The State University of New York at New Paltz Softball team is back in action this weekend with two double headers, the first on Saturday against Rutgers-Camden and the second against Rowan University on Sunday. Following the most successful season in its program's history last season with a 26-12 campaign, expectations are sky high for the Hawks as they look to continue this winning culture and head into next week with four early wins.
SUNY New Paltz coach Krysti Maronski knows as well as anyone Rowan won't be an easy task, having played and coached for the Profs, and also considering they are coming off a 33-15 season with 14 wins to only 4 losses in New Jersey Athletic Conference play.
Before that match up, the Hawks play two games against the Raptors, who in their previous four games against the Hawks, dating back to 2002 have been victorious in all four. That said, the last time the two teams squared off was nearly two decades ago and last year Rutgers-Camden managed only a 10 win season, with more than twice as many losses as wins in conference play.
For New Paltz Softball to follow up last year's spectacular season, which ended with a heartbreaking loss to No. 20 ranked Geneseo and Oswego, seems like an almost unfairy high expectation for the Hawks, but Maronski has confidence in her team moving into the season.
"We're as strong as our leaders and they have done a great job bringing the team together," she said. "Our team chemistry is really good. The team is hungry and they don't want to stay stagnant."
One of the leaders for the Hawks is senior infielder Meagan Blair, who is coming off a break-out junior campaign where she hit .289 with 26 hits, 12 runs and 14 RBI before injuring her knee in the postseason.
"I believe in leading by example, I think if your hustling and doing your best it's contagious and everyone around you is going to work their hardest and that's all you can really ask for," she said.
Along with Blair, the Hawks return all but one starter from last season, along with bringing back its two All-SUNYAC pitchers in sophomore Emily Fox and freshman Katie Quagliana. Both ending the season with double-digit wins and finishing with a 2.25 and 3.07 ERA last year. Ashley Puig and Julia DiSpigna return for their junior and senior seasons, respectively, as the duo led the Hawks offensively after each hitting above .300 and combining for 68 hits, 42 runs and 47 RBI in 2019.
The first pitch of the weekend will be thrown at 1 p.m. in Camden, New Jersey on Saturday, with the second game starting at 3 p.m. Then, the team will travel to Glassboro, New Jersey where they will face Rowan twice, start times are at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
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