Just over two weeks away from the season opener under new head coach Adrian Mohr, the Fort Hays State Softball team as picked fifth in the MIAA Preseason Poll, released Thursday (Jan. 29) as part of MIAA Virtual Media Day.
 
FHSU returns nine players from a team that went 29-20 (17-9 MIAA) last season and finished fourth in the MIAA standings.
 
Junior Paxton Duran returns after earning Daktronics All-Central Region Second Team last year as a pitcher, leading the team with 153.1 innings pitched and a 17-9 record.  Duran will look to take a similar step as last year, transitioning from a freshman to a top MIAA performer with a 2014 ERA of 3.20 (though it was under 3.00 for much of the season).  Duran also led the team with 148 strikeouts and had a 3.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. 
 
Kelsey Kimminau won 10 games for the Tigers last season after transferring from Division I Minnesota, leading the team with a 3.16 ERA while striking out 74 batters.  Kimminau is one of four seniors on the squad this season and projects as one of the Tigers' starting options in the circle.
 
Sara Cochran is the other returning pitcher for FHSU this season and will be relied on in a heavier role than last season.  Cochran threw just 11 innings in 2014, striking out four batters with six walks and a 6.36 ERA.
 
FHSU returns a strong group in the outfield, led by seniors Amanda Vaupel and Madison Putman.  Last season, Vaupel hit .307 over 45 starts, racking up 20 runs batted in with a team-high 12 doubles and four home runs (tied).  Vaupel has established herself as one of the top outfielders in the MIAA, holding down the center field spot for FHSU a majority of the last three seasons.  Putman appeared in 21 games last season, starting three.  She hit .333 on the year and drew two walks, recording six putouts in the field.
 
The Tigers' top speed threat is outfielder Rilee Krier, who returns after starting 35 games (and appearing in 41).  Krier stole nine bases (in 12 attempts) last season and had .322 average with 37 from the left side.
 
Though not a full-time outfielder, Samantha Villarreal made her mark in right field and as the Tigers' top designated hitter, tying for the team-lead in home runs (four) while driving in 19 with a .278 average.  Villarreal appeared in 42 games last year, starting 28, and is joined on this year's roster by her sister, Mackenzie Villarreal.
 
The Tigers will look for a mix of new faces and key returners to help anchor the infield this season.  Tori Beltz will look to rebound after a tough 2014 season (.177 average, one home run), hoping to see numbers similar to 2013 when she hit .300 with eight home runs and nine doubles.  At second base, Courtney Dobson's .346 average and 28 RBI was second highest on the team.  Dobson had a .963 fielding percentage last year and started all 49 games.
 
A starter of 40 games at third base last season, sophomore Kylie Strand will make the transition to shortstop for 2015.  Strand hit .281 last year, totaling 34 hits with six doubles and three home runs – driving in 15 base runners. 
 
Jenna Lang (.278 average, two doubles) is competing for the starting third base job early on, where she started nine games last year (appearing in 20).  The junior had a .967 fielding percentage for FHSU last year and should see an increased role. Adara Erickson will also compete for a starting role this season, serving as the Tigers' backup catcher last year while appearing in three games (mostly as a base running option).
 
Newcomers expected to produce for the Tigers are freshmen Veronica Knittig (INF, Barnhart, Mo.), Gabrielle Sandoval (UT, Wichita, Kan.), Savannah Price (P, O'Fallon, Mo.) and Mackenzie Villarreal (UT, Loveland, Colo.) and junior transfer Erin Elmore (C, Moore, Okla.).  Elmore played two seasons at Rose State College in Oklahoma, and will compete for the starting catcher role, left open with the graduation of MIAA First Team performer, Callie Wright.
 
Duran (Second Team), Dobson (Honorable Mention), Vaupel (Honorable Mention) and Samantha Villarreal (Honorable Mention) return after earning All-MIAA honors last year.
 
Emporia State led the preseason rankings with 12 first place votes and 168 total points, while Central Oklahoma received the other two first place votes and had 156 points.  Just ahead of FHSU in the poll was last year's MIAA Tournament Champion Missouri Western with 147 points and Central Missouri with 119 points.  FHSU had 113 tallies to round on the Top 5. 
 
From there, Northeastern State (101) and Pittsburg State (100) were neck-and-neck for the sixth and seventh spots, ahead of Northwest Missouri State's 94 points.  Rounding out the Top 10 was Lindenwood (79 points) and Washburn (67 points).  The final four spots saw a major drop off in points, with Missouri Southern (No. 11) pulling in 46 votes, six ahead of Nebraska-Kearney (40 points).  Southwest Baptist had 31 points and Lincoln was picked last with 13.
 
Fort Hays State opens its tournament at the Arkansas Monticello 8-State Classic on Friday, Feb. 13 in Bentonville, Ark. FHSU will play six games over the three-day event.  The Tigers' complete schedule is available here.
 
The complete MIAA Softball Preseason Poll is below…
 

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Points
1	Emporia State (12)	168
2	Central Oklahoma (2)	156
3	Missouri Western	147
4	Central Missouri	119
5	Fort Hays State	113
6	Northeastern State	101
7	Pittsburg State	100
8	Northwest Missouri State	94
9	Lindenwood	79
10	Washburn	67
11	Missouri Southern	46
12	Nebraska-Kearney	40
13	Southwest Baptist	31
14	Lincoln	13