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Saints to open 2012 softball season in Florida

Posted 3/7/12

The St. Lawrence University softball team will kick off its 2012 campaign against SUNY Brockport on Saturday, March 10 in Ft. Myers, Florida for the team's annual spring trip. The Saints, who are …

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Saints to open 2012 softball season in Florida

Posted

The St. Lawrence University softball team will kick off its 2012 campaign against SUNY Brockport on Saturday, March 10 in Ft. Myers, Florida for the team's annual spring trip.

The Saints, who are coming off an 11-21 season and the program's first Liberty League tournament appearance, graduated last year's three captains in Melissa Rogers, Rachel Duffany and Megan Goodemote. With 12 players returning, including the top eight hitters, the Scarlet and Brown will look to continue to move up in the Liberty League standings.

"We graduated three excellent players from last season who all contributed at the plate," said head coach Fran Grembowicz, "However, with the number of experienced player returning, and with the addition of some speed on the base paths in our first-years, we are very much looking forward to taking the field in Florida."

Seniors Chelsea Hanno and Darcy Buckingham anchor a veteran crew consisting of juniors Liz McGinley, Maureen McCoy, Lauren Weisbarth, Chelsea Cavellier and Danielle Durocher, and sophomores Rebecca Allen, Caroline Kieltyka, Leslie Stratton, and Cailyn Welsh.

Joining the team is a group of four talented newcomers, including pitchers Kyle Plimpton and Aisha O'Connor, utility player Brady Cooper and outfielder/catcher Marissa Boyer.

With a year of growth under their belt, the Saints field will look similar in terms of positions and personnel as last season.

Players who are expected to see time in the outfield are Hanno, Buckingham, Allen, Welsh, Boyer and Durocher, while White and Cooper will likely see time in both the infield and outfield. Kieltyka, McCoy, McGinley, Stratton, Weisbarth and O'Connor will also see time in the infield.

Anchoring the Saints infield at the catcher position is Cavellier, who earned Second Team All-Conference honors last season. Offensively, the Dexter, NY native concluded the season with a .271 batting average, tallying 19 hits in 70 at bats. Cavellier will be backed up by White and Boyer.

Also returning to the infield is Kieltyka, who joined Cavellier on the All-Conference Second Team last season. The New Britain, CT native led the team with a .295 batting average as she tallied 26 hits in 99 at bats, and also had a team-best 16 RBIs and 44 total bases.

Stratton, who earned Honorable Mention honors last season, returns after starting every game as a rookie around the infield. The Bedford, NH native was fourth on the team in batting average at .278 and led the team in runs scored (17) and doubles (6).

Allen will likely continue to be a consistent face in the outfield as she earned Honorable Mention status last season. The Victor, NY native was tied with Kieltyka for most home-runs (3) and was second in the runs batted in category with 13.

Meanwhile, McGinley, who was selected to serve as the team's captain, will anchor the pitching staff in 2012. The Canastota, NY native was 5-2 overall with a 3.69 ERA last season, and will split starts with Plimpton and O'Connor, who will add depth on the mound.

Before returning to the northeast to face Rochester, St. John Fisher and Union, the Saints will play 12 games in Florida. Scheduled opponents include Richard Stockton, Brockport, Salem State and Olivet.

St. Lawrence will take the field for the first time in 2012 on Saturday in a doubleheader against Brockport State and Mount Mary College.