College Softball Preview - Does Anyone Have a Chance at the NCAA?

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Joe Parello, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

With softball season only a few weeks away, all of the Central Mass college softball teams are looking to make strides. Holy Cross is looking to build off their first postseason appearance in nearly a decade, while Assumption was only a few plays away from the NCAA Division II tournament. Clark will look to clean up the sloppy fielding that plagued the Cougars last season, and Nichols will need to replace a ton of experience if they hope to again contend for a conference title. Here is what to watch for this softball season.

Holy Cross College hopes to make postseason play the norm

It had been nine long seasons since Holy Cross qualified for the Patriot League Tournament, but the Crusaders made it back to the postseason in 2011. After posting an even record in conference play and making the tournament last year, Crusader coach Brian Claypool is hoping his team can become postseason regulars in the future.

“It had been a long time since we made that tournament,” Claypool said. “We are definitely working to make that the trend around here, rather than the exception.”

But getting back will not be easy. The Crusaders graduated four All- Conference selections, and there is plenty of uncertainty facing Claypool’s squad. Still, the Crusaders do return two mainstays from last year’s team. Senior Gwen Reimer (Pottsville, PA) and junior Sam Fregenti (Melville, NY) are expected to add pop in the middle of the order, and both have been selected as preseason All-Patriot League players. On the mound, the Crusaders return regular starter Julia Barrett (Gardner, MA). While Barrett was impressive as a freshman last year, Claypool expects even bigger things from her this year after she battled an illness for the first half of her freshman campaign.

2011 Overview: 18-35, 10-10 Patriot League
Returning Batting Leaders:
Sam Fregenti, Jr. IF, Melville, NY: .360 BA
Gwen Reimer, Sr. 1B, Pottsville, PA: .322 BA
Returning Pitching Leaders:
Julia Barrett, So. RHP, Gardner, MA: 2.94 ERA
Camille Trainor, Sr. RHP, Worcester, MA: 4.57 ERA

Assumption College looks to repeat as conference champs

The Greyhounds are coming off a Northeast 10 regular season title, but may be even better this season. Assumption returns five All-Conference selections from a year ago, including second baseman Lauren Medeiros (Seekonk, MA), the team’s batting leader. Tanya Robidoux (Hookset, NH) returns to her post in center field after an errorless 2011 defensive season, and the Greyhounds will look for senior Jennifer Lowery (Assonet, MA) to have her best season yet on the mound.

The road to a repeat will again likely depend on whether or not the Greyhounds can top Southern Connecticut State University. The schools split their two meetings last season, leading to Assumption taking the league crown by a single game. Unfortunately for Assumption, the Greyhounds were upset twice in the conference tournament, so there was no rubber match. Southern Connecticut ended up sweeping Merrimack College in the championship series to take the Northeast 10’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament without having to face the conference’s top team.

2011 Overview: 27-18, 21-9 Northeast 10
Returning Batting Leaders:
Lauren Medeiros, Jr. 2B, Seekonk, MA: .397 BA
Tanya Robidoux, So. IF/OF, Hookset, NH: .391 BA
Returning Pitching Leaders:
Jennifer Lowrey, Sr. RHP, Assonet, MA: 2.32 ERA
Chelsea Durso, Sr. RHP, Salem, NH: 2.76 ERA

Clark University needs to cut down on errors

The Cougars are hoping to build off a NEWMAC tournament appearance from a year ago, but will need to clean things up in the field to do so. Clark led to NEWMAC in errors by a wide margin in 2011, committing 74, or 10 more than the second worst team. If the Cougars can get that problem corrected, there appears to be enough talent in place for Clark to be more than an afterthought in the conference.

Sophomore utility infielder Maya Allen (Concord, MA) returns after an All-Conference freshman campaign. Allen led the Cougars in batting average, on-base percentage and hits a year ago, and Clark will need another big year from her. Senior catcher Erin Murphy (Boxborough, MA) hopes she can replicate her 24 RBI season from a year ago, and sophomore Shawna Amatucci (Shrewsbury, MA) showed promise as a power hitter last season with four home runs.

2011 Overview: 16-17, 7-9 NEWMAC
Returning Batting Leaders:
Maya Allen, So. IF, Concord, MA: .327 BA
Mel Melkonian, Jr. IF/OF, Worcester, MA: .314 BA
Returning Pitching Leaders:
Meghan Lennon, Sr. RHP, Charlton, MA: 2.33 ERA
Nicole Meuse, Jr. RHP, Hudson, MA: 3.62 ERA

Nichols College hopes to “bridge the gap”

Like Assumption, Nichols’ season ended with an upset loss in its conference tournament. The Bison fell victim to a three-run eighth inning against Roger Williams University and were eliminated in the tournament’s first stages. Though it was a bitter end, the Bison accomplished quite a bit in 2011, including a third-place finish in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
“I was very satisfied with what we were able to do last year,” coach Kristan Mallet said. “We are hoping to pick up where we left off, but we are losing a ton of experience. We have a lot of good young players, so we’re really just trying to bridge the gap right now.”
One player that could help to bridge that gap is sophomore Allasyn Lieneck (Oldmar, FL), who led the team in batting average, on-base percentage and fielding percentage as just a freshman last year. Mallet is also hoping seniors Chelsea Correia and Savannah Thbault (Marlborough, MA) can continue to develop after impressive junior seasons. Regular starting pitcher Molly Ferraro returns for her senior season, but the staff is largely an unknown beyond her at this point. Nichols will need another pitcher to step up if it hopes for another top-three finish.
 

2011 Overview: 22-17, 17-7 Commonwealth Coast
Returning Batting Leaders:
Allasyn Lieneck, So. OF, Oldsmar, FL: .376 BA
Savannah Thibault, Sr. IF, Marlborough, MA: .347 BA
Returning Pitching Leaders:
Molly Ferraro, Sr. RHP, Millis, MA: 2.83 ERA
 

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