Nine-time defending Commonwealth Coast Champion (CCC) Endicott College has been selected as the favorite to win the 2012 CCC softball championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye.
Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the league’s head softball coaches.
Endicott (36-8, 23-1) garnered seven of the 10 first-place votes in the 2012 CCC preseason poll. Western New England was selected by the coaches as the runner-up in the conference and received two of the first-place votes. University of New England collected the remaining first-place vote and was picked to finish third, while Roger Williams University and Curry College were slotted fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Gulls look to capture the program’s 10th straight CCC title in as many years. Endicott standouts will consist of a group of juniors and sophomores looking to make a mark on school history. Junior third baseman Jocelyn Russo started 43 games last year with a batting average (BA) of .385. She ranked third on the team and tied for fourth in the league in runs scored (47), and ranked fourth on the team in doubles (10) and extra base hits (16), slating her on the 2011 All-CCC First Team. The dynamic duo of junior captains first baseman Nicole Delvin (26 RBI, 24 runs, 6-of-6 stolen bases) and Byrne Katz (.341 BA, 44 at bats, 14 RBI) will be a driving force for the team. Junior Krista Fales (.348 BA, 66 at bats, 18 RBI, 17 runs) will teeter between the duties of first base and catcher, where she threw out four base runners in 11 stolen base attempts last year. Sophomores second baseman Jesse Bilafer (.386 BA, 44 at bats, 14 RBI, 11 runs) and utility player Alexandra Moises (23 runs, 15 RBI) aim to repeat their strong rookie campaigns from a year ago.
Western New England (27-18, 18-6) hopes to once again contend for the CCC Championship with six returning starters led by senior outfielder Rachel Wyrwa who hit .497 last year, which was 12th nationally among Division III players. She also was ninth nationally in RBI (64) and slugging percentage (.909). Wyrwa made both the All-CCC and New England Teams, and was named the school’s Female Athlete of the Year. The Golden Bears also return All-CCC standouts senior pitcher Sarah Lempicki (11-5, 3.69 ERA) and junior shortstop Jeana Longo (.351 BA). Two key sophomores coming off successful rookie seasons are utility player Maria Francese who was third on the team in hitting with a .355 average and third baseman Katie Eckert (.304 BA). Senior pitcher Alyssa Obin (6-4, 2.40 ERA) is ready for a big season. The Golden Bears tallied the program’s 12th consecutive winning season, and finished second in the CCC Championship for the third straight year.
University of New England (29-18-1, 17-7) features a strong core of veterans. The Nor’easters will look for leadership from senior pitcher Erin Lyons, senior catcher Ashley Gott, and junior first baseman Megan Gauger who were named captains heading into the 2012 season. Gott led the league catchers in stolen base percentage against last year (.500) and was also ranked among CCC players with a .436 batting average (6th), 34 hits (4th), and 10 steals (2nd). Gauger was slotted fourth on the team in total bases (33) and posted a .973 fielding percentage (147 chances, 4 errors). Gott’s performance has earned her a spot on the All-CCC team twice, including the First Team last year. Joining Gott and Lyons among the returning seniors is outfielder Maegen Johnson, who ranked first on the team in runs (22), second in total bases (38), doubles (6) and steals (7). Her efforts earned her All-CCC Second Team honors last season. Juniors outfielder Casey Brigham, who was third on team in hits (34), and Erin Grover who only made two errors, look to be contributors on the diamond.
Roger Williams (20-24, 15-9) welcomes back a solid squad, leading the way with senior pitcher Jackie Doolin, senior infielders Hannah Pirez and Erica Castro, and junior catcher Lauren Tierney. Last season, Doolin was a force to be reckoned with in the circle, as she led the CCC in strikeouts, fanning 75 batters, and held opponents to a measly .201 batting average. Pirez, the lone first team All-CCC selection for the Hawks last season, was an offensive force behind the team’s postseason appearance. She led the team in batting average, earning a solid .364, while collecting seven home runs and notching 33 RBI. Castro also contributed offensively for the Hawks, as she batted .338 last season. Tierney has started every game behind the plate since her rookie year.
