PHILADELPHIA (1/30/04) -- If pitching is the bread and butter of any successful softball team, then Saint Joseph's should be primed for another banner season. But to make a meal complete, one needs the meat and potatoes as well. Head coach Moo Moyer welcomes back six of his top seven hitters from 2003, making the Hawk dinner plate as full as its been in recent memory. Senior captains and four-year starters Dana Travis and Lindsey McNamara are poised to lead the Crimson and Gray to the top of the Atlantic 10 after finishing third for the past three years. Both are battle tested and with arguably the most difficult regular season schedule in the team's 21-year history, their leadership will be invaluable in challenging the A-10 mainstays of Massachusetts and Temple. Travis, the all-time strikeout leader on Hawk Hill, ranks in the top five in nine pitching categories and will anchor the staff for the third straight year. The Newark, Del. native didn't match her numbers from 2002 (19-9, 1.45 ERA, 179 Ks), but her 2003 campaign wasn't too shabby either. The hard throwing right-hander went 12-7 with a 1.93 ERA and posted big wins over Princeton and Dayton. "Dana's very consistent and works hard," Moyer said. "She's going to be our workhorse." If Travis is SJU's Lightning, then McNamara is the Thunder. The big-hitting senior has started every game of her career in the Crimson and Gray and may see time at first base, her third different position in four years, this spring. After twice earning all-region honors at second base, McNamara moved to rightfield last season and was named to the All-Atlantic 10 team for the first time in her career. "Lindsey's done a lot of moving around for us. We've asked her to do a lot of things.," Moyer said. "Mac's a talented athlete and very coachable. She's more versatile than most and made the change for the good of the team." McNamara is already third on the all-time homerun list at SJU and with another strong season could reach the top five in hits, runs, and RBI. She batted a career-high .323 last season and her five homers and 21 RBI were second on the team. Junior Alicia Cunic, an all-region selection in 2002, will return behind the dish. After just two seasons, Cunic already ranks fourth all-time in homeruns and batted .311 with team highs in doubles (12), home runs (6), and RBI (29). "Alicia hits a ton from the cleanup spot," Moyer said. "She's a big run producer and is also very good defensively." Setting the table for McNamara and Cunic will be juniors Megan Richardson and Cara Deldeo. The duo combined for half of the Hawks stolen bases last season and according to Moyer, "can flat out fly." Deldeo is the best all-around athlete on the team and led the squad in hitting at .338 last season. When not at her normal spot of shortstop, she helped out on the mound as well, posting a 4-4 record with an ERA of 2.71. "Cara's just so good anywhere you put her," Moyer said. "She's good enough to be a number one or number two for most schools, but we'd like to keep her off the mound except for heavy weeks." Richardson is the speedy centerfielder that sets the table from the lead-off spot in the Hawks lineup. After batting .339 as a freshman, the Bear, Del. native hit .295 and according to Moyer, "feels that she should be on base every time." Two more key returnees in the infield are sophomore Jill Clementi and junior Robin Berry. Clementi, who batted .330 last season from the hot corner, is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. If healthy, the versatile infielder will move over to second base to make room for freshman Rachel Pawlikowski. Berry, who has seen time at both middle infield spots, will likely move to first base this season to take advantage of her 5-9 frame. She batted .259 last season and could see time at all three infield positions. Other veterans returning in the infield are sophomore first baseman Meghan Leaver and junior catcher Lynn Ravert. Both will fight for playing time this spring. In the outfield, sophomore Katie McCann will join Richardson and McNamara in the outfield. McCann saw limited time in 2003, batting .174 in 13 starts, but had a great fall to earn the preseason starting nod. Moyer, the fastest coach on Hawk Hill to reach 50 wins, worked the recruiting trails hard and landed some of the region's top travel players. Freshman Lauren Hughes from Council Rock South looks to be the favorite to join Travis in the starting rotation. After an impressive fall in which she shutout Penn State, Hughes will try to replace the innings of graduated Academic All-American Brandie Adams. Pawlikowski is next in the line of great Hawk power hitters after earning all-state honors twice at Delaware's Ursuline Academy. She looks to hold down the hot corner. Cathy Richter, another all-state selection at Cherry Hill East (N.J.), will show her versatility by seeing time at catcher and rightfield. Kaitlin Donahue, Christa Lane Hooper, and Lauren Pachioli will look to sneak in time in a crowded outfield. Moyer has upgraded the schedule to a level that hasn't been seen on Hawk Hill. The slate includes three top 25 teams (Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida State) within the first two weeks. The hope is that the competition will prepare Saint Joseph's to challenge Massachusetts and Temple for the Atlantic 10 Championship. "I don't measure success of the program in wins and losses," Moyer said. "If they play the right way and work hard in the classroom, wins and losses will take care of themselves." With seven 30-win seasons in the past nine years and six academic all-district players in the past two seasons, Moyer has found a way to succeed both on the diamond and in the classroom. Thanks to veteran leadership and a talented incoming class, Saint Joseph's will challenge for its first Atlantic 10 Championship.