Stags look to turn season around after slow start

The women’s softball team has certainly been well traveled this year. During the last weekend of February, they went down to Chapel Hill, N.C. for a four-game round robin at the Carolina Classic where they unfortunately lost each contest.

Over spring break the team flew down to Deland, Fla. to take part in the Hatter Classic in which they captured their first victory of the season and won three out of four games at the event. Then to top it off, the squad made their way over to Tampa, Fla. to take part in the renowned Under Armour Classic where they took home three wins.

So after a tough start to the season losing four straight, the team has battled back and won nine of their last 14 contests to even their record at 9-9. With four more games before Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play begins at the start of April, the squad looks primed to defend their conference supremacy this spring.

Their stellar campaign so far can be attributed to a balanced offensive attack led by star outfielder and preseason First Team All-MAAC selection Lauren Filicia ‘16. Filicia leads the team with 22 hits to go along with 15 runs and 11 stolen bases.

Freshmen Courtney Hawkins and Alisha Marshall are also making fantastic impressions on the program only months into their collegiate careers. Hawkins, a third baseman and catcher, has the team lead with 19 RBIs and is tied for first on the squad with three home runs. Marshall, an infielder, has the best batting average among the Stags as she is hitting .432 and reaching base at a .532 percent clip.

Not to be forgotten is how the Stags have pitched quite impressively to date. Sophomore Destinee Pallotto is top on the team with five wins, four of which have been complete games, and a 3.27 era in 55.2 innings of work. Senior Lauren Falkanger is next on the team with four wins, three being complete games and a 3.66 era in 44 innings.

With a strong cast of upperclassmen leading the way and numerous young players making a name for themselves, it seems as though the Stags are regaining the form that lead them to a MAAC Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament last spring. Watch the team’s next game on Wednesday, March 30 in their doubleheader against Yale beginning at 2 p.m. at Alumni Softball Field.