For Softball, The Tradition Of Excellence Continues In 2010

For the seniors of the 2010 Elms College softball team, a return trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament has become the focal point for this season.

“The tribe has spoken loudly,” head coach Cheryl Condon said referring to her group of five seniors and their quest for a berth in the NCAA Regional tournament. “That’s what they want this year – to finish the way they came in – with an NCAA Regional appearance.”

The Blazers have made three NCAA Regional appearances in the program’s 24-year history, most recently in 2007.

To reach that destination, the squad will rely heavily upon the experience of its five seniors, and the collective maturity of its juniors and sophomores that account for 16 members of the 21-player roster.

Elms’ five seniors, Ally Graffum (Ipswich, Mass.), Danielle Gero (Holyoke, Mass.), Tiffany Williams (Berlin, Conn.), Kim Lastowski (Turners Falls, Mass.) and Gina Gilday (Hampden, Mass.) were all members of that 2007 team. They have each experienced the jubilation of winning a conference championship and reaching the NCAA tournament and are aware of the amount of preparation, hard work and dedication that goes into producing a team that can once again reach that summit.

“We have five seniors each with four years of experience, that’s 20 years of experience,” Coach Condon explained. “They have the ability and personality to lead, they know the expectations of the program, they were taught by great leaders before them, so right now, for this team, the leadership is in very good hands.”

Here is a glimpse of the 2010 Blazers’ squad:

PITCHERS

Returning to the hill this season is sophomore right-hander Courtney Hampton (Westfield, Mass.), the 2009 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Rookie of the Year. Hampton went a perfect 7-0 in the NECC with a sensational 1.14 ERA. Hampton recorded eight overall wins in the regular season and led the Blazers' pitching staff with 75 strikeouts in 74.0 innings. In the team's final game of the regular season against Southern Vermont, she threw her first career perfect game. Hampton will also see some action in the outfield this year.

Junior right-handed hurler Ani Ramsdell (Gardner, Mass.) started a team-high 16 games in 2009 and recorded eight wins. She and junior righty Destinee Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) will both see action on the mound this season.

Meeker, who will see time as the squad’s designated player, was a First-Team All-NECC selection last year after batting (.339) with a team-best three home runs and 25 RBI.

CATCHERS

Elms returns Lastowski, Williams and Gilday behind the plate, and will work freshman Sarah Buckley (Wilbraham, Mass.) at both catcher and first base.

Lastowski, who hit at a .360 clip during the 2009 season and was an Honorable Mention All-NECC selection, will also see time as an outfielder. Williams saw action in 17 games last season and was named co-captain for the 2009 campaign.

INFIELDERS

Eight players comprise the Blazers’ infield including Division I transfer Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.). The sophomore will see most of her action at shortstop. Graffum, sophomore Jen Killion (Cambridge, Mass.) and freshman Ali Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.) round out Elms’ middle infielders.

“Right now, we have a very experienced infield,” Coach Condon stated. “Jenna will be playing shortstop for us this season and for her, it’s learning our way of doing things – how we call a bunt defense – what base she covers on that. She has fit in very nicely, and having her able to join the team in January was a nice surprise. Everyone on this team is a softball player, and having Jenna here has been an added bonus.”

Graffum returns as a four year starter and is one of the Blazers’ co-captains.

Working the hot corner is sophomore Kelly Callahan (Monson, Mass.) and freshman Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.). Callahan, an Honorable Mention All-NECC selection, finished the regular season fifth in the NECC with a .473 in-conference batting average in 2009.

First base duties will be handled by Buckley and sophomore Alicia Campbell (Stockbridge, Mass.) who saw playing time in 17 games last season.

Rounding out the infielders is sophomore Amanda Alvarado (Springfield, Mass.) who will patrol the left side of the infield at either shortstop or third base.

OUTFIELDERS

The Elms outfield features a mix of veterans and underclassmen. Senior Danielle Gero (Holyoke, Mass.), junior Alison McBride (East Providence, R.I.) and sophomores Marlene DiRaimo (Cranston, R.I.) and Kaylyn Conroy (Pittsfield, Mass.) return to the squad. Newcomers Jessica Cockshaw (Palmer, Mass.), and Leah Spring (South Hadley, Mass.) complete the corps’ primary