By Rob Potter
SULLIVAN WEST – July 1, 2003:

Overall Record: 8-5

League Record: 6-4 OCIAA Division III

Team Leaders: The Lady Bulldogs’ top four batters were junior catcher Leslie Bright, senior outfielder Tiffany Hauser, senior shortstop Kim Jay and senior second baseman Katrina Meyer.
Junior Erin Rosenberger was the Lady Bulldogs’ top pitcher. She posted an 8-5 won-loss record and a 1.9 earned run average. She struck out 94 batters and walked just 13.

Season Highlight: “Making sectionals,” said co-coach Mike Ellmauer, who guided the team along with co-coach John Meyer.
“Another highlight was our win over Goshen before sectionals,” added Ellmauer, refering to SW’s 18-3 victory in the late-season contest. “We played very well in that game. We kind of hit them like a tidal wave and they couldn’t recover from it. We did some great things offensively in that game.”

Season Lowlight: “I don’t think we had any really low points,” Ellmauer said. “Even though it was disappointing to lose to Ellenville in sectionals, we still played pretty well in that game.”

Other: The team will lose five seniors to graduation. Those players are Hauser, Jay, Katrina Meyer, Juanita Sikorski and Christina Vidal.
“They all made some great contributions for us this season,” Ellmauer said. “And they all played on the varsity level for three years.”
While those seniors will be missed, Ellmauer is optimistic about the 2004 season.
“We have a good group of kids coming back,” he said. “John [Meyer] and I are learning to work together better. And [Coach] Anthony Durkin does a great job with the junior varsity team. Our softball program is in great shape.”

Team Awards: Rosenberger was presented with the MVP Award and Bright was presented with the Coaches’ Choice Award at the recent SW athletic banquet.