Pioneer Softball Picked Seventh in NEC Preseason Coaches Poll
2/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 20, 2006
Fairfield, CT - The Sacred Heart Pioneers softball team was picked to finished seventh in the Northeast Conference preseason coaches poll released Monday by the NEC office. Defending champion Robert Morris was tabbed as the favorite, receiving six first place votes. Long Island University was picked second in the poll, garnering five first place votes.
The Pioneers team is led by senior tri-captains Chrissy DeMott (Levittown, NY/Island Tress), Dana Jusino (Rutherford, NJ/St. Mary's) and Jen Place (Latham, NY/Shaker) will serve as tri-captains for the Pioneers this season.
Sacred Heart returns two of their top three hitters from last season. Juniors Caitlin Carroll (Burlington, MA/Burlington) and Jazzeline Perez (Medford, NY/Patchague Medford) and led the Pioneers offensively. Carroll hit .282 with a team high five home runs and 15 RBI. She also had the most doubles of any returning players with six. Perez was third on the team in batting average, hitting .267 with a .333 slugging percentage.
On the mound the Pionners welcome back their ace, sophomore Megan Spehar (Thousand Oaks, CA/Thousand Oaks H.S.). Spehar went 6-4 with a 2.64 ERA last year, including four complete games. Opponents only hit .205 off her and struck out sixty times.
The Pioneers recruiting class includes five freshmen who signed National Letters of Intent. Amanda Bradley (Langley, BC/Brookswood Secondary), Ashley McDonough (Lompoc, CA/Lompoc), Sarah Stack (Fall River, MA/Durfee), Jessica Perez (Santa Maria, CA/St. Joseph), and Betsy Harvey (Unionville, CT/Farmington) all will join the Pioneers lineup for 2005-06.
Sacred Heart opens its season March 5th at the Rebel Games in Osceola, FL. After six more road stops plus a tournament at UMBC, the Pioneers will play their home opener Sunday April 2nd against Yale.
