New Look MCLA Softball team begins season Friday
Led by senior Kayla Koumjian, the MCLA softball team will begin play this Friday when they battle RIT.
The MCLA Trailblazers have just two seniors and half the roster will be made up of freshman in Mike Ameen's second campaign as MCLA softball coach. The Trailblazers return just two regulars in the everyday line-up and one pitcher from a team that went 11-21 and 3-11 in MASCAC play.
The offense will be centered around all-conference catcher Kayla Koumjian. The senior catcher from Watervliet, NY, Koumjian hit .310 with 4 homers and 17 RBI's. She led MCLA in all three offensive categories. The speedy Kendra Hobbs (Haverhill, MA/Whittier Tech) is also back; Hobbs who can flash the leather in centerfield hit .284 and stole eight bases in 2011.
Ashley Kelley (Turners Falls, MA/Turners Falls) and Kaitland Hager (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) are also back. Kelley appeared in twenty-one games last season mostly at first base and Hager was a defensive specialist in the outfield, playing in twenty-three games.
The Trailblazers lone pitcher back is there number three starter from a year ago. Ainsley MacDonald (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) went 5-3 in seven starts with a 5.05 ERA.
The Trailblazers have several newcomers looking to make an early impact. Freshman Sam Barbarotta (Pittsfield, MA/Taconic) is an All-Berkshire County outfielder who looks to contribute right away. Fellow freshman Kendra Hinkell (North Adams, MA/Drury) should provide a big bat in the middle. Katelyn Lantagne (Seekonk, MA/Tri-County) and Marissa Mendetta (Rensselaer, NY/Rensselear) are two other freshman that should see playing time.
They also have transfer Serina Stimpson (Pittsfield,MA/Taconic) who played 10 games for New England College in 2010 to provide depth in the infield.
The Trailblazers kick off the season Friday with a double header in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. MCLA will play R.I.T. and WPI with games scheduled for 11am and 1pm. The Trailblazers will play twelve games in Florida before returning north.
MCLA is scheduled to play their home opener on March 31st when they open up MASCAC play versus The Massachusetts Maritime Academy. MCLA will play at Bridgewater State on April 16th and conference rival Westfield State at Westfield on April 24th. The Bears and Owls are picked to share the MASCAC title and should be stern tests for the young Trailblazers.
MCLA wraps up the regular season with a home double header on April 28th versus Framingham State and goes next door to visit Williams College on the 30th for two more.