Defending Commonwealth Conference Champion Messiah College topped the annual softball coach’s preseason poll, earning 48 points and 6 first place votes. DeSales University topped the Freedom Conference annual poll, earning 46 points and 3 first place votes.
The Falcons narrowly edged out Lebanon Valley College in the poll, as in similar fashion to the manner they edged the Dutchmen for the 2010 league title. After splitting the regular-season series, Messiah claimed 2-1 and 4-2 wins over LVC in the Commonwealth Conference Tournament, winning the program’s seventh conference title in the process.
It promises to be a new-look Messiah team this spring, as eight new faces grace the roster, while four starters are gone due to graduation. The Falcons do return four of their six All-Commonwealth selections from 2010, however, led by Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III First Team All-American pitcher Jessica Rhoads. Rhoads was again phenomenal in the pitching circle during her sophomore campaign, posting a 28-4 win loss record while recording 384 strikeouts in 717 at-bats and a strikeout rate of 53.5 percent. Her 28 pitching wins were tied for fourth best among all NCAA Division III competition, while her 0.71 ERA was third-best in the country.
Rhoads can also hit as she again batted clean-up for Messiah, hitting .336 with 26 RBI and seven doubles.
Rhoads will get plenty of offensive help from 2010 Commonwealth Rookie of the Year Stephanie Schell and 2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA First Team All-Region outfielder Jaclyn Merkel. Schell hit .401 with a team-leading 35 RBIs and a squad-best four triples. Merkel meanwhile batted .360 and drove in an impressive 27 runs, despite moving to lead-off in Messiah’s batting order. She also hit a team-best four homers.
The Falcons opened their season February 19 against University of Mary Washington. The Commonwealth Conference Tournament begins May 6 at Alvernia University. The championship game will be played on May 7.
These are the results of the coaches’ poll:
2011 Commonwealth Conference Softball Preseason Poll
1. Messiah 48 pts. (6)
2. Lebanon Valley 44 pts. (2)
3. Widener 35 pts.
4. Elizabethtown 29 pts.
5. Alvernia 25 pts.
6. Arcadia 22 pts.
7. Lycoming 13 pts.
8. Albright 8 pts.
The DeSales University softball team returns seven starters and its top three pitchers from a team that won a school-record 29 games and won the ECAC South Region Tournament Championship.
Among the top returnees are senior Jen Lococo who batted .337, set a school-record with 10 home runs, was 13-7 with a 3.11 ERA and earned All-Freedom Conference Second-Team honors last season.
In addition junior Christine Petrilla returns after batting .354 with a school-record 18 doubles, 7-3 record on the mound and a team-low 3.15 ERA. Petrilla also earned All-Freedom Conference Second-Team honors. Junior Katie Morrissey earned All-Freedom Conference Second-Team honors last season and was 9-10 in the circle with a 3.88 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched.
Rounding out the top returnees are senior Kate Steiner, who earned All-Freedom Conference Second-Team honors and batted .335 as well as senior Kristin Schultz, who was named to the All-Freedom Conference First-Team and batted .286.
The Bulldogs open their season on March 6 against Muhlenberg on their spring break trip to Clermont, Fl. The Freedom Conference Tournament begins May 6, followed by the championship game on May 7. All games are at King’s College.
These are the results of the coaches’ poll:
2011 Freedom Conference Baseball Preseason Poll
1. DeSales 48 pts. (6)
2. Manhattanville 40 pts. (2)
3. King’s 38 pts.
4. Misericordia 31 pts.
5t. Wilkes 19 pts.
5t. Delaware Valley 19 pts.
7. FDU-Florham 18 pts.
8. Eastern 13 pts.
(#) denotes fist place votes