2012 SEASON IN REVIEW
The Emmanuel College Softball team wrapped up the 2012 season with an overall record of 7-32 and a 4-22 mark in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Although their record was not the most favorable, there were still several positives and highlights from the campaign that the Saints will look to build off of moving forward.
May 18, 2012
BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Softball team wrapped up the 2012 season with an overall record of 7-32 and a 4-22 mark in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Although their record was not the most favorable, there were still several positives and highlights from the campaign that the Saints will look to build off of moving forward.
To open the season, the ladies packed their bags and headed south to Kissimmee, Fla. For the 2012 Rebel Spring Games, a tournament featuring hundreds of teams from all over the country. The Saints struggled to get off on the right foot, compiling a 1-9 record in the Sunshine State but there were great signs of improvement by the end of the week. Their lone victory came on March 5 when they were able to notch an 11-0 win over Presentation College as junior pitcher Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.) enjoyed a stellar all-around outing, going 2-3 at the plate with three runs scored while tossing three shutout innings of one-hit ball on the mound to earn the victory. Also collecting two hits in the win were sophomore Kayla Howard (Belmont, N.H.) and freshmen Catherine Bergeron (Sandwich, Mass.) and Julia Demirali (West Roxbury, Mass.).
After a returning home, the Saints experienced some mid-season roster changes that left the squad with small but reliable numbers. The team rallied behind one another and proved that they could still get the job done, recording a win in their first game up north with a 3-0 victory over Wentworth Institute on March 17. Lloid was phenomenal on the mound, hurling a complete-game shutout, surrendering just three hits while recording five strikeouts in the win. Demirali provided the offensive spark going 3-3 at the plate while sophomore shortstop Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) chipped in with a 2-4 outing.
The team got off to a great start in GNAC play, sweeping Anna Maria on March 22 to jump out to a 2-0 conference mark following 10-2 and 6-5 victories. In game one, Bergeron homered in a 2-3 performance while Levins and Lloid also chipped in with two hits apiece. Lloid recording the win on the hill, allowing just two runs (both unearned) on two hits while striking out six over six innings of work. The Saints would have to rally for the game two win, scoring four runs over the final two innings including a walk-off RBI single by freshman Carina Paz (Fall River, Mass.) to seal the win. Paz went 3-4 in the win while Levins added two more hits and two stolen bases.
Following the sweep, the Saints endured some tough times, dropping 14 consecutive decisions before one of the most memorable performances of the year took place on April 10 against Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Levins led the Saints to an 11-0 (5 inn.) victory over the Buccaneers by tossing a no-hitter, the first of her collegiate career. The sophomore struck out eight in the win and even chipped in at the plate with a hit and RBI. Leading the offensive show was Howard who went 1-1 with a three-run homer while also drawing a pair of walks. Junior Laura Benvenuto (Wyckoff, N.J.) would post a season-high of four RBI in the win, also homering for the Saints.
The no-hitter inspired the Saints to keep things rolling with a 10-5 victory over Albertus Magnus on April 13. Demirali enjoyed the most productive game of her rookie season going 4-4 with three RBI while Bergeron and freshman second baseman Alexandra Bressette (North Easton, Mass.) added two hits each. The Saints got strong pitching performances by sophomore hurler Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) who started the game and went three innings allowing just one run (unearned) on two hits before being relieved by Levins who finished the game to get the win.
The Saints final victory would come the following afternoon against Lasell College, as EC was able to prevail in a 2-1 nail-biter. Despite being outhit by the Lasers, 6-5, Emmanuel was able to push across the eventual winning run in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Howard. Lloid notched the win on the hill, tossing three shutout innings or four-hit ball before Garrity came in for the four innings of work to earn the save.
Levins ended the year ranking third overall in the GNAC in stolen bases with 19 thefts while finishing with a team-best .300 batting average. She also ranked fifth in the conference with an 8.14 strikeouts per game average among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched.
With no seniors on the roster, the Saints will look to continue to grow in the offseason and come back even stronger for the 2013 campaign.