VIDEO: Talisa Fiame Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – This is the second part of a three-part series chronicling the Eagle softball program's position breakdown for the 2016 season as they seek to defend their South Atlantic Conference regular season crown. This feature breaks down the outfield with the help of all-conference outfielder Talisa Fiame (Pacifica, Calif.).
Carson-Newman's outfield will be without a pair of all-conference performers after leftfielder Haley Taylor and All-American centerfielder Bre Lockett graduated.
"When you lose players who are valuable, it can hurt," Fiame said. "But I feel we have freshman who can step into their roles and do a good job."
Fiame is the leader for an outfield that made just one error all last year. She ranked third on the team in batting average hitting .366 for her junior season. She started 48 games and appeared in 50 in right field. She tallied 53 base hits with five doubles and a triple. She drove in 24 runs and slugged .414.
Fiame produced a pair of three-hit games against USC Aiken (3/25Z) and GRU Augusta (5/8). In total, her 15 multi-hit games were fourth on the team. She had a season-long eight game hitting streak as the Eagles closed April with the outright SAC crown.
She hit a walkoff sacrifice fly against Catawba to help the Eagles to a sweep of the Indians. She hit her only triple of the season against Lees-McRae (2/27) and drove in multiple runs against both Newberry (4/11) and Fort Valley State (2/16).
The new additions to the outfield will be Donna Ryan (Orlando, Fla.), Lilia Torchio (Centreville, Md.) and Andi Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.).
"They all work incredibly hard to show that they can play the position, and any position really," Fiame said. "Each day we're picking each up other and helping each other play well."
Ryan played for Danielle Perotti at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla. While starring for the Panthers, she set her school's record for career RBI while also hitting .426 for her high school career. She received the Principal's Award, Offensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and team MVP for her efforts on the diamond throughout her high school career. Ryan helped Dr. Phillips to a district title. She also was a competitive weight lifter for Dr. Phillips.
Torchio played at Queen Anne's County High School in Maryland where she hit .571 in 2014 with a .714 on-base percentage, 43 total bases and 15 swiped bags. She earned all-conference accolades from the North Bayside Conference.
Meanwhile Smith played her high school ball at Union County High School where she hit .484 with five home runs, seven triples and 15 doubles in her senior season. She earned TNCA All-State honors in 2014 and 2015 and All-State honors from the Tennessee Sportswriters Association from 2013-2015. She was named her team's most valuable player.
Ashlyn Cooper (Friendsville, Tenn.) and Peyton Bacon (Greeneville, Tenn.) could also factor prominently into the outfield.
The Eagles open their season Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m. at The Vick against Lees-McRae. Carson-Newman softball's position previews continue Thursday with a glimpse of the battery.
