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Clarkson University Athletics

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Softball May 2, 2017

CU Softball Preview - at Liberty League Tournament (5/4-6)

For the first time in the program's brief four-year history, the Clarkson University Softball team advanced to the Liberty League Tournament thanks to a 7-5 record in conference games. The Golden Knights will head to Troy, NY this weekend to see if they can emerge from the top four teams in the league for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Golden Knights enter the weekend with a record of 20-16 overall and 7-5 in league play, gaining the third seed in the conference. They will take on second-seeded RIT (21-14, 8-4) as the second game on Thursday afternoon, beginning at approximately 4:30 pm. The tournament opens with top-seeded host Rensselaer (23-12, 9-3) facing the fourth seed Skidmore College (19-21, 6-6) at 2:00 pm. The tournament is double elimination, with two games on Thursday, three scheduled for Friday, and the championship round scheduled for two games (if necessary) on Saturday.

Liberty League Tournament Webpage

Clarkson went 3-3 against the three other teams in the tournament, splitting all three doubleheaders against Rensselaer, RIT and Skidmore. Both Rensselaer and RIT went 4-2 against the tournament teams, while Skidmore went just 1-5 against the three remaining squads.

With a little more rest built in than most weekends, each team will likely ride their ace throughout the tournament. Clarkson's Jamie Bridge has tied her career-high for innings pitched with 116.2 and will certainly be used on Thursday. The senior righty has struck out 101 hitters with just 25 walks allowed during her time in the circle, posting a 2.46 earned run average with 11 complete games and two shutouts. Bridge has been even better in league games this year, posting a 1.27 earned run average with a 41-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 49.2 innings. Clarkson doesn't have a player with the shear offensive numbers as each of the other teams in the tournament, but what it does possess is a little more balance than the other squads. Bridge is leading the team with a .339 batting average and has scored 27 runs with eight stolen bases, while Raeanna Dunn is close behind at .333. However, the junior shortstop has enjoyed the most success against league foes, hitting .425 in 12 contests. Summer Lancette is batting .306/.391/.459 with three home runs, 23 runs batted in, 28 runs scored and 11 steals, with the latter two figures ranking fourth in the conference. Like Dunn, freshman Kyrstin Messier has seen more success in league play, batting .371 in 12 games compared to her .309 average overall. Middle of the order boppers Michele Winn and Ali Schwenzfeier have combined for 10 home runs and 50 runs driven in, with Winn's seven home runs tying for the conference lead.

RIT has a solid pitching staff overall, but the team will likely look to senior Sierra Valentine. Last year's Liberty League Pitcher of the Year has a 1.97 earned run average with 85 strikeouts in 99.1 innings this year, and has struck out 30 with a 1.67 earned run average in league play. Both Lauren Mahar (2.08 ERA) and Torie Adler (2.16 ERA) are capable replacements if Valentine happens to falter. Offensively, RIT is led by freshman Erin Guinan. The first-year collegian has had little trouble adapting to the college game, hitting .437/.477/.639 overall, and improving upon those numbers with a slash line of .474/.524/.789 in league contests. She also leads the team in hits (52), runs (30) homers (4) and runs batted in (25). Though RIT still has other solid hitters (Danielle Hotz - .370/.452/.490; Tori Blaker – .306/.330/.432; Andrea Lunderman - .304/.377/.402), the Tigers' offensive numbers fall without Guinan. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .284, but just .263 without Guinan, and slug .384 overall, but fall to .348 without her.

Fourth-seeded Skidmore's numbers see an even more precipitous fall without the benefit of conference player of the year candidate Lauren Fortunato. The senior outfielder leads the conference in hitting (.468), on-base percentage (.566), slugging percentage (.817), stolen bases (24), runs scored (38), walks (29), doubles (13) and triples (8), and her slash line of .516/.619/.903 in league games is borderline ridiculous. However, without Fortunato, things can go south quite quickly for the Thoroughbreds. Only Lizette Roman-Johnston hits above .300 overall (.371/.407/.444) and her patience and slugging pale in comparison to the team's three-hitter. Kristina Foley is just a little below .300 for the year at .298, and she has enjoyed some success in conference games (.368/.405/.526), and her 35 runs batted in are a product of hitting behind Fortunato. Amanda Carilli will almost certainly pitch all of Skidmore's innings in the tournament, as she leads the conference in innings with 162.2 frames tossed. She also has a league-best 13 wins with 20 complete games, and she pitched all but 16.2 of the team's conference innings.

Not surprisingly, top-seeded Rensselaer has the most depth at the dish, headlined by their conference player of the year candidate Stephanie Caudle. The senior has a .400/.471/.700 slash line, tying for the league lead in home runs with seven and a league-best 38 runs batted in. She has been even better in conference games with a .500/.558/.765 line. She will be supported by Devan Puhl (.358/.376/.442), and Chelsea Elliott (.346/..397/.500). Both Victoria Greco and Cam Caswell hit around .300 for the year, but their numbers improved in league play, with Caswell slashing .424/.558/.545 in league games and Greco hitting .361/.378/.472. In the circle, Caudle pulls double duty like Clarkson's Jamie Bridge, and almost inconceivably posting better numbers. In league play, Caudle possesses a microscopic 0.80 earned run average with four shutouts and 59 strikeouts against just nine walks in 43.2 innings pitched. Overall, Caudle's 12 wins and three saves came along with a 1.88 earned run average and 112 strikeouts in 100.2 innings pitched.





 
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Players Mentioned

Chelsea Elliott

#15 Chelsea Elliott

IF
5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
Jamie Bridge

#6 Jamie Bridge

P/OF
5' 4"
Senior
R/R
Raeanna Dunn

#5 Raeanna Dunn

IF
5' 4"
Junior
L/R
Summer Lancette

#14 Summer Lancette

OF
5' 2"
Junior
L/R
Ali Schwenzfeier

#13 Ali Schwenzfeier

UT
5' 4"
Senior
R/R
Michele Winn

#3 Michele Winn

C/IF
5' 6"
Freshman
L/L
Kyrstin Messier

#15 Kyrstin Messier

IF
5' 7"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Chelsea Elliott

#15 Chelsea Elliott

5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Jamie Bridge

#6 Jamie Bridge

5' 4"
Senior
R/R
P/OF
Raeanna Dunn

#5 Raeanna Dunn

5' 4"
Junior
L/R
IF
Summer Lancette

#14 Summer Lancette

5' 2"
Junior
L/R
OF
Ali Schwenzfeier

#13 Ali Schwenzfeier

5' 4"
Senior
R/R
UT
Michele Winn

#3 Michele Winn

5' 6"
Freshman
L/L
C/IF
Kyrstin Messier

#15 Kyrstin Messier

5' 7"
Freshman
R/R
IF