MIDDLESEX COLLEGE SOFTBALL FINISHES REGULAR SEASON 23-5, RANKED #7 IN THE NATION

Middlesex College softball continued their recent success with the best regular season the team has had in years.

Head Coach Jim Muldowney's squad finished the regular season with a 23-5 record and are ranked #7 in the latest NJCAA National Poll. They captured a share of the Region 19 regular season championship and gained the #2 seed in the upcoming Region 19 Tournament.

Middlesex will take on #3 Brookdale CC on May 11 in the first round of the NJCAA Region 19 Tournament with first pitch scheduled at noon. The winner of the tournament will gain an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division III World Series, which will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee from May 22-25.

The Colts started the 2024 season 3-3 and from that point went on an absolute tear through most of their remaining schedule. Middlesex won 20 of their next 22 games, including winning streaks of ten and eight games.

Middlesex was powered by a fantastic offense this season and ended the regular season with the highest team batting average (.445) and on base percentage (.559) in the nation among NJCAA Division III schools. The Colts also led the country in sacrifice bunts with 45 and were second with 170 walks.

The Colts had a number of stars at the plate this season with Madison Szatkowski (Sophomore/Sayreville, NJ) leading the way. The first baseman hit a team-high .523 this season and led the squad with a .756 slugging percentage. Szatkowski's batting average was sixth in the nation among players with at least 80 at bats. She also led the team with 37 RBIs and 45 hits. Szatkowski did not strike out all season.

Makenzie Marsh (Freshman/Middlesex, NJ) was second on the team in batting average behind Szatkowski. Marsh, a freshman from Middlesex, NJ, hit an even .500 (39-78) and led Middlesex with 40 runs scored, a total that placed her in the top 20 nationally.

Rebecca Ortiz (Sophomore/South Plainfield, NJ) led the Colts with a .621 on base percentage on the strength of a team-leading 28 walks. Sarah Ohnmeiss (Freshman/South Plainfield, NJ) (.604) and Marissa Lugo (Sophomore/Iselin, NJ) (.605) also reached base over 60% of the time for Middlesex this season.

Simirrah Ortiz (Freshman/Woodbridge, NJ) led Middlesex with four home runs and was one of four Colts who drove in at least 35 runs this season. Kaylin Nepton also knocked in 36 runs this season and was second behind Szatkowski with 42 hits.

Leah Kripaitis (Freshman/Woodbridge, NJ) hit .404 and played well in the outfield for Middlesex this season.

While Middlesex was led by its offense in 2024, the pitching was also stellar all season.

Madison Rackett (Freshman/Woodbridge, NJ) was the Colts top option in the circle this season and she responded quite well, Rackett finished the season with a 12-3 record with a 3.06 ERA across 77.2 innings pitched. She pitched two shutouts this season and went a combined 4-1 against Brookdale, RCSJ-Gloucester and Northampton, the top three opponents Middlesex faced this season.

Summer Ramirez (Sophomore/South Brunswick, NJ) also performed well in the circle for the Colts this season. She went 7-1 with a 1.65 ERA in 51 innings. She pitched three shutouts on the season.

Middlesex won 23 games this season, which matched the season total of their 2022 team that advanced to the NJCAA Division III World Series.