Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Softball

UMW Softball Tabbed Third in CAC Preseason Poll

UMW Softball Tabbed Third in CAC Preseason Poll
Posted: Feb 05, 2020

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Three-time defending champion Christopher Newport was selected as the unanimous favorite in the 2020 Capital Athletic Conference Softball Preseason Poll. In a vote among the conference head coaches, the Captains received four first-place votes and totaled 16 points to land atop the poll. CNU finished last season at the No. 9-ranked team in the NFCA Poll.

Salisbury (13 points) received the last first-place votes to finish second in preseason balloting ahead of Mary Washington (9 points) who is slotted third after earning the top seed in last year's league tournament. 

York (8 points) claimed the No. 4 position ahead of Southern Virginia (4 points) in fifth to round out the poll. 

The CAC Tournament will feature a new, four-team postseason event spread across one, three-day weekend. Competition begins on Thursday, April 23 and concludes on Saturday, April 25. 

The 2020 season begins this weekend as Southern Virginia opens the year on Feb. 14, while Salisbury gets underway on Feb. 15. The rest of the league will begin competition one week later, while CAC competition is slated to open on March 28. 

2020 CAC Softball Preseason Poll

Rank 
Institution 
Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Christopher Newport 16 (4)
2. Salisbury 13 (1)
3. Mary Washington 9
4. York 8
 5.  Southern Virginia 4


Below is a brief preview of each team entering the 2020 campaign: 

1) CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT heads into the 2020 season with virtually the entire squad returning from last year's 37-9 team. The Captains advanced to the NCAA Super Regional in 2019, the 13th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Keith Parr begins his 17th year leading the Captains, who last year earned their first #1 ranking in the weekly national poll.

In all, 17 Captains return including two All-Americans from last year, junior Patty Maye Ohanian (DP) and sophomore Kaitlyn Hasty (1B). Hasty was selected the CAC's Player and Rookie of the Year in 2019. Also returning will be senior All-Region and All-Conference standout 2B Grace Wild...and senior starting pitcher Aubrey Bates, also an All-Region and All-Conference performer.
 
Other position starters returning include junior shortstop Natalie Carmichael, junior catcher Emerald Cheesbrew, sophomore third baseman Bailey Roberts, senior outfielder Tara Deck,and  junior outfielders Keely Crittenden and Maddie Hool, as well as sophomore outfielder Sarah Proctor. The Captains also return senior pitcher Trish Webb and junior pitcher Emily Weatherholtz.

2) SALISBURY looks to build on a 2019 season where they finished with a 24-13 overall record and an 8-4 mark in CAC play. The Sea Gulls return a pair of All-Region players in senior Dakotah Fraley and sophomore Jillian Jones. Fraley collected her second All-Region honor after finishing sixth in the CAC in slugging percentage with a .695 clip. Fraley also ended the year with eight home runs, 41 runs scored, 26 runs batted in, 10 doubles and two triples. Jones hit .419 a season ago, which ranked fourth in the CAC. Jones also added 20 RBIs, 18 runs scored, 12 doubles, four home runs and a .624 slugging percentage in her freshman campaign.

The Sea Gulls also return two-time All-CAC honoree Emily Allen and 2019 All-CAC Second Team selection Kaleigh Edwards. Allen knocked in a team-high 28 RBIs while Edwards sat third in the CAC in batting with a .426 average.

Returning Starters: 6

Notable Statistics:

Kaleigh Edwards – Third in the CAC in batting average (.426), sixth in on-base percentage (.460)
Jillian Jones – Fourth in the CAC in batting average (.419), tied for fourth in doubles (12), fifth in on-base percentage (.477)
Dakotah Fraley – Fourth in the CAC in hits (51), sixth in slugging percentage (.695), tied for sixth in home runs (8)

Returning All-CAC performers:

Emily Allen, IF, 2x Second Team
Dakotah Fraley, SS/MI, 1x First Team, 1x Second Team
Kaleigh Edwards, IF, 1x Second Team
Jillian Jones, OF/P, 1x Second Team

Returning All-Region performers:

Dakotah Fraley, SS/MI, 1x Second Team, 1x Third Team
Jillian Jones, DP, 1x Second Team

3) MARY WASHINGTON will look to build off of last season's success as they advanced to the CAC Tournament Championship Series. The Eagles welcome back first team All-CAC selections Rachel Porchie (.402 BA with seven home runs), Danielle Newman (.407 BA with nine doubles), and Hannah Bruns (.397 BA with 35 runs scored). Senior Megan Hibbs (2.59 ERA) returns to the mound, while sophomore Maggie Mrowka (.280 BA) returns to the infield. Freshman Grace Drury is a key newcomer for the Eagles.

Number of Returning Position Players: 6

Number of Returning Pitchers: 1

Notable Statistics: Hannah Bruns and Danielle Newman led the CAC in triples with four.

Returning All-CAC Performers:
Rachel Porchie, C, 1st Team in 2019
Hannah Bruns, OF, 1st Team in 2019
Danielle Newman, OF, 1st Team in 2019 and 2nd Team in 2019

4) The YORK Spartan softball team will have a much different look in 2020 as first-year head coach Kaitlin Dulac assumes the reigns of the York program. Dulac will count on a small group of returners to shepherd the club into the new era for Spartan softball. 

Dulac will turn to All-CAC pitcher Ginger Lewis to lead the pitching staff. Lewis is a three-time first-team All-CAC honoree as she returns for her final year in the Green and White. Taylor Lindsay, who earned second-team All-CAC honors as a designated player last year, will see a majority of her time in the circle and give the Green and White a talented 1-2 punch. Sophomore shortstop Alyssa Harhigh is York's top returning regular. She will be joined by junior infielder Shyla Pastore, and outfielders Madison Brumagin, Natalie Decena and Elle Meyer. Dulac has a large group of newcomers who will push the incumbents for time on the field. 

Number of Returning Starters: 5 (Alyssa Harhigh, Shyla Pastore, Madison Brumagin, Elle Meyer, Natalie Decena)

Number of Returning Pitchers:  3 (Ginger Lewis, Taylor Lindsay, Samantha Kiser)

Notable Statistics: Senior Ginger Lewis owns a career record of 40-25 with seven saves and a career ERA of 2.14 ... Lewis has thrown 435.2 innings and recorded 417 strikeouts and just 111 walks ... Alyssa Harhigh hit .343 with eight doubles and 13 home runs as a freshman ... Harhigh also scored 35 runs and drove in 38 in 44 games ... Junior Shyla Pastore is the most experienced returning regular as she has played in 88 career games. 

Returning All-CAC Performers:
Ginger Lewis (3x 1st Team All-CAC)
Alyssa Harhigh (2nd 2019)
Taylor Lindsay (2nd 2019)

5) SOUTHERN VIRGINIA enters the 2020 season, looking to improve from the previous season. The Knights return its ace on the mound in Megan Daniels, who led the team with seven wins, 78 strikeouts (fourth in CAC), while leading the CAC in innings pitched (150.1) to earn All-CAC Second Team honors. The Knights return infielders Mykala Johnson and Bethanie Phillips, with each providing consistency in the field and at the plate. Caitlin Barber will be behind the plate for Southern Virginia after a strong 2019 season, while Jordan Stites will look to be a spark for the outfield. Melanie Peyton will also find opportunities this season in multiple positions.

Number of returning starters: 6

Notable statistics: Daniels led CAC in innings pitched, fourth in strikeouts (78)

Returning All-CAC performers: Megan Daniels, Pitcher, All-CAC Second Team)