After a productive spring break trip at the PFX Spring Games, the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team comes back home to play its first games of the season at Mary Gray Deane Field.
 
The Hawks (9-2 overall) went 4-7-1 on their home field last season, and hope to up that record in 2019. They have gotten off to a hot start thus far, averaging more than six runs per game, while batting nearly .300 as a team. SUNY New Paltz also has gotten some great innings in the circle from a myriad of players led by freshman Katie Quagliana who leads the rotation -- and all of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) -- with five wins, going 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA in a team-high 31.2 innings pitched. 
 "I think I am very confident in the circle," Quagliana said. "The biggest difference [from high school to college] is that the hitters can hit a lot better and the play is just sped up a lot."
 
SUNY New Paltz kicks off its home stand Wednesday with a double-header against Ramapo College (6-6). The Roadrunners and Hawks have shared two opponents thus far, Allegheny College and Benedictine University. Both teams fell to the Eagles with Ramapo losing, 2-0, while the Hawks fell, 6-2 in a nine-inning game. Against the Gators, both teams won by six-plus runs.
 
"I think we've been communicating really well and I think we've been feeding off each other's energy," Quagliana said. "When we're loud in the dugout and cheering each other on I think we really get it done."
 
The Roadrunners have averaged less than four runs per game, while allowing 4.2 against. Carli Egan leads them at the plate with a team-best .487 batting average in 39 at-bats, while Jackie Howarth follows, batting .371 with 11 runs and 13 hits. Erin Fitzsimmons and Jessica Becchetti has gotten most of the action in the circle, as the two have combined to go 6-6 in 75.1 innings pitched, giving up 71 hits.
 
Following their pair of games against Ramapo College, the Hawks begin SUNYAC play against The College at Brockport and SUNY Geneseo over the weekend.  The Hawks grinded out a series sweep over the Golden Eagles last season, winning 5-2 and then 8-6 in 10 innings. SUNY New Paltz played a tight game against the Knights, losing both by just a run, 2-1, and 1-0 in a 10-inning pitchers duel.

"They're both really good hitting teams," said Hawks senior second baseman Shannon Fee. "With how our defense has been playing I think we're not going to have a problem with it. I think we just have to respond up at bat and be comfortable like we've been doing and as long as we do that I don't think we'll have a problem taking the whole weekend."
 
Brockport has gotten off to a solid start, going 7-3 in its first 10 games. The Golden Eagles suffered their only losses against Curry College (16-6), North Central College (7-5) and University of Minnesota Morris (3-2).
 
Through its first 10 games Brockport has averaged nearly eight runs a contest, while yielding five runs against. Meghan Cullen leads the team at the plate, batting .472 in 36 at-bats, while also adding 15 runs, 17 hits, seven RBI's and four extra base hits.
 
Cheyenne Wilson and Julia Palopoli have gotten the majority of time in the circle, but each have ERA's over five, while combing to go 6-3 in 11 appearances.
 
The Knights, meanwhile, opened up the year by going 8-2 before suffering two-straight losses in their pervious two games against Wellesly (2-1) and Wisconsin-Stout (3-0). As a team, SUNY Geneseo has batted .293 with 68 runs scored, averaging about six runs per game, while conceding less than two runs with six shutouts on the season.
 
Hannah Elmer has led the team offensively, as the junior cather totaled 12 hits, 14 RBI's with three home runs in 30 at-bats with a .400 batting average. The Knights also feature a solid rotation with all four of their arms, Taylor Moore, Ashlyn Kersch, Jasmine Petrishin and Nicole Schwartz, throwing 12-plus innings thus far. Kersch leads the group though with a 1.48 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched, allowing just 19 hits, seven runs and just three walks with 19 strikeouts.
 
The Hawks are set to face Ramapo College in a pair of games starting at 3 p.m. on Mary Gray Deane Field. SUNY New Paltz will then host SUNY Geneseo Friday and Brockport Saturday for double headers, starting at 3 p.m. and noon, respectively.
 
"To start our season like that would be incredible," said Fee of winning the Hawks' home slate of games this week. "It would be such a good momentum to get our season going. We definitely have it in us and I think they should be scared."

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