The Justice

Media Credit: Julian Agin-Liebes

Last season, second baseman Melisa Cagar '11 led the softball team with 10 stolen bases in 47 games played. Just last week, after eight games this season against University Athletic Association competition in Florida, she has already compiled six steals on only six attempts.

"I feel that I am more confident this year and have realized that I need to utilize my base running skills better," Cagar wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "When I am on base I always try to put pressure on the defense."

Cagar wrote that she takes into account the "strength of the catcher's arm [and] the tracking of the ball when it is released from the pitcher's hand" among other factors when she is deciding whether to attempt to steal a base.

Of her six steals, arguably the most significant one came in the fifth inning of last Thursday's game against the University of Rochester. With the Judges trailing 2-1, rookie right fielder Samantha Gajewski '12 was on first base and Cagar was on second with rookie designated hitter Marianne Specker '12 up at bat.

Cagar wrote that head coach Jessica Johnson instructed Specker to bat right-handed, even though she typically bats left-handed, in order to obstruct the Rochester catcher's throwing path to third base. As a result, Gajewski and Cagar pulled off a double-steal.

Gajewski and Cagar came around to score later in the inning with Cagar scoring the tying run as the Judges earned a 3-2 comeback victory.

Batting first in the lineup, Cagar leads the team with 10 hits, seven runs scored, a .400 batting average and a .483 on-base percentage. She also added one home run and two runs batted in.

"I feel that my offense improved as the week progressed," Cagar wrote. "Getting off on a fast start will help me push forward and use that as a baseline [for] my role on the team."

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