By Nick Pantages
@nick_pantages22
After a string of upsets across the country, the Springfield College softball found themselves right outside the NCAA Tournament, which was an unceremonious ending to one of the most successful campaigns in school history. However, a strong cast of returning players have the chance to put up back-to-back 30 win seasons, something that hasn’t happened since 2000 and 2001.
Head coach Kate Bowen is a big reason for that. Since taking over in 2017, she has won nearly 70 percent of her games, which is tops in program history.
Sophomore Amelia DeRosa headlines a crop of talented returners. She is looking to build off a historic rookie campaign in which she broke the single-season hits record, while finishing second in batting average and fourth in doubles. Simultaneously, she pitched 70 innings, finishing with a 2.20 ERA, while being named second-team All-America. Managing to sustain and possibly improve on a season like that is no easy task, but DeRosa’s mindset may make that a reality.
“I did pretty well but this is a new year, clean slate,” DeRosa said. “I’m just trying to put that in the past and focus on myself, just playing like I usually do.”
Besides DeRosa, the Pride return a solid cast of offensive players. Michaela Ponticello, Carissa Pecchia and Callie Gendron all put in averages over .300 and look to be pieces in the middle of the lineup. Alli Olson’s defensive ability at second base and contact ability, including 19 sacrifice hits, which was tops in all of Division III.
Their losses include Mackenzie Doyle and Maggie Britt, who combined started all but one game last season, and replacing their production will not be easy.
“We have a lot of new faces coming on the team and I think there are some people that fit some of those roles we lost,” DeRosa said.
One player who can slot into those outfield positions is Emily Whalen, a graduate transfer from UMass who started 83 games in the outfield over her last two seasons for the Minutewomen.
On the pitching side, the top starter last year was Gillian Kane, who also was lost due to graduation. DeRosa looks to step into that top starter role, while Ashley Pugliese, who logged over 50 innings last season, also has the ability to take on a full-time workload as a starter.
“We had a pair of doubleheaders this weekend, and it was just a really good pitching effort, we were able to go for a lot of innings,” DeRosa said. “You can just see how hard everyone is working.”
As always, a week-long trip to Florida will kick the season off. A year ago, the Pride used a 9-1 stretch in Florida to jump start their season, and this year they hope to do the same.
They also play 10 games in the Sunshine state this year, including Mount St. Mary and Fredonia, a pair of common opponents from last season. A vigorous training routine in practice is what DeRosa thinks will be the key to repeating the start they had last season.
“Every practice [Coach Bowen] makes it a big deal to make [practice] extremely difficult, so that when we get to game time, it’s easier. She pushes us extra hard in the preseason so that it slows the game down once we get to Florida,” DeRosa said. “Preseason is kind of a grind, but it pays off to help us prepare for the rest of the season.”
The Pride were pegged to finish third in the NEWMAC preseason poll, and they look to be competitive at the top of the conference once again. If they are to finish in the top of the conference, their never back down approach to every game is a key for them, and something that can help them win close games, which they were very successful with a year ago.
“We are a very resilient team and we never give up,” DeRosa said. “We are incredibly determined, and we are going to bring that energy once we get on the field.”
Photo courtesy of Springfield Athletics.