WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State Owls softball team was picked fourth in the 2024 MASCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll receiving a total of 33 points.
Defending-champion Framingham State held a narrow edge as the favorites entering 2024, receiving three first-place votes for a total of 44 points. Worcester State followed close behind with 41 points and one first-place vote. Bridgewater State collected the most first-place votes with four, but round off the top three with 40 points.
Last year the Owls were 9-5 in conference play and had an overall record of 24-18, falling just two wins shy of tying the program's all-time win total in a single season.
All conference infielder Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.) led the team with a batting average of .387, scoring the must runs with 30 and adding 14 RBI. She had the eighth best batting average in the conference and broke the school's single season record for games played by playing in all of the Owls' 41 games last season.
The Owls are also returning sophomore outfielder Mia Alfonso (Dalton, Mass.) and shortstop Sarah Hough (Southwick, Mass.).
Alfonso had a batting average of .370 with 20 RBIs in 100 at bats on the year, earning a spot on the All-Conference First Team a season ago. Hough recorded a batting average of .361 and 10 RBIs in 97 at bats last season.
Junior first baseman Sarah Bingham (Reno, Nev.) tied for fourth in the MASCAC in home runs with a total of five on the year. Graduate student Christina Ciampa (Rockville, Conn.) is returning for her fourth season with the Owls. Ciampa had a batting average of .311, a total of 20 RBIs, and three home runs on the season.
For pitching, senior Stephanie Scoville (Northfield, Mass.) led the way, starting in 18 games on the season. Scoville was third in the MASCAC with an earned run average of 3.04 and had a total of 92 strikeouts on the year which was fourth in the conference. Scoville also averaged 4.9 strikeouts per seven innings and had a total of 13 wins last season, which was second in the conference. Junior Katherine Canty (Natick, Mass.) started in six games and had an overall record of 5-1 with an ERA of 3.03. Canty also had 21 strikeouts on the season in 37 innings pitched.
The Owls will travel to Naples, Florida during Spring break and will open up their season against the University of Wisconsin Superior on Sunday, March 10 at 1:00 pm. Visit WestfieldStateOwls.com for available coverage and updates on the Owls spring break trip.
For full MASCAC softball Preseason Coaches' Poll, CLICK HERE
Written by Anthony Franco - WSU Sports Information Intern