FROSTBURG, Md. - The Frostburg State softball team opens its 2017 season this weekend at the Salem Invitational and thus begins the Bobcats' march towards the Capital Athletic Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats will face host Salem on Saturday at 12:00 pm and play Randolph later in the day at 6:00 pm.
 
Welcome Back
Bobcat head coach Wes Landrum returns for his 12^th season at the helm and boasts 275 wins at Frostburg all while continuing to develop his program into one of the region's and CAC's top clubs.
 
Landrum's teams have accomplished a great deal in the last couple of years with a handful of upsets of top-25 teams, an average of 26 wins per season with two All-Americans.
 
Landrum also believes his 2017 Bobcat squad has the talent and depth to push for the program's first CAC Tournament Championship and second NCAA Tournament berth, despite nationally ranked Salisbury and Christopher Newport as league opponents.
 
In the Circle
It would be hard to view the 2016 statistics, followed by the 2017 roster and not quickly understand that Landrum's pitching staff could be the deepest in the country.
 
The Bobcats return all three starters from last spring that accounted for 27 of the club's 28 wins. The trio also struckout 188 batters, posted a combined 3.05 earned run average, gathered five shutouts and limited opponent batters to just a .271 average.

Megan Tracey

 
Senior Hannah Tavik and junior Allison Short have posted some big wins for Frostburg during their careers, while sophomore Ali Caulkins has great potential and the physical tools to become a top-notch starter.
 
Last spring, Tavik was named an All-American as a utility player, but her role in the circle was a key reason why. She finished 13-2 as a starter with three shutouts and was fourth in the CAC with 86 strikeouts. She won 11-straight games that included a 13-6 upset victory over No. 8 Christopher Newport.
 
Over her three years in Bobcat uniform, Tavik has earned 35 wins with 288 strikeouts and is third in the Frostburg record books in both categories.
 
Short finished her sophomore campaign with 10 wins, with 12 complete games and a save. She led the Bobcats and was sixth in the CAC in ERA (2.69) and finished fifth in the league with 76 strikeouts.
 
Caulkins made 19 appearances in her first year and collected four wins, two saves and a shutout. Her fourth win came over York (Pa.) in the CAC Tournament.
 
Middle Defense
On paper, the pitching staff has the numbers and credentials to be the team's strongest group, but Landrum thinks the defense in the middle of the field could possibly be the best in the conference.
 
As a team a year ago, Frostburg led the CAC and finished 12^th in the country in fielding percentage (.969) after committing just 39 errors in almost 300 innings played.

Emily Zengel

 
The middle of that stellar defense remains intact this spring and will be led by seniors Megan Tracey (shortstop) and Emily Zengel (second base). The duo combined for 174 putouts, 129 assists and just 15 errors.
 
Junior Rae Harrison returns for her third year as the Bobcats' starting catcher and will once again provide a consistent target for all three starting pitchers. Last spring, Harrison was seventh in the CAC with 179 putouts, to just four errors for a .979 fielding percentage.
 
Like Harrison, fellow junior Sam Gatton returns as a two-year starter for the Bobcats. In her first season in 2014, Gatton started in a handful of different positions, while last spring, she locked down the starting position in centerfield. She collected 65 putouts, one assist, committed just two errors and earned a .971 field percentage.
 
A question mark on defense this spring is at third base due to the graduation of four-year starter Lauren Capece. Junior Brittney Platt will take over at third, while Tavik will see time at first base when not pitching.
 
Offense
While the focus of the Bobcats could reside with pitching and defense, the offensive power at the plate is also something that opposing teams will have to respect as well.
 
Tavik led the Bobcats and finished 82^nd in the nation in batting average last spring at .444 in 144 at-bats. She was also 38^th nationally in hits (64), 28^th in DIII in RBI (49) and was 14^th with four sacrifice flies. She slugged a team-best .674 with 31 runs, six home runs and a .491 on-base percentage.

Sam Gatton

 
Gatton, Caulkins and senior Jessica Dubbs all return to the roster after hitting over .300 last spring.
 
Dubbs led the trio with a .363 average with 37 hits, eight RBI and was tied for 10^th in the CAC with nine stolen bases. She could emerge as Frostburg's leadoff hitter with her quickness and versatility.
 
Gatton hit .333 as a sophomore, led the league with five triples and finished eight with 10 doubles. She was second on the Bobcat roster with six steals to go along with 27 runs, 48 hits and 18 RBI.
 
Senior Emily Harvey and sophomore Emily Ford have had great preseasons and will have a larger role at the plate. Harvey had three hits and an RBI last spring, while Ford scored 11 times and posted one hit.