Freshman left-fielder Angela Danca may be the smallest girl on Eastern’s roster this season.

But she has already become a big contributor, starting 28 of 32 games for the Panthers, and she is not the only freshman who has been making a difference in the outfield. Freshman outfielder Chelsey Iapala, who can also play shortstop, has started 29 of the 32 games for Eastern, all in the outfield.

“You never expect to play right away,” Danca said. “But I was hoping for it.”

Utility players, as they are called, have populated the outfield in recent seasons, but this year’s crop of freshmen entered the program with experience in those positions. That experience has made a big impact, said junior right-fielder Katy Steele.

“Stepping up has been an expectation and they are doing that nicely,” she said.

Head coach Kim Schuette says the pair is “feisty and fast and improve with every game.”

“They” may not have the best batting averages, but their speed (on the bases) makes the other teams make mistakes,” Schuette said.

Danca leads the team in stolen bases this season, with 14 steals in 15 attempts.

“(Coach Schuette) tells me when to steal, but you just go with the heat of the game,” Danca said.

She also boasts a .977 fielding percentage, and the left-handed slap hitter has scored nine runs to go along with 18 hits and 5 RBIs.

Her partner in the outfield, Iapala, has also enhanced the Panther squad this season with a .935 fielding percentage and 8 stolen bases, second to Danca.

Schuette said she expects by the end of the season there shouldn’t be a ball out there that one of them can’t get to.

Schuette says all of the freshmen, which include pitcher Kathleen Jacoby, catcher Shea Lodes and second baseman Sarah Coppert, bring a new idea of competitiveness, speed and athleticism to the team.

Eastern heads to Jacksonville, Ala., this weekend for its third Ohio Valley Conference game. In the Gamecocks’ last game against Austin Peay, JSU lost 3-1 in a game characterized by defensive errors in key innings.

“Jacksonville has a very strong program,” Schuette said. “They won the OVC last year and really dominated and this year they have played some really tough opponents in non-conference series,” Schuette said.

The Panthers will face a strong lineup filled with upperclassmen. Senior Gamecock pitcher Christine Pierce has thrown two no-hitters this season and pitched a perfect game on March 18 against Tennessee State.

“The last couple years they have been leading the conference in homeruns,” Steele said. “It’s going to be a defensive game this weekend.”

The Panthers leave Friday morning at 9 a.m. in making the nine-hour bus ride to Jacksonville for their 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.