freshman,” she said.
Rieck and teammates Taylor and Amy McDonald have been playing together since they were 12 years old, often on summer teams coached by Paul McDonald. Amy McDonald is the Saints' primary pitcher, posting a 9-3 record and 3.53 ERA.
Taylor, a three-year starter at shortstop, is the team hitting leader (.441). A left knee injury has sidelined her for the last four games, but she hopes to recover before the season's end. In the meantime, she plays cheerleader from the bench.
“We are having so much fun together,” Taylor said. “I think it's because we trust each other so much.”
The Saints are independents and have begun exploring conference options. They're considered “Pool B Bids” in relation to the NCAA Tournament, meaning they're one of 64 teams across the country that are independent or part of conferences without automatic bids. Forty-three teams qualify for the tournament nationally; eight come from Pool B.
The tournament is May 10-13; the Saints will find out by May 5 if they earned a bid. Success in the remaining fourth of the season is critical in securing a bid, which would be a Thomas More softball first.
Roper said pitching coach Jackie Mullin and assistants McDonald and Steve Sigler have been key in the program's turnaround, but raw talent and motivation have been igniting the players all season.
“This is exciting, but it's also kind of making my stomach hurt too. I'm worrying about things I never had to worry about before, like scouting reports and rankings,” Roper said.
And maybe even a bald head.
Ten of the 14 Thomas More players hail from the Cincinnati area, including Jen Golliher (Goshen), Jennifer Noonan (McAuley), Alicia Shaffer (Lynchburg-Clay) and Julie Moorman (Milford).
Other college updates
Wright State freshman Katie Hunter (Oak Hills) was second in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:05.97) at the Horizon League Championships in March. The Raiders won the title with the help of Hunter, who was second in the 200 breast (2:22.45) and was part of the champion 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay runner-up.
Union College's Rick White (Campbell County) was named the Mid-South Conference Baseball Player of the Week after batting .567 with four home runs, four doubles, 10 runs scored and 16 RBI in eight games last week. He has earned the honor three times this season.
Xavier sophomore Angie Hinrichs (McAuley) placed first in the 100 freestyle (51.47) at the Atlantic 10 Championships, marking the highest-ever finish for a Xavier women's swimmer. Hinrichs, who was named to the all-conference first team, was second in the 200 freestyle.
University of Dayton junior outfielder Tom Beechem (Covington Catholic) leads the Flyers in batting (.416) with 37 hits, four doubles and 14 RBI.
Sports Stories
Surprise, Bengals take tackle
What do you think of the Bengals' picks
Experts rip Bengals pick
DAUGHERTY: Bengals spoil the party again
SULLIVAN: Bengals' timing might be right
Jones combines brains and brawn
Nose for ball Thompson's key strength
Trade yields TE Schobel
First round goes to linemen
Harrington surprised by Detroit
Draft choices by selection
Draft choices by team
Reds 6, Cubs 1
Rijo makes first start since '95
Baseball sells 'condensed games' for online viewing
Strikeouts plague Reds
Reds Notebook: Percentages pay for Boone
Down on the farm
Reds box, runs
Reds Q&A with John Fay
Cincinnati high school highlights
Cincinnati high school results
Brossart rolls to track victories
N.Ky. high school results
TMC coach has head for softball
