By Weston Allenback, GoThunderWolves.com Insider
PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Feb. 22, 2013) - CSU-Pueblo women's softball team has a new sheriff in town.
As the Pack welcomes in new coach Christine Zinanti, they also welcome in a crop of returning players from a season ago.
Zinanti takes over for former coach Shane Showalter, who resigned from the job after nine seasons to become an assistant at Austin Peay State University.
"I think this team will go as far as they want to go this year," Zinanti said. "We are continuing to get better every day and learning to be a more consistent team."
The ThunderWolves will have a number of key players back in the 2013 season, and for the next couple of years for that matter. Lack of experience proved to be the biggest problem a season ago, when injuries forced a number of freshmen to fill the role of everyday players.
Now sophomores, Alexa Snyder (So., Pueblo, Colo) and Ariel Lopez (So., Fontana, Calif.) are coming off of impressive freshman campaigns when both led the team to a 26-win season in 2012.
Lopez was one of the more dangerous hitters for the Pack in 2012, hitting for both power and average. She led the team with a .391 average while hitting six homers and 15 doubles. The RMAC Co-Freshman of the Year in the RMAC will surely play a big role in Zinanti's first season.
Snyder will also need a repeat of last year if the ThunderWolves want to accomplish their goal of competing for an RMAC championship. Her ability at the plate produced 60 hits in 2012 leading the entire team, setting up her ability to steal bases. She stole 31 a season ago, which allowed her to be near the top of the team in runs scored with 36.
It won't all be on the shoulders of the underclassmen in 201,3 however. Zinanti will look to some senior leadership to really get the team heading in the right direction. Justine Bosio (Sr., Santa Barbara, Calif.) returns as the Pack's strongest pitcher.
"I think we are relying on her to really bring us some good leadership, along with Samantha (Rios) as well," said Zinanti.
Samantha Rios (Sr.,Fullerton, Calif.) will also have a great deal to do with the ThunderWolves' success in the upcoming season. The everyday shortstop will return after an extremely productive season in 2012. Her seven home runs proved to be a difficult problem for teams to figure out along with her ability to get on base. Her .418 on-base-percentage allowed her to show he danger on the base paths.
Though the Pack has set a goal of winning the RMAC, it may prove to be easier said than done. Colorado School of Mines should prove to be a tough test. Even though the ThunderWolves swept the four-game series with Mines a season ago, they still managed to squeak by the Pack in the standings to finish in first. This season, Mines was picked to win the regular season RMAC crown once again.
The Pack was picked to finish fifth, behind Mines, Colorado Christian, Fort Lewis, and Metro State.
This season, the showdown with Mines could be huge, as the two meet Apr. 27 and 28 to close out the regular season with potentially the RMAC crown on the line.
CSU-Pueblo, however, is already off to a good start, going 3-2 in a trip to Texas that included two wins over the then-4th-ranked team in the nation, Angelo State. They welcome Chadron State for a four-game series over the weekend. The home slate kicks off Friday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader.
