UL Softball Preview-A Look At The Catchers

In my first installment of the 2010 Louisiana Ragin' Cajun softball team, I'm going to take at look at the catchers.

Junior Sarah Draheim is the starter, and barring injury, will be behind the plate for most, if not all game this year.

I don't think a lot of people truly appreciate how good Draheim was in 2010.

The Flower Mound, Texas native was a fixture behind the plate, starting every game last season. She had a  breakout season, hitting a .296, with six homers, and 52 RBI's, which ranked third on the team, behing only Christi Orgeron and Gabriele Bridges.

She was also terrific behind the plate, committing only three errors, while handling the top pitching staff in the conference.

Draheim was a second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2011, and there's no reason to not expect similar, if not better results in 2010.

Draheim will likely hit in the middle of the order, and due to a lack of experienced depth, is easily one of the most valuable players on the team.

In the unfortunate event that Draheim misses any significant amount of time, Paige Cormier, the Cajuns' returning starter at second base, would likely step in.

Callie Phillen, a junior from Boyce, La., is somebody the coaching staff and players just love. She's one of those unselfish players that helps a team in ways that few would realize.

Phillen has only appeared in eight games in her UL career, but most of her work goes unnoticed, and she logs countless hours in the bullpen, working pitchers, supplying a solid defender in inter-squad games.

Phillen could fill in in a pinch, but again, she'll likely be one of the unsung heroes.

She won't hit a .300, hit 20 homers, or be named an all-conference selection, but every great team needs a Callie Phillen.

Linzey Cifreo, a freshman from Walker, La., is a young player that the coaching staff is high on, but she is a freshman, and needs some time to develop.

Keep in mind, Draheim hit a .222 in her freshman year, with only one homer, and five RBI's. So, in a perfect world, the best thing for Cifreo, and the program, would be for her to be red-shirted, to give her time to develop, but injuries, and other factors will determine that.

Cifreo is known a a very good defensive player, and her bat will improve as she goes along in the system.

As a whole, you can't help but like the UL catchers. You have arguably the top catcher in the conference in Draheim, a good defender that has been in the system in Phillen, and a talented freshman in Cifreo.

Barring an injury to Draheim, this group is very good, and will continue a long line of outstanding Cajun receiving corps.   

UL junior catcher Sarah Draheim

On Tuesday, we'll take a look at the infielders