Athletics

Varsity Sports

Women's Softball

Overview

Sam Miller '14 and Kelly Leonard '15 help lead the Hamilton College softball program into 2013. Miller tied a team record with 31 runs batted in last year, and the catcher threw out 11 would-be base stealers, which was the second-highest total in the NESCAC. Leonard broke the program record with 116 strikeouts in her rookie year, and ranked fourth in the conference in strikeouts and innings pitched. She was the top pitcher for a staff that led the conference in fewest walks allowed. The seniors are Amy Appel '13, Lisa Faraci '13 and Melissa Kaknis '13. They aim to lead Hamilton to the NESCAC championship for the first time.

The Continentals compete in the NESCAC's West Division with Williams College, Amherst College, Middlebury College and Wesleyan University. The NESCAC sends its overall conference champion to the NCAA Division III regionals. Two NESCAC teams played in the 2012 regionals, and one advanced to the eight-team NCAA championship.

Hamilton is scheduled to play 12 games during a week-long spring break trip to Fort Myers, Florida, in March. The first home date of 2013 is scheduled for March 26 against Morrisville State College. Hamilton hosts Wesleyan for three games on March 29 and 30, and Middlebury for a three-game set on April 12 and 13.

Two returners hit over .300 last year. Jenn Rougeux '14 followed a fantastic first year with a solid sophomore campaign. Rougeux hit .317 and posted a .420 on-base percentage thanks to 17 walks. Miller hit for average (.311) and power (.592 slugging pct.). Her 61 total bases included seven doubles and six home runs. Faraci should provide the team even more offense after she hit .348 with eight doubles two years ago. In the circle, Leonard finished 14 of her 18 starts, and posted a 3.94 earned run average in 117.1 innings. Appel and Monique St. Jarre '15 combined for 12 starts and more than 70 innings.

Hamilton has won 10 or more games 10 times in 28 years of softball. The school record is 15, which was set by the 1996 squad. Several players have excelled at the regional and conference levels in the past. Kim Wysocki '90 made the Northeast Region all-region first team in 1989 after finishing second in the nation with a .508 batting average. Sam McNamara '90 (first team) and Heide Katerba '90 (second team) were all-region selections the following year.

Amber O'Connor '09 caught just about every inning during her 122-game career. O'Connor was voted to the NESCAC all-conference team three times between 2006 to 2009. Krista Marran '04 was an all-NESCAC second team pick in 2004, and Stephanie Dunn '03 and Karen Pogonowski '02 were two-time all-conference selections. The Continentals led the conference and set a team record with a fielding percentage of .965 in 2011.

Great academic performance is an integral part of this program. Summer Bottini '14 and Ashley Perritt '14 made the 2012 NESCAC Spring All-Academic team. Liz Reid '11, Leigh Sherrow '11, Mandy Hyne '11 and Jen Sadowsky '08 were all two-time spring all-academic team honorees. Tracy Zaino '06 made the all-academic team three times.