- Pitching expected to be a strength for DMACC
- Bears will be more of a slap hitting team as opposed to power hitting
- DMACC begins the season ranked seventh in the NJACC Division II poll
The DMACC softball team will begin the 2023-24 season in the Southeastern Community College (SCC) Turf Tournament February 16 and 17 at West Burlington.
DMACC, ranked seventh in the Division II preseason poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), will play Spoon River Community College (SRCC) and State Fair Community College (SFCC) on Feb. 16 and will play Rock Valley Community College (RVCC) and Black Hawk-Moline Community College (BHMCC) on Feb. 17.
SRCC and RVCC are also ranked in the NJCAA Division II poll. SRCC is 13th and RVCC is 12th.
The tournament will be played at Fun City Turf, an indoor facility, in West Burlington so weather will not be a factor.
"We're a different team than we were a year ago," said Bob Ligouri, beginning his 13th season as DMACC's head softball coach. "For two years we were a power-laden type team and we scored a ton of runs. We really don't have that this year. What we do have is a very, very fast team, probably the fastest I've ever had."
Ligouri said this year's team will play a little different style of softball with more hit and run situations, more base stealing and more slap hitting.
The Bears graduated power hitters Sydney Kennedy, Kendal Clark, Maddy Kearns and Amaya Snyder but do return several key sophomores including pitchers Courtney Donahue of Marshfield, Wis., and Kinsley Robertson of Tiffin. Donahue was 16-3 with a 1.29 earned run average last season and Robertson was 9-4 with a 2.79 ERA. Donahue averaged 8.66 strikeouts per seven innings and Robertson's average was 5.77. Donahue has signed a national letter of intent to attend Missouri University next season and Robertson has committed to Bradley University.
"Donahue pitched really well in the fall and is probably going to be the one to lead us," Ligouri said, adding that sophomores Grace Bailey of Hamilton, Lauryn Foudree of West Des Moines and freshmen Maura Chalupa of Muscatine, Ellie Flanagan of Coggon and Macy Blomgren of Waukee will accumulate innings in the circle.
"We feel good about our pitchers," Ligouri said. "Each one of them is a little different and we plan to use all of them."
Sophomore Ceara Swanson of Lincoln, Neb., returns at catcher and will be backed by freshmen Delaney Milanowski of Spring Green, Wis., Kyleia Salyars of Muscatine and Mia Trewin of Waukee.
Sophomore Campbell Kelley of Rock Island, Ill., has the inside track at first base with Bailey also expected to see time at the position. Sophomore Hannah Ironside of Swisher returns at second base with freshman Brynn Herren of West Des Moines serving as the backup.
Freshman Hillary Wilson, a high school all-state shortstop from Solon, is expected to start at short and sophomore Elle Nelson of Grimes will start at third base. Ligouri said Kelley can also play shortstop if needed and that freshman Mary Walker of Fonda, a member of the DMACC women's basketball team, will see time at shortstop when she joins the team after basketball season ends. Freshman Josie McCuddin of Truro will get a look at third base.
Outfield candidates are sophomores Kelsey Palmer of Cedar Rapids, Belle Nelson of Gilbert and Keaton Frere of Andalusia, Ill., and freshmen Breanna Caffery of Bettendorf and Mia Walker of Fonda. Palmer is the top returning hitter for the Bears, having compiled a .426 average last season.
"This will be, without question, probably the fastest outfield we have ever had at all three spots," Ligouri said.
"We may not be dominating in home runs, but I think by the time we get to May we will be a DMACC team, we will be a good team," Ligouri said, adding that his team has as good a work ethic as any of the previous teams he has had at DMACC.
Ligouri said four of his players will have the green light to steal bases whenever they have the opportunity, adding that this team could match DMACC teams of four or five years ago in stolen bases.
"We expect to be very aggressive and we love to play that style, so it will be more small ball, run the bases and put pressure on the other team and that kind of thing," Ligouri said. "We have good speed in the outfield, good kids in the infield so we'll see what happens."
Ligouri said the highlight of the team is going to be the leadership of the sophomores.
"They have done everything that we've asked and the sophomores have really helped the freshmen grow into helping our team," Ligouri said. "That's a tribute to our leadership."
Season goals include a sixth Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) championship in the past eight season and a return trip to the NJCAA Division II Softball Championship. The Bears have qualified for the tournament every year since 2014 and have finished third four times, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2023. The 2015 team placed fourth in the national tournament.
The season schedule will be as tough as ever. Following the SCC Turf Tournament, the Bears will travel to Mississippi March 1 to 3 and will face several quality teams including perennial community college power Jones College. DMACC will also play series in Council Bluffs, Iola, Kan., Chanute, Kan., Fort Scott, Kan., and West Burlington before opening the home season March 23 against Iowa Western Community College.