Carson-Newman Softball Position Previews: The Infield
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – This is the first part in a four-part series breaking down Carson-Newman’s 2015 softball team position by position. Today, second baseman Jessica Morgan (Ooltewah, Tenn.) helps examine the Eagle infield.
VIDEO: Jessica Morgan Interview
To say that Carson-Newman loses a lot in the infield would be an understatement. Gone are the program's all-time home run hitter and third baseman Sara Kelley, single season home run record holder and shortstop Brittany Hefner as well as career fielding percentage record holder and first baseman Caitlyn Lance.
Combined, the trio started 505 games in the infield for Carson-Newman. Kelley started all 209 games at third in her Carson-Newman career. Lance made 182 consecutive starts at first (with 202 at the position overall), while Hefner has started all 94 games at short in her Carson-Newman career.
Morgan is the group's lone holdover. She has tallied 150 starts in her Carson-Newman career and is coming off a junior year where she batted .333 with 44 hits. Joining Morgan around the horn will be Brooke Ramsey (San Mateo, Calif.) at third, Kristen Toppel (Roanoke, Va.) at short and former first team All-SAC utility player Elayna Siebert (Knoxville, Tenn.) at first.
"It's definitely new," Morgan said. "We've got some experience in a JUCO All-American at third in Brooke Ramsey and Elaya (Siebert) has started in the infield before. It's definitely new, but we're definitely working to come together as a unit."
Ramsey was A first team all-conference selection and JUCO All-American for the College of San Mateo. In her sophomore year with the Bulldogs, Ramsey hit .510 with a .929 slugging percentage. She had 46 hits, six doubles, a triple and 14 home runs with 41 RBI. On top of that she boasted a .961 fielding percentage at the hot corner.
Siebert comes off a sophomore season where she hit .290 for the year with 45 hits, three doubles, three triples and two home runs. She was third on the team in runs scored with 40. Siebert collected the first four-hit games of her career with a quartet of base knocks in back-to-back games in the South Atlantic Conference tournament against Anderson and Brevard.
As a freshman, Siebert was a first team All-SAC selection and second team NFCA all-region pick as a utility player. She made starts at designated player, second base and left field in her freshman season and ranked fifth in the nation and first in the league with six triples while hitting .339.
"She's played everywhere," Morgan said. "She knows how to do it all. So she's of course made a quick transition to playing first."
A slick-fielding shortstop for coach Cheryl Shockley out of Lord Botetourt High School, Toppel comes to Carson-Newman as a three-time All-District selection. She's also earned All-Region, All-Timesland Conference, and All-State honors in her high school career.
As a senior, Toppell hit .527 with 39 hits, seven doubles, a trio of triples and 17 RBI. She struck out just three times in her senior season. Head coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield has said that Toppell has the potential to be one of the best shortstop's to come through the program.
"I've definitely always had seniors above me to push me," Morgan said. "Now it's my turn to be that person for Brooke, Elayna and Top."
Carson-Newman softball's position preview's continue Tuesday with a glimpse of the outfield.
