Over the past few years, the Trinity Softball team has established itself as a legitimate contender in the NESCAC, advancing deep into the League Championship Tournament in both 2005 and 2006. The Bantams set a new record for wins with 23 last spring, finishing 23-10 with six of their losses coming against teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Under Head Coach Caitlin Luz, the 2007 Bantams boast a talented roster once again, led by co-captain and All-NESCAC pitcher-first baseman Sara Dougherty '07 and co-captain infielder Alessandra Diamantis '07.
Righthanders Brittany Alvino '08 and Gabrielle Sergi '09 join Dougherty as veterans on the pitching staff. Alvino is 7-3 over her first two seasons and Sergi has the ability to be a solid starter at the varsity level. The infield is deep with talented athletes, led by shortstop and leadoff hitter Stacy Hills '07. Hills, who has started every game of her career, batted .316 with 11 doubles and 29 runs scored in 2006. Diamantis has been a productive slap hitter and a steady fielder at both second and third base.
"I'm entirely confident we'll be a big contender in the NESCAC this year," said Beth Gostanian '08, who was an All-NESCAC honoree last spring, playing a stellar defensive center fielder and hitting .262 with 11 doubles and 16 RBI. "We've got some outstanding freshmen and behind them in our [returning players] we've got some very seasoned experience."
The team traveled down to Florida over spring break to begin their season. On March 19, the Bantams took on the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets. Dougherty tossed a three-hitter, fanned eight, and hit a home run to help her own cause as Trinity rolled to a 6-1 win. Later that day, Trinity crushed the St. Lawrence University Saints, 17-2. Alvino earned the win, striking out seven and walking none in four innings of work.
The next day, Trinity defeated the Albright College Lions 6-2. First baseman-catcher Lydia Turner '09 had two hits and a double and Dougherty struck out six in a complete game two-hitter. Sergi allowed four hits with two strikeouts in the nightcap against the Worcester State College Lancers. Turner had three hits and two RBI and outfielder Jessica Tait '10 went 4-4 with a double and three runs to start Trinity's season with a perfect record of 4-0.
On March 21, the Buffalo State College Bengals, who were playing in their season opener, handed the Bantams their first loss of the season by a score of 5-3.
"Buffalo State was a big game going in for us," said Gostanian. "We played them last year and took something of a beating, so we were looking to amend that this year. It was one of those games that if we had just one more inning to play, we could have come out on top."
The Bantams came back to defeat St. Lawrence to improve their record to 5-1. Sergi tossed a one-hitter with two strikeouts over six innings to lead Trinity to a 9-1 win over the Saints, who dropped to 2-3-1 with the loss.
Sergi allowed just one run in the second inning to earn her second win in as many days as the Bantams scored their first run in the fourth inning but tacked on eight over the next two innings to force the eight-run mercy rule into effect. Tait paced the Bantam offense with three hits and a pair of runs scored.
On March 22, the Bantams played a rare softball tripleheader. Trinity pummeled the Plymouth State University Panthers, 19-0, defeated the Thomas College Terriers, 10-1, and downed the Lasell College Lasers, 8-2, to finish their spring break trip with an 8-1 record and four straight wins. Sergi struck out four and walked one in her five-inning no-hitter against Thomas in Trinity's second game of the day, while Hills went 3-3 with three runs scored. Dougherty struck out 11 batters in a six-inning four-hitter against Plymouth State and Alvino tossed a five-hit, complete game with five strikeouts and no walks against Lasell. Hills went 4-5 with four RBI and two runs scored against Plymouth State and 2-4 against the Lasers and finished the day 9-12 in the three games. Turner belted a three-run homer against the Panthers and catcher Arianna Mullin '09 did the same against Lasell for the Bantams. Trinity scored 37 runs over the course of the three-game sweep.
"I think we did great down in Florida," said Gostanian. "Starting a season off with a successful spring training trip is always a plus. There are obviously always things to work on but I think overall we had a very successful trip."
The Bantams will return to New England with a game at Smith at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, followed by a three-game series at home against Bowdoin at 4:00 p.m. on Friday and 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday.