Part 5: Outfielders/Designated hitters

This is the fifth installment of a seven-part blog-series highlighting the candidates for the 2007 All-Area softball teams.

BLOG SCHEDULE
LAST SATURDAY – First basemen
LAST MONDAY – Second baseman
LAST TUESDAY – Shortstops
YESTERDAY – Third basemen
TODAY – Outfielders/Designated hitters
TOMORROW – Catchers
SATURDAY – Pitchers
SUNDAY 6/24 – The 2007 Courier News All-Area team hits the street.



THE CANDIDATES
(Players listed alphabetically by last name)


OUTFIELDERS

KATIE ABRUZZO, So., Westfield
Stats: .328 avg., 13 R, 4 2BH, 2 3BH, 0 HR, 14 RBI
Upside: Solid numbers. Played for a quality team.
Downside: One would expect better numbers considering some of the Blue Devils’ Watchung Conference opponents. Unimpressive power numbers


DIANA ARK, Sr., Ridge
Stats: .464 avg., 23 R, 2 2BH. 1 3BH. 0 HR, 5 RBI, 10 SB
Upside: Great average, especially when you consider the kind of pitching she saw all year in the Skyland Delaware East. Nice number of stolen bases.
Downside: Power and run-production numbers are not very good.


MEGAN BOYLE, Sr., South Plainfield
Stats: .354 avg., 20 R, 7 2BH, 1 3BH, 2 HR, 19 RBI
Upside: Solid average and a nice RBI count. Seven doubles is very nice, too, playing for the GMCT and North 2, Group III runners-up.
Downside: Not a ton of pop. Had as many strikeouts as hits – 20.


TORY BREEN, So., Mount St. Mary
Stats: .398 avg., 29 R, 4 2BH, 3 3BH, 5 HR, 16 RBI
Upside: Great balanced numbers across the board for the Skyland Raritan champs, especially for a sophomore.
Downside: Played in the shadow of Dani Accardi and Alyssa D’Addio.


KELLY CALAMIA, Jr., Dunellen
Stats: .423 avg., 52 R, 27 RBI, 28 SB
Upside: Some of her numbers are mind-boggling for a team that scored a ton of runs and shared the GMC Gold Division title.
Downside: You would think she’d hit for a better average against Gold Division competition, especially considering the number of runs and RBIs she tallied.


KELLY CIANCIOTTA, So., Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Stats: .587 avg., 23 R, 6 2BH, 5 3BH, 8 HR, 13 RBIs, 21 SB, .620 OBP
Upside: Fantastic power numbers, phenomenal average and 13 RBIs out of the leadoff spot is very impressive. A .620 on base percentage and 21 stolen bass, what more can one ask for from the top of the order? Oh, and she’s only a sophomore.
Downside: Scotch Plains-Fanwood failed to win a title of any kind and was upset in the county tournament.


MEGHAN EVERETT, Jr., Hunterdon Central
Stats: .425 avg., 28 R, 2 2BH, 7 3BH, 7 HR, 28 RBI
Upside: A first teamer as a sophomore, she had another stellar year for the Hunterdon/Warren Tournament and Skyland Delaware West champs. Great overall numbers, especially when you consider the quality of competition. Great power and RBI numbers for anyone -- let alone a leadoff hitter.
Downside: Trying to remember there’s an “H” in her first name can be problematic.


NICOLE KOSZOWSKI, Fr., Governor Livingston
Stats: .380 avg., 5 2BH, 4 3BH, 9 HR, 29 RBI
Upside: Solid batting average, fantastic power and RBI numbers for a freshman batting cleanup for the state Group II champions.
Downside: Struck out 16 times. Could have, and probably should have, batted for a better average against a Group II schedule.


CAROLINE MERCK, So., Gill St. Bernard’s
Stats: .445 avg.
Upside: Hit .445.
Downside: Did it for Gill St. Bernard’s, which won just three times all year


HILARY MURRAY, Jr., North Hunterdon
Stats: .323 avg., 19 R, 2 2BH, 0 3BH, 0 HR, 10 RBI
Upside: Scored 19 runs atop the North batting order. Had several big hits for the North 2, Group IV champions.
Downside: Power numbers aren’t great.


CASEY NIPER, Fr., Montgomery
Stats: .322 avg., 11 2BH, 1 3BH, 0 HR, 7 RBI
Upside: Batted for a solid .322 as a freshman for the Delaware East champs.
Downside: Did not produce many runs. Eleven doubles are nice, but that’s it as far as extra-base hits.


MITCHEL ROBERTSON, Sr., Governor Livingston
Stats: .423 avg., 19 R, 3 2BH, 4 3BH, 2 HR, 20 RBI
Upside: Great batting average and pretty good power numbers hitting third for the state Group II champs. Also stole nine bases. Had a nice bounce-back season after making first team as a sophomore and tanking last year.
Downside: You’d like a little more pop from your No. 3 hitter.


KRISTEN SHEFT, So., Rutgers Prep
Stats: .406 avg., 25 R, 3 2BH, 3 3BH, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 38 SB
Upside: Solid offensive numbers across the board for the Prep B state champs. Stole a ton of bases. Is only a sophomore.
Downside: Rutgers Prep didn’t exactly play a tough schedule. You would like an even higher average against that kind of competition.


LAUREN SINGER, Sr., Hillsborough
Stats: .341 avg., 4 2BH, 1 3BH, 0 HR, 5 RBI
Upside: Batting average is solid against the pitchers of the Delaware Division, especially in the East Division.
Downside: Power numbers weren’t anything to write home about. Hillsborough barely finished about .500.


MELISSA SOUCEK, Sr., Timothy Christian
Stats: .453 avg.
Upside: Hit .453 for Timothy Christian, which made the state tournament in its first year of eligibility.
Downside: Timothy Christian played a Non-Public B schedule.



DESIGNATED HITTERS


ANU RIMAL, Sr., MONTGOMERY
Stats: .358 avg., 15 R, 8 2BH, 1 3BH, 3 HR, 24 RBIs
Upside: A very good average in the Skyland Delaware, she hit eight doubles, a triple and three homers for the East Division champs, driving in 24.
Downside: With positions like shortstop, pitcher and catcher so deep, it’s going to be tough for her to crack one of the top two teams as a DH.


ERIN SCIALABA, Jr., Westfield
Stats: .395 avg., 24 R, 2 2BH, 2 3BH, 6 HR, 24 RBI
Upside: Her batting average is more than solid for a Group IV school, has some nice power and RBI numbers.
Downside: Her numbers pale in comparison to some of her teammates, plus Westfield didn’t win any major titles.


KRISTEN TITUS, Sr., Immaculata
Stats: .356 avg., 4 2BH, 0 3BH, 0 HR, 10 RBIs
Upside: Solid average against Delaware Division pitching.
Downside: The rest of her numbers are unspectacular, even for a leadoff hitter