Softball 2/16/2020 9:30:00 AM CU Athletics

Lady Tiger Softball Preview: Pitching Staff has holes to fill but is full of talent

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — With the softball season one day away, Lady Tiger softball is returning 16 players from last season's club and we're featuring the three position breakdowns up until Opening Day.

Today's post is our final feature, which highlights the pitching staff, before Opening Day. Don't forget Opening Day has changed to Monday, Feb. 17 at Brescia University.

The pitching staff is one of the most unknown coming into the season but the talent is there and so is the depth with at least six every day pitchers on staff for head coach Shannon Wathen and pitching coach Kim Borders.

Lets dive into the individual bullet points for each pitcher.

Aleigha Talsma – Sophomore – RHP

Talsma's rookie year was cut short due to injuries and she was never able to fully recover after seeing action in 10 games.
Talsma was 7-1 in her 10 games last season with 51.2 innings pitched and tossing four complete games. Opponents hit .259 off Talsma her freshman season.
She's expected to get back into pitching in the No. 1 spot after recording a 1.76 ERA last season.

Payton Blades – Sophomore – RHP

Starting last season as a first baseman, moving to centerfield, then being forced to see 66.2 innings in the circle due to injuries, Blades is expected to be one of the best two-way players in the Mid-South Conference and the NAIA.
She hit .348 to lead the team last season with 11 home runs and 41 RBI all while recording a 2.31 ERA in 18 games and going 5-2 in the circle.
Blades saw limited action in the first few weeks of the season last year but once April hit stepped into the starting role as Talsma was rehabbing her injury.
Where Blades will start the season is unknown, but we do know that she will be a main cog once again after her All-Conference and NCCAA All-American rookie season.

Karson Williams – Junior – LHP

The lone lefty on the staff, Williams has some of the best talent on the team when she's got her pitches working.
In her career, she's seen action in only 24 games and 48.2 innings with a career ERA of 5.47. Last season she went 5-1 in the circle with a complete-game shutout against Kentucky Christian on April 12, 2019.
Williams is expected to provide much needed depth for CU and is looking to be consistent for 2020.

Anna Wantz – Sophomore – RHP

Wantz saw action in only 17 innings last season, including two starts against Pikeville and Georgetown College.
Against Pikeville, Wantz tossed five innings and allowed four earned runs to pick up her first career win in her in her first-career start.
Another two-way player for CU, Wantz was 2-for-7 at the plate and both hits were home runs.

Katy Chadwell – Freshman – RHP

Chadwell prepped at Boyle County High School and was named the Advocate Messenger Pitcher of the Year by the local newspaper.
During her career, she's been outstanding as a hitter and a pitcher in the circle. At the plate, Chadwell hit .386 with 35 RBI and 6 home runs in 2017. In 2018, she produced similar numbers - .337, 39 RBI and 5 HR.
In the circle, her numbers were just as impressive. She boasted a 19-9 record with a 2.2 ERA and 186 strikeouts her sophomore year. As a junior in 2018, she was 20-8 with a 2.1 ERA and 149 strikeouts.
Chadwell earned First-Team All-Area each of her first three years at Boyle County. She also earned 45thDistrict and 12^th Region All-Tournament team honors in 2017 and 2018.
In 2017, Chadwell was named the Kentucky Advocate Pitcher of the Year and earned a 2018 Kentucky Junior East-West All-Star game selection.

Courtney Patterson – Freshman – RHP

Patterson prepped at Madisonville North Hopkins and was a six-year letter helping lead the Maroons to the 2017 KHSAA State Championship. Patterson earned Most Valuable Player honors at the state championship as well.
In the 2017 state championship tournament, Patterson tossed 31 innings over five games, allowed 18 hits, struck out 20 and only five earned runs, including a no-hitter vs. Mercy in quarterfinals and a one-hitter against Male in the semifinals.
In her career, she's earned 7thDistrict All-Tournament team in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and 2^nd Region All-Tournament honors in 2017 and 2018.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Karson Williams: LHP; 5' 5"; Sophomore; Bowling Green, Ky.

#2 Payton Blades: RHP/UTIL; 5' 5"; Freshman; Island, Ky.

#25 Anna Wantz: IF; 5' 6"; Freshman; Goodlettsville, Tenn.

#7 Aleigha Talsma: RHP; 5' 7"; Freshman; Hudsonville, Mich.

#16 Katy Chadwell: RHP; 5' 10"; Freshman; Danville, Ky.

#33 Courtney Patterson: RHP; 5' 8"; Freshman; Madisonville, Ky.

Players Mentioned

#14 Karson Williams
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Bowling Green, Ky.
: LHP

#2 Payton Blades
: 5' 5"; Freshman; Island, Ky.
: RHP/UTIL

#25 Anna Wantz
: 5' 6"; Freshman; Goodlettsville, Tenn.
: IF

#7 Aleigha Talsma
: 5' 7"; Freshman; Hudsonville, Mich.
: RHP

#16 Katy Chadwell
: 5' 10"; Freshman; Danville, Ky.
: RHP

#33 Courtney Patterson
: 5' 8"; Freshman; Madisonville, Ky.
: RHP