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Women's Softball Outlook

Rebuilding a program doesn’t happen in one season, and the Magic showed progress in 2008 under new head coach Linda McQueen. Their 13-30 record included several bright spots, namely the play of All-Conference athletes Lesley Kennedy (Quitman, Ark.), Alex Branstetter (Parkway West) and Tabatha Bahre (Lutheran South).

Thanks to diligent recruiting by McQueen, as well as a few key holdovers, 2009 promises to be better. Returning will be pitcher/utility player Capri Savage (Orofino, Ind.), who also plays on the women's basketball team. Savage enjoyed a fine freshman season at the plate, hitting .295 with 21 RBIs and 16 runs scored.

Third baseman Bahre, a part of the Lutheran South talent pipeline, batted .319 with 28 runs scored and 17 RBIs in her first season at Meramec. Infielder Kristen Kaltenback (Herculaneum) returns as a key starter, along with Michele Smith (Mehlville), who also plays soccer for the Magic. Pitching ace Jessica Launius (Parkway South) also returns.

Transfers Linzi Bereitschaft (Lindbergh) and Alex Casten (Visitation) may provide a major spark to the Magic. Michele McQueen (Lutheran South) also transfers to Meramec. Bereitschaft returns to St. Louis following a season at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. A four-year starter at first base for Lindbergh, Bereitschaft enjoyed a tremendous senior year for the Flyers, batting .549 with 25 runs scored and 17 RBIs. She collected All-State, All-Metro, All-Region, All-District and All-Conference honors. She played for Team St. Louis last summer and competed against the touring U.S. Olympic softball team in June.

Several recruits also will bolster the Magic. Infielder Bridget Schrade (Herculaneum) hit a sizzling .513 with a .724 slugging percentage for the Black Cats. She scored 45 runs and drew 22 walks. Middle infielder/pitcher Kaela Datillo (Marquette) arrives with All-Metro, All-Region, All-District and All-Conference medals from her senior year. Datillo hit .391 for the Mustangs with 29 RBIs and 22 runs scored. On the mound, she had a 8-4 record with a 2.46 ERA along with 51 strikeouts. Infielder Randi Gordon (Lutheran South) and Tiffany Stock (Pacific) also join the freshman class. Pitcher Jessie Eichholz (Washington, Mo.) threw extremely well for the Blue Jays last fall, notching a 1.69 ERA and 102 strikeouts through 149 innings. She will be joined on the mound by Jessica Tranter, an award-winning pitcher from Australia.