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A humbled star at SOU Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Southern Oregon third baseman Angie Chaplin was recently named the Cascade Conference and NAIA Region I player of the week for her superb play. Angie Chaplin's stellar play for the Raider softball team has grabbed everyone's attention except her own By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune ASHLAND - If you bump into Angie Chaplin around town, don't talk to her about this story. In fact, don't mention anything in general about her sophomore softball campaign at Southern Oregon. The fact that she recently powered her way to Cascade Conference and NAIA Region I player of the week status, going a team-best 10-for-15 with three home runs and nine RBIs in four SOU wins, is of no interest to her. Chaplin ranks second in the conference in homers (5) and doubles (10) with a .375 batting average and a team-high 32 RBIs and 26 runs scored. Once again, she doesn't want to hear it. "She's real humble," says SOU coach James Gravelle. "Almost all of our girls aren't worried about their stats, they're just worried about going out and competing and trying to get that first game of a doubleheader." Although putting statistics in a secondary role is nothing new, Chaplin and many of her teammates have it down to a perfect science. "Everybody keeps saying I have all these good numbers but I haven't read or heard anything all season," says the former South Medford High standout. "I'll be surprised at the end of the season to see what I end up with." To ensure secrecy, Chaplin avoids reading newspapers, opting instead for a friend's version read aloud that conveniently skips over any and all references to Chaplin or her accomplishments. Most of those recaps are understandably short. Behind the play of Chaplin and cohorts Brandi Brown, Latisha Inget, Lisa Aitchison, Stacey Marshall and newcomers Haley Varley and Seanna Doyel, SOU has had a breakout season in only its second intercollegiate campaign after a 19-year hiatus. The Raiders boast a 26-6 overall and 14-4 conference ledger heading into Saturday's regular-season finale with Oregon Tech. Pretty amazing accomplishments for a team that, a couple years ago, featured limited direction and far less recognition. "It's kind of nice to see the transition from a scrappy little club team that wore T-shirts and played 15 games a season to where we are here now in conference," says Chaplin, an original driving force in Gravelle's program with Brown and Inget. "We're all really proud but there's a lot more meaning in it for the people who have seen the program grow from where it was." It's also especially meaningful for Chaplin, whose win column didn't exactly overflow while at South Medford. While she closed her prep career as a three-time Southern Oregon Conference all-star and honorable mention all-state infielder in 1998, Chaplin and her Panther teammates didn't have much use for a post-season schedule. "This is all new to me," says Chaplin, who is a co-captain at SOU with Aitchison. "Playing for South we never really got the publicity that comes with winning. And here, we're just a little underdog team from Southern Oregon. Everything is new and everything's a new challenge. "It's nice, of course, but it is a little different because I've never had to think about the possibility of really going anywhere further than just the regular season, and there's quite a possibility here if we keep up the hard work." With Chaplin at the lead, Gravelle isn't concerned his team will waver as the Raiders attempt to close out the regular season on a high note and extend matters at the NAIA Regional Tournament May 8-11 in Portland. "Since Day 1 she's brought leadership to our team with just her presence," Gravelle says of one of his team's captains. "The girls follow her because she leads by example and not just by talking. Every time she steps on the field she gives 110 percent. "She's a competitor and the kind of girl that makes me want to keep coaching softball for life." Heady praise. It's just too bad Chaplin won't hear about it. "I'm sure her mother will keep this article and she'll read it when our season's done," Gravelle chimes in. "Hopefully that won't be for a while." Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.