The Curry (22-22, 14-10) squad returns only one senior, with a core of young standouts. Leadership is expected of senior outfielder Caitlin Luquet, who missed the 2011 season due to injury last year. The 2009 CCC Rookie of the Year led her team in every offensive category in her inaugural campaign. Junior second baseman/shortstop Amanda Felzmann comes off a season where she ranked second on the team in batting average (.312), with only six strikeouts in 93 at bats, and proved to be a versatile middle infielder. Sophomore standout pitcher Jennifer Lundstrom led Curry with an ERA of 2.06 and 82 strikeouts over 78 innings pitched, and was voted the Colonels’ Co-Rookie of the Year with Taryn Vingeant. Vingeant, a sophomore outfielder, led the team with a .342 batting average, two triples, 22 RBI, and 41 hits. Sophomore shortstop/third baseman Megan Flaherty, the 2011 Team MVP, started all 44 contests in her rookie season, and led the team in at bats (136), stolen bases (12-of-15), walks (24), and hits (41). Sophomore catcher/first baseman Heather Carrier, the team’s tri-captain collected 35 hits to rank third on the team.
Nichols College (22-17, 17-7) looks to make its seventh-straight CCC tournament appearance in 2012. Leading the way for the Bison is senior infielder Savannah Thibault who led the team with a .347 batting average and 42 hits, while striking out just nine times in 121 at bats. Joining Thibault will be senior catcher Chelsea Correia who led the team in the long ball (6) and is closing in on the school record. She also tied for the team lead in RBI (26) with sophomore infielder Emalee Watkins and stole eight bases in nine attempts, and has been an All-CCC honoree twice in her career. As a rookie, infielder Watkins started all 39 games for the Bison and was a force to be reckoned with on the basepath as she stole 13 bases in 14 attempts.
Salve Regina University (15-26, 12-12) enjoys the return of a young group that will be in the hunt for its sixth-consecutive bid to the league tournament. The Seahawks welcome back the offensive force of junior outfielder Zeena Barbarita (.307 BA, 26 hits) and sophomore pitcher/outfielder Marissa Simpson (.350 BA, 24 RBI, 17 doubles, 3 triples), who pitched over 100 innings last year. Splitting duties with Simpson on the mound will be junior pitcher/outfielder Jen Cruver who worked 151.2 innings on the rubber and fanned 84 batters. Also contributing for the Seahawks will be junior infielders Ali Muehlbronner (7 stolen bases, 31 runs scored) and Jillian Quintana (.307 BA, 4 home runs, 12 RBI).
Eastern Nazarene College (12-22, 10-14) returns sophomore standouts Taylor Flemming, Cayla Clinkscale, and Abigail Moore. Each second-year athlete played a flexible role last year and helped the team in any capacity and position possible. Fleming, an All-CCC Honorable Mention recipient last year, batted .387 with five doubles, three triples, and four home runs for a slugging percentage of .693, while only striking out six times. She broke the Lions’ all-time record for runs scored as she crossed the plate 31 times. Clinkscale was a defensive force for her team as she posted a fielding percentage of .987 at first base, where she participated in seven double plays and committed only two errors. Offensively, Clinkscale racked up four doubles and a home run, and stole nine bases. Moore has been a leader behind the plate for the Lions. Her work ethic and dedication have made her a key part of the team’s defense. Last season, Moore also proved to be a threat on the base path, as she was successful in all seven base stealing attempts.
Gordon College (12-23, 7-17) welcomes back a group of seasoned seniors in catcher Liz Cheesman, pitcher Claire Bennett, third baseman Kerry McPartlan, and first baseman Emily Borden. Cheesman hit for a solid .389 batting average last season and knocked in 35 runs, slugged two home runs, and stole seven bases, which was good for a First Team All-CCC seat. McPartlan (.360 BA) tallied14 RBI including two home runs, while Borden posted an impressive .466 batting average coupled with 34 RBI, five home runs, and 48 hits. Bennett returns to the mound after fanning 74 batters in 56.1 innings pitched with five wins.
Wentworth Institute of Technology (1-36, 0-24) is hungry to battle back after a rebuilding season in 2011. The Leopards look to senior first baseman Samantha Altieri, senior outfielder Randi Swihart, and sophomore first baseman Haylee Bacik to jump start the team’s 2012 season. Last year, Bacik ranked fourth for Wentworth in batting average, and third on the team in runs scored (13) and RBI (10). The seniors each contributed a pair of doubles, while Altieri collected 151 putouts on the season last year. Altieri also crossed the plate seven times. Defensively, Swihart’s fielding percentage ranked her fourth on the team.
2012 CCC PRESEASON SOFTBALL POLL
Teams received 10 points for every first place vote received, nine points for second place votes, eight points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.
TEAM POINTS (1st Place votes)
Endicott 95 (7)
Western New England 87 (2)
Univ. of New England 85 (1)
Roger Williams 65
Curry 54
Nichols 53
Salve Regina 49
Eastern
Nazarene
26
Gordon
24
Wentworth 12