Senior center fielder Lindy Winkler and sophomore left fielder Hilary Johnson hit with the most power on the Sacramento State softball team. Not the kind of power that sends the ball over the fence, per se, but when they can get in the defender’s head before even stepping in the batter’s box ?” now that’s power.

“You can definitely see the opposing infielders start to get anxious (when Winkler or Johnson goes to bat),” Hornets coach Kathy Strahan said.

Knowing that, it’s not hard to understand how the Hornets’ two best hitters last season were so successful ?” and plan to continue that when their 2006 season opens on Thursday with the Campbell/Cartier Classic Tournament in Poway, Calif. The Hornets are looking to improve on a 30-23 2005 campaign in which they finished second in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference with a 12-7 record in league.

Winkler and Johnson have refined a technique of hitting, called “slapping,” which makes them hard to retire and even harder to strike out. Winkler ?” who hits for power as well as slaps ?” was the sixth-toughest player in the nation to strike out in 2005 as she was fanned just seven times in 147 at-bats.

“Winkler just terrorizes the defense with all the things she can do,” said Gary Ferrin, coach of the Hornets’ conference nemesis Loyola Marymount.

Instead of staying back on their back foot, a slapper runs at the pitcher as the ball is speeding toward home plate and tries to smash the ball into the infield dirt. The idea is that with the extra three-to-five steps from the left batter’s box the hitter’s chance of reaching base safely is that much better.

“I’m just trying to pound the ball into the ground (and run to first),” Johnson said.

In 2005 the tandem, with Johnson leading off and Winkler third in the batting order, combined to score 55 of the team’s 156 runs and had the top two marks in that category. Winkler led the team in hits with 66 and shared the lead in extra-base hits with senior shortstop Gloria Toledo as each tallied 11. Johnson sprinted her way 41 hits, which was third in on the team behind Winkler and Toledo. As a result of all the grounders Johnson hit, not one of her hits in 2005 went for extra bases.

Sac State second baseman Amy Tompkins said that it also has a psychological effect on the defense ?” particularly the infield ?” that even if an infielder plays the ball perfectly, it’s no guarantee of an out.

“With a slapper at the plate there’s even more pressure on you to be quicker,” Tompkins said. “I try to break it down and make it more simple: get in front of the ball, get it to first.

“You don’t have to have a cannon, but you do need to get it there quick.”

Once they’re on base, they use they use their speed even more in the form of stolen base attempts. Winkler and Johnson were a big part of a Hornet squad that led the conference in steals as the team tallied 46 for the year.

“I’m always looking for that next bag,” Winkler said.

While Strahan said that having slappers is a key component to the team’s success, balance is the key ?” which is why she’s beaming when she speaks of the newcomers to the Hornets’ 2006 squad.”I actively recruit (slappers),” she said, “but you are ultimately looking for balance.”

Strahan said she expects the team to display more power from the plate this season with the addition of some sluggers. Freshman catcher Jamie Schloredt who starred locally at Woodland High is one of them. Schloredt ?” who hit .492 and clubbed six home runs in her senior season at Woodland ?” is expected to start and bat cleanup.

John Parker can be reached at [email protected]