There’s an old Nike commercial that makes the statement "Chicks dig the longball." The same can be said for the Kutztown University softball team, which not only digs the long ball, but this team digs just about every other offensive statistic there is.

After rewriting the KU and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference softball record books in 2007, the majority of Kutztown’s heavy hitters and its sophomore pitching ace return in 2008, looking to make another run deep into the post season.

Head coach Judy Lawes, who enters her 21st season, led the Golden Bears to the 2007 PSAC East title, a second place finish in the conference tournament and a fifth-place showing at the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional.

KU batted .349 as a team and scored 416 runs. Six players who batted better than .300 return for the 2008 season.

The Golden Bears’ potent offense is fueled by Steph Denlinger. The 2007 PSAC East Player of the Year and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and Daktronics first-team All-America selection, Denlinger finished her sophomore campaign with a .507 (73-for-144) batting average in 54 games. She had 24 home runs, 73 RBIs, 70 runs scored and 51 walks. She led the nation in home runs per game (0.24) and slugging percentage (1.111), and set PSAC single-season records for runs, RBI, homers, slugging percentage and walks last year. She also established KU single-season records for batting average, total bases and on-base percentage, while shattering KU’s career home run record with 40 in just two season. The third-year first baseman is projected to move up in the lineup to the leadoff spot to provide some additional plate appearances.

Ashley Fitzgerald (.396, 11 HR, 61 RBI), a second-team NFCA All-American as a utility player, and Caitlin Hague (.325, 12 RBI) will share time at catcher. Fitzgerald was also named first-team All-PSAC East, and was one of two players with a school-record 20 doubles last year.

The rest of the Golden Bears infield will include Kim Morrison at second and Krista Cameron at third, while there will be a position battle at shortstop between Anne Arbogast, Emily Fazekas and incoming freshman Krista Tedjeske (Summerhill/Forest Hills). Morrison and Cameron were All-PSAC East and all-region selections at their respective positions last season. Cameron batted .359 with 16 home runs and 66 RBI last year. She also had 20 doubles, a single-season record, and has 26 home runs in two seasons, second to Denlinger on KU’s career chart. Morrison hit .329 with three dingers and 53 runs scored and 31 batted in. Newcomer Alex Najpauer (fr. Topton/Brandywine Heights) will provide depth.

In the outfield, senior Kathy Gregg (.337, 25 runs, 7 RBI) will move from right to center field. Senior Sam Flowers, Fitzgerald and newcomer Maggie Reifsnyder (fr. Philadelphia/Little Flower) will share time in right field, while sophomore Maria Schiavo, who batted .324 last season and was named to the PSAC East’s second team, will start in left field.

Providing depth in the outfield will be Nicole Hannum (fr. Horsham/Hatboro-Horsham), Angela Domenici (fr. Kunkletown/Pleasant Valley) and Joanna Spangler (fr. York/Central York).

Tami Wambold will see time as designated hitter. She had two homers and three RBI in just 17 at-bats as a rookie last year.

KU is expected to have a deeper pitching staff in 2007, to support sophomore ace Katlin Arbogast.

Arbogast, the 2007 PSAC East Rookie and Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-Region selection, finished the season with a record of 27-9 in 32 starts. She pitched 29 complete games and had five shutouts. She set single-season school records for wins, strikeouts (287), complete games, innings pitched (249.1) and appearances (40).

Also returning to the circle will be sophomore Christie McIntyre, who saw limited time as a rookie last season.

KU also will look for production out of its freshmen pitchers this year. Monica Glomb (fr. Mars/Mars), Mary Hoch (fr. Somerton/St. Hubert), Reifsnyder and Lauren Doering (Brampton, ONT.) join the staff this season. Glomb, like Arbogast, has several pitches to work with, while Hoch and Reifsndyer are power pitchers.