CSM's Danielle Brenner hits a double in the Bulldogs 10-7 win over College of the Sequoias

The College of San Mateo softball team kicks off the season featuring a power-hitting lineup that will test pitchers across the Coast-North Conference.

CSM went a conference-best 15-5 at home last year and posted a 27-13 overall record, placing second in the conference, but suffered an early playoff exit against Cosumnes River College.

This year, the Bulldog lineup is led by returning leadoff hitter and shortstop Alyssa Jepsen, the Coast Conference Player of the Year and an all-state selection in 2010. The 5-foot-7 slugger out of Notre Dame High in Belmont will look to follow a monster freshman season in which she batted .435.

First baseman Samantha Pacheco, a first-team all-conference selection last year, is back after hitting .362 with 19 RBIs.

Sophomore Callie Pacheco will start in the circle. The Half Moon Bay product, who started 11 games last year and posted a 3.97 ERA and 30 strikeouts, looks to add versatility to go with her strong arm.

Ashley Rincon (Sequoia) returns to add depth to the Bulldog pitching staff. “She can change speeds very well,” said CSM coach Nicole Borg. “She’s a fierce competitor and has a refuse to lose mentality.”

The Bulldogs added center fielder Brittney Blanco (Burlingame), first baseman Vika Kafoa (Capuchino), second baseman Lindsay Handy (Hillsdale), right fielder Annabel Hertz (Lincoln-SF), left fielder Mary Ganal (Lincoln-SF), third baseman Danielle Brenner (South San Francisco) and third baseman/designated player Trish Malaspina (Burlingame).

Brenner, 28, played her freshman season for CSM back in 2000 and now returns for her sophomore campaign. “She brings a lot of maturity to this team. She’s played baseball as well and has had time to dissect the game,” said Borg.

The 5-foot-10 Malaspina, who stars as the leading scorer for the CSM women’s basketball team, packs a strong arm and can also be an option for Borg as a designated player.

Borg faces the new season with hopeful spirits. “I feel really good about this team,” the fifth-year head coach said. “This is one of the best practice teams I’ve had in years. Everyone gets along. They’re not catty and there is a sense of focus on the field.”

Borg’s goals for the season are to win the Coast-North Conference title and make the playoffs. From there, she said, “We’ll take the games one by one.”

CSM played its first game Saturday morning and grabbed a 10-7 home win over College of the Sequoias. Sequoias had a very convincing season last year, winning the Central Valley Conference for the third time in four years and making it to the state quarterfinals.

CSM gave up three runs in the first inning, but shut out the Giants for the next five, scoring 10 runs in the process.

One thing was evident in the Bulldogs’ season opener – power, power and more power. CSM went 14-for-30 at the plate, with two doubles and three home runs. Jepsen hit one homer. The other two were clubbed by freshmen Kafoa and Malaspina, who smoked the second pitch in her only at-bat in the sixth inning.