2012 Golden Griffins In The Circle

With the season only three weeks away, and the team busy at practice, it's time for this fan's preview of the 2012 Golden Griffins to begin.

Once again this season, with Iona very strong in the circle with two seniors, the Griffs' chances will primarily depend upon the performance of the pitching staff. The team will have a senior in the circle for the first time since 2009; and they will have four pitchers for the first time since 2007. It's no secret that outside of Jen Consaul's encouraging freshman season performance the staff struggled last season. But there's reason for hope in '12.

Senior Caroline Main is the key to this season, I think, and the Griffs will ride her arm as far as it takes them. Caroline, as you know, was injured at the end of the 2010 season, and never seemed to fully recover until the final week or two of 2011. I think she was injured again last year, but you know how secret they are about these things. At any rate, she didn't look injured to me at all this past fall. She performed like the 2010 All-MAAC Caroline; and that's what the Griffs will be looking for from her. You'll remember that season she was undefeated in MAAC play. This is her year, and this is her team. I think she's ready and eager to pitch; if she returns to form, the Griffs will be a contender.

After an All-MAAC freshman season, junior Amanda Baun did have a sophomore slump. Amanda is vitally important to this team. She proved what she can do in '10 when she set a Canisius freshman record for wins. She can be a dominant strike out pitcher. I think Amanda needs plenty of innings in the early portion of the season to give her that chance to succeed once more. This past fall, she seemed to me to be working on mixing up her pitches more.

Sophomore Jen Consaul was pressed into action once conference play began last season. She responded admirably under a lot of pressure. What I noticed most about her is that she doesn't get rattled, no matter the situation. I thought her best performance was at Siena, in game two of a MAAC doubleheader after the Griffs had been run ruled in game one. She totally shut down the Saints, who were smelling blood, and kept Canisius in the race at the time. So, Jen Consaul pitching more than probably coach Rappl had planned turned into a blessing in disguise---she ended up as one of the MAAC's top pitchers in conference play, with a 5-1 record and 2.05 ERA. this is significant considering she didn't pitch all that much in pre-conference play, and was just adjusting to college softball. Jen will compete for starting time.

The Griffs have a freshman, Corinne Schaus on the roster this season. Corinne did not pitch much at all in the fall, so I suspect she will be eased into the lineup with some relief innings in the early part of the season. But as last year proved, you never know what will happen.

The 2012 Golden Griffins must have the goal of returning to the MAAC Tournament. The performance of their pitchers will determine if this is to be.