WESTFIELD, Mass.  – The Westfield State softball team has been predicted to finish fourth in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), as voted on in a preseason poll by coaches around the league.

Defending MASCAC champion Framingham State was chosen to repeat, collecting five first place votes out of the possible eight and tallying 47 points. There is a tight race forecasted for second place, as Worcester State slid into the second spot, grabbing a first place vote and 39 points to edge out Bridgewater who was voted third with 37 points and a first place vote. Westfield State got the final first place vote, finishing fourth in the preseason poll with 36 points.

The Owls return five seniors, including first team All-Conference catcher Caitlin Hughes. Hughes finished the season with a .318 batting average in the MASCAC with seven doubles, 26 runs, and 24 RBI overall. Karly Mastello also returns for her senior season after a breakout year in 2018 hitting .368 with six doubles, four triples, and 21 rbi.

Pitchers Emily Arredondo and Emily Woodworth return for their sophomore and junior seasons after making big impacts for the pitching staff last spring. Arredondo posted a 2.97 ERA in 117 innings pitched, while Woodworth finished with a 3.54 ERA in 110 innings for the Owls.

Coming in at number five in the preseason poll is Salem State with a total of 27 points, followed by Fitchburg State who amassed 20 points. Finishing out the seventh and eighth spots are MCLA and Mass. Maritime who earned 12 points and 6 points, respectively.

The Owls start up play on March 10^th, as they take on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy down in Clermont, Fla. in the first of nine games on the spring trip.