Anderson head softball coach Tommy Hewitt wants every player on his team thinking about making a play. "Last year, I thought we waited for somebody else to make the big play, get the big hit," said Hewitt, who is entering his third season at AU. "This year, we've not going to wait for anybody to do it. We need everybody to step up and make a big play when we need it." Anderson opens the 2008 season Sunday afternoon at home against Lincoln Memorial. The Lady Trojans were 25-16 overall and 14-6 in the conference last spring but finished with two losses in the conference tournament. As a team, Anderson hit .308 last spring and averaged 5.68 runs per game. Six players batted .297 or better. "The program is moving forward, but I was disappointed last year," Hewitt said. "We were 14-6 in the conference. I felt like we should have been 18-2. Then we went two and out in the conference tournament. There's something we can always be doing and working on. I'm happy with our freshmen group. I think the team chemistry is the best we've had." Almost half of the 2008 roster - eight players - are freshmen. "We had a good fall," Hewitt said. "We played five Division I teams and played well. We're going to be young. We've got just two seniors - Kayla Thrasher and Melissa Carmichael." In"'07, Thrasher, a two-year starter at shortstop, batted .320 with six homers and 30 RBI, while Carmichael recorded six assists in right field and batted .259. Hewitt has five pitchers and he plans to use all of them. "Donya (Cobb) started just two games last season, but she will be our No. 1 starter," Hewitt said. "Alex (Waldroup) will be No. 2, and Katie (Van Gieson) will handle middle relief. We have two other freshmen pitchers - Casey Deer and Samantha Moorhead - who need experience." Returning behind the plate is Kayla Williams, who has hit 28 homers in her first two seasons. She batted. 387 with 11 homers and 53 RBI last season. "Kayla should have a big year," Hewitt said. "We expect her to have a better year this year. Cameron (White) has really good skills behind the plate and her hitting developed during the fall. She should be able to give Kayla some rest." In the infield, Mickie Brown (.286) and transfer Laura Daniels will handle first base, Ellen Steele (.347, 21 RBI) returns at second base, Thrasher will play shortstop, and '07 Freshman of the Year Meredith Knox (.410, 6 HR, 22 RBI) is back at third base. Kinsley Durham will back up Steele at second. "Laura has a big bat and a rocket for an arm," Hewitt said. "Ellen is a solid second baseman. Kayla can't wait to get started. Meredith had a great freshman year." Joining Carmichael in the outfield will be Kasey King, Casey LeCates, Lyndsey Huitt, Elisa Sebastian, and Blair Kaufman. Huitt missed most of the fall because of a leg injury, while Sebastian is returning from double hip flexor surgery. Walk-on Blair Kaufman can pitch and play in the outfield. Smethers Field received some upgrades during the off-season. Screens were built in front of both dugouts, a brick base was added to the backstop, and a new scoreboard was placed behind the center field fence.