Mike Coutts began his first season as the head coach of the University of Maine softball team with a win, 7-4, over Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne on Monday in Clearwater, Florida.
Coutts said his primary objective on their two-week spring trip is to find a way to replace America East Pitcher of the Year Alexis Bogdanovich, who went 15-8 a year ago with a 1.73 earned run average and 182 strikeouts and just 14 walks in 141⅔ innings.
“We’re not necessarily going to replace her with one person, it might be two or three people,” said Coutts. “We have to find a way to do that.
“That’s probably our biggest issue coming out of the blocks. The other issue is we’re still a relatively young team with only one senior, [Kennebunk catcher Janelle Bouchard]. So we have to find a way to play good team softball and do the things we need to do to win,” he added.
Mike Coutts had been her assistant, and his wife will still work with the pitchers when she’s available.
Coutts, a former UMaine baseball captain and assistant coach, said he has an “open mind” about the pitching situation.
Erin Bogdanovich, Alexis’ younger sister, started 12 games among 18 appearances a year ago and had a 1-7 record and a 4.18 ERA. She is a lefty whose 63⅔ innings is the most among the returnees.
Sophomore Annie Kennedy was 3-2 with a 2.51 ERA in 18 appearances, 14 in relief, and Coutts pointed out that her six walks in 44⅔ innings was among the top 20 in the country in fewest per seven innings. Sophomore Molly Flowers was 3-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 15 appearances including eight starts, but Coutts said she struggled with injuries.
Flowers is healthy now.
“Molly is more of a power pitcher. She has a rise, a screwball and a changeup,” said Coutts. “Annie gets her ball to move. She hits her spots. Nothing bothers her. Erin got into trouble last year when her drop ball didn’t work. She has been working hard to develop a curve so that she has another pitch.”
Coutts is confident they can get the job done in the circle.
“I’m not worried about them. They can get the job done. The other thing that will help is I expect us to play better team defense and have a better year offensively. That will help our pitching,” said Coutts.
All three pitched in Monday’s win as did junior Nikki Misner.
UMaine will play a doubleheader against the University of Pennsylvania at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Clearwater, and it will play games in Florida through March 20.