New recruits

The Portland State women’s softball team is adding four morefreshmen next season with the signing of Mandy Hill and StephanieBean.

Last week head softball coach, Teri Mariani, announced thesigning of freshmen Mandy Hill from Battle Ground, Wash., andStephanie Bean from Redding, Calif.

“This is a big freshman class for our program,” said Mariani.”With the departure of three key seniors, all infielders, we havesome immediate needs and expect these players to step up rightaway.”

Hill played softball for four years at Battle Ground HighSchool, was team MVP, attained four letters in softball and wasfirst team all-league pitcher.

“Hill is a power-type player. She has a very good rise ball, butthe big thing for us will be her bat,” said Mariani. “She has agood stick and will help us replace the power we are losing.”

Five-foot-five Stephanie Bean played four years ofsoftball for Foothill High School and will take on the newchallenge of playing shortstop for Portland State. Marianicommented on Bean as well. “She gives us infield depth atshortstop, second base and third, and can take over any of thosepositions. A great defensive player and line drive hitter, she willcome in and fill a hole right away.”

Along with these two recruits, there are two other freshmen andone transfer who will all be joining the Portland State softballteam next fall and plan to see some Viking action in the spring of2005.

Last fall, Portland State signed junior college player LaceyGorman from Brookings, Ore., from Central Arizona Junior College,high school standouts Lauren McCarthy from Crescent Valley HighSchool in Corvallis, and Laura Segall from Richland High School inWashington.

Coach Mariani seems pretty excited about the new recruits andfeels confident in their abilities to fill the gaps on the field.Offensively we lost a lot of power,” said Mariani. “Next season wewill have a lot more depth and it will be a true battle field forplaying time.”

When asked about the competition next year and how she thoughtthe team would do Mariani responded confidently, “We have alegitimate chance at competing for the conference championship nextyear.” The Vikings just recently finished their second season inthe Pacific Coast Softball Conference, placing third with a 10-10record, and a 19-34 overall record.