Butler Softball: Fresh Faces Lead Team Into Season

Baseball is not the only popular spring sport. Softball takes precedence as well. The Butler Bulldogs Softball team has been in heavy preparation in order to have a successful 2011 season. The Bulldogs lost a lot of starters from last year's team, but they revamped this year with some talented freshmen and sophomores. With their new starters, Butler will be looking to develop chemistry throughout the year and finish the season strong.

The Butler team is coached by Brittany Marion, who is coming into her sixth season. Although the Bulldogs have a decent amount of players returning, they also have a lot of new faces. With so many new players this year, coach Marion and her staff are working on team communication and building the confidence of some of the younger players. They will also need to rely on the leadership of their veteran players.

Butler ended the season at 12-13, making it to the second round of the state tournament for the second year in a row.

• Kim LaPenta, Shortstop (Sr.)- LaPenta earned second-team all conference last year. Coach Marion said she is an excellent shortstop and hitter. She is one of the captains on the team as well as the only Senior.
• Lindsey Walden, Second Base, Outfield (Jr.)- Lindsey is the other Bulldogs captain. Marion said she is lightning fast on the bases and very aggressive, not afraid to steal home. 
• Kayla Logan, Pitcher (So.)-Logan is the Bulldogs number #1 starter on the mound. She has put in a lot of work to get where she is and expects to have a solid season. 

The Bulldogs will miss their entire group of seniors from last year, most notably Third Base Taylor McConnell, First Base Erica Rago and Center Fielder Cam Miller, who is now playing at Morris County Community College.

• "I am hoping to have a very strong year overall. I am expecting a lot from the underclassmen, as they will need to really step up their level of play. I am hoping to be at least .500 (hopefully well above), and to continue with the success of the past two seasons. If the group we have stays focused through the season, this goal is in our reach." —Marion

• "We have a really young team, but we're trying out players in different positions, so we will get a feel for who's good where and in what situations. We also have some more pitching this year, Last year we relied on pretty much two pitchers, we have three this year which is nice." - Senior Shortstop Kim LaPenta
• "I hope we can get to state's and make it as far as last year and hopefully further. We have some good freshmen and hopefully they can fill the void from the seniors who left."- Junior Second Base Lindsey Walden
• " It's gonna be a little bit of a challenge to fully learn each other and learn how to play together, but in our two scrimmages so far, we worked very well together, we were talking and we all get along very well. It's coming together." - Sophomore Pitcher Kayla Logan

Bulldogs 2011 Roster

*returning letter winner