2022 MIDDLESEX COLLEGE COLTS SOFTBALL SEASON PREVIEW
The Lady Colts are looking to build off the success of last season, where they finished the regular season with a 14-14 record (7-4 in conference), good enough for 2nd place and a #2 seed in the Region 19 tournament. The Colts won their seventh straight game in the first game to improve to 15-14, but then dropped their next two, including the semi-final loss to RC-Cumberland (the eventual Region 19 champion), a team they had beaten 3 consecutive times, including the first round game. The Colts matched the most wins in a season since 2013. The Colts finished with a .325 team batting average, which included 62 extra base hits, and scored 214 runs for an average of 6.9 runs per game.
The Lady Colts return 7 starters, including 3 players that garnered All-Region and/or All-Conference post-season recognition last year – Kaitlynne McCarthy (Woodbridge H.S.), Jennah Schiraldo (Carteret H.S.), and Abigail Jason (J.P. Stevens H.S.).
McCarthy was one of the top pitchers in Region 19, and nationally, last year. She won 14 games, including a 2-hit shutout over RC-Gloucester when they were ranked #4 in the country. She started 24 games and recorded 116 strikeouts, with a 2.83 E.R.A. Offensively, she hit .362 and led the team in several offensive categories: hits (34), HR (3), RBI's (34), runs (27), and walks (20) - while playing in all 31 games. She will be counted on once again to be one of the Region's top players.
Schiraldo led the Colts in hitting last year with a .395 batting average, along with 14 RBI's and 23 runs scored. She is a versatile player and a solid catcher, and she will also see time at third base and shortstop this year. A very good contact hitter, she has worked hard to improve her power numbers this season. She is one of our top all-around players.
Jason hit .333 last season, and she added 15 RBI's. She tied for the team lead in runs scored (27), and was second in stolen bases (7). She was also among the nation's leaders in sac flies. She is one of our most versatile players, as she can play 6 positions – all at a high level. A very good athlete, with good speed and instincts, she will hit at the top of our batting order this season. She is also expected to be one of top defenders at several positions.
Other returning starters include Julie Davis (South Plainfield H.S.), Chloe Oblepias (Carteret H.S.), Alyssa Dima (Manville H.S.), and Katelyn Herman (East Brunswick Tech H.S.).
Davis caught a majority of our games last season, and she hit .355 while batting in the middle of our line-up. She was second on the team in doubles (8), and tied for first in runs scored (27). A solid defensive catcher who has improved every year, she will also see time at first base and in the outfield this year. She has a great attitude and work ethic, and she will continue to be one of our leaders and a solid presence in the middle of our line-up.
Oblepias continues to improve both offensively and defensively, where she is our most fundamentally sound infielder – capable of playing shortstop, second base and third base. She started 3 games on the mound last year, and she will be one of our top pitchers this spring. She played in all 31 games last year, and she collected 20 RBI's while being among the nation's leaders in HBP all season, finishing with 17.
Dima finished the season with a .364 batting average and 10 RBI's while playing both corner outfield and infield spots last season. She had 4 starts and saw action on the mound in 8 games last year, and she will be one of our top pitchers this spring. She will be expected to increase her power numbers this year while settling into a solid defensive role when not on the mound.
Herman worked her way into the starting leftfielder position last season. She led the team in sacrifice bunts with 5, and showed consistency on both offense and defense as the year progressed. She has a great attitude and work ethic, and she has improved greatly in all areas of her game in our program. She will play one of the corner outfield spots this season.
Our four newcomers include Olivia Tirso (Benedictine Academy H.S.), Destiny Gonzalez (Sayreville H.S.), Olivia Vranica (Sayreville H.S.), and Hannah Cotayo (Perth Amboy Tech H.S.).
Tirso returns to our program after one year off to concentrate on basketball. A welcome addition, she will play at either shortstop or third base this season. Possessing a great throwing arm and good feel for the game, she will solidify our infield defense. Offensively, she has proven to be a solid hitter and base runner, and she will settle in somewhere in the middle of our line-up this season. She has great potential, and she will continue to improve in all areas as the season goes on.
Gonzalez is an outstanding athlete, and one of our best base runners. She has shown great versatility, working hard in the outfield and infield. With a strong throwing arm and good instincts, she will be solid defensively wherever she plays in the field. A good contact hitter with a line drive swing, we are expecting big things from her this spring.
Vranica has been a tireless worker since she stepped on campus. She has improved in all areas since the fall, and she is battling at several positions in both the infield and outfield this spring. She has shown a good, powerful swing, and she is making more consistent contact during the spring.
Cotayo joined our team this semester, and she has been a great addition to our program. Capable of playing several positions, she will help us in many areas. A pleasant demeanor and a great attitude, she has improved greatly offensively in the short time she has been with us. Her versatility makes her a very valuable member of our team.