2018 ESU Softball Quick Facts (PDF)

EAST STROUDSBURG – The 2018 season for East Stroudsburg University softball is set to get underway with six games this weekend in Myrtle Beach, S.C., as the Warriors look to continue to move the program forward under third-year head coach Jaime Wohlbach.

Nine returners from the 2017 squad will be joined by 11 newcomers this spring. ESU takes on Molloy (10 a.m.) and Mercy (2 p.m.) in its first two contests of the season on Friday, with two more games to follow on both Saturday and Sunday.

INFIELD/CATCHER/DP

Two NFCA All-Region performers are included among ESU's nine returnees. Senior Mary Wallick was the program's first NFCA First Team selection since 2011 a year ago, and she will once again look to lead the team offensively in her final collegiate season. Wallick hit .378 with a .427 on-base percentage, a .658 slugging percentage (fourth in the PSAC), 20 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs as the team's primary third baseman. Her 0.36 doubles per game (13 overall) led all PSAC hitters.

"Mary is a gamer," Wohlbach said. "She is a true leader with an outstanding work ethic. If she ever goes into a slump it doesn't last for long, because she puts in the extra time needed to stay a step ahead of the opposition."

Junior Madison Vicendese also earned All-Region accolades in 2017, as she landed on the NFCA Second Team after batting .313 with a .353 OBP as the Warriors' primary designated player. Vicendese, who along with Wallick and departed senior Danielle Wissinger accounted for ESU's three All-PSAC East selections, will once again see time at both DP and catcher in her second season with the program.

"Madison is an offensive threat for us," Wohlbach commented. "She'll be right back near the top of our lineup, and I'm expecting more big things from her. She's a very consistent player."

ESU returns a majority of its infield from a year ago, as senior Heather Visco, junior Samantha Pickar and sophomore Rachel Grabowski saw significant amounts of playing time at second base, shortstop and first base, respectively.

Visco, an All-PSAC East honoree as a sophomore in 2016, has a .283 lifetime average with 50 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in three years as a starter at ESU. She could also potentially see some time in the outfield at some point this spring.

Playing time for shortstop will be up for grabs early on, as Pickar will be out recovering from an offseason injury. Among those who could step in are freshman Sofia Cecchin, a utility player from Italy who played on her country's Junior National Team during a 12th place finish at the 2017 World Championships and a second-place showing at the 2016 European Championships.

Grabowski shared time with departed senior Danielle Dungee at first base in 2017, hitting .268 with a .393 slugging percentage and nine RBIs.

"Rachel had an awesome offensive season in the fall," Wohlbach said. "And we also have a freshman that's working hard right behind her in Kamron Phillips. Between the two of them I feel like first base will be a solid offensive position for us."

Another freshman, Kaitlyn Caleen, has made a strong early impression at catcher. Caleen hit .417 with a .492 OBP and 100 RBIs at Bangor High School while helping her program to a pair of District XI championships. She will compete with Vicendese for playing time behind the plate.

OUTFIELD

Two returning starters from last year's outfield are back in sophomore Kaylee Hazewski and senior Madison Oren. Hazewski had 25 stolen bases in her debut season, easily breaking the old ESU freshman record of 13, and she ranked second in the PSAC in steals per game (0.64). She also hit .312 while starting all 39 games in center field. Oren, one of four team captains in 2018 along with Wallick, Visco and Pickar, started 31 games last spring as the primary left fielder.

A pair of newcomers are making an early push for playing time as well. Marissa Govan received All-League recognition both in the outfield and at second base in high school, while MacKenzie Lewis was a first team All-State performer at Sun Valley HS after hitting .500 with 23 steals as a senior.

Also competing for time offensively and in the field are redshirt freshman Rachel Gricoski, freshman Morgan Walsh and freshman Ashley Spencer.

"Those three are all pushing the starters every day in practice," Wohlbach said. "They're all strong offensively, and if you get the job done hitting we have to find a place for you in the field. They will all get experience this spring which will help set them up for a strong four-year collegiate career."

PITCHING

ESU will look to improve on a pitching staff which ranked last in the PSAC with a 5.12 earned-run average a year ago. The Warriors' top pitcher from 2017, LHP Rachael Liguori, graduated after posting a 3.41 ERA over 125 1/3 innings. Liguori leaves ESU ranked fourth in program history in strikeouts (318) and tied for seventh in wins (31).

There are several candidates to attempt to fill Liguori's shoes. Wallick, who logged 96 2/3 innings over 18 appearances last spring, could pitch again this year. Other returners who saw time include sophomore right-handers Erica Molinaro and Lily Moresco.

Two newcomers who stood out in the fall and could see significant innings include junior transfer Angelica Dark and freshman Taylor Keeney. Dark joins ESU from Sacramento City College, where she was honored as the school's Female Athlete of the Year after going 23-12 with a 2.16 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 216 2/3 innings. Keeney was a four-year letterwinner and starter at nearby Northampton HS. Freshman Mickayla Grow will also compete for innings in her debut season.

"Right now we're still working out our pitching staff," Wohlbach said. "Rachael Liguori threw a lot of innings and did an outstanding job for us. But we have some talented newcomers, and along with improvements from our returners I think this staff can piece together some great wins for us if they're used in a timely manner."

OUTLOOK

The Warriors ended 2017 with a 13-26 record, including a 4-12 mark against PSAC East competition. The top three teams in each of the PSAC's three divisions earn a spot in the postseason, and the conference's head coaches have projected ESU to finish tied for fourth in the East standings this year.

Wohlbach, though, believes the Warriors have a strong opportunity to defy those projections and return to the PSAC tournament for the first time since 2015.

"We had a lot of close games last year," she said. "We were competitive throughout our conference schedule, we were just missing that timely hit or key defensive play late.

"What we need to fine tune is our mental game," Wohlbach continued. "That is a huge piece to the continued development of the program. This is the most athletic roster I've had in my three years at ESU, and if we have a better year closing out games we will have a chance to surprise some people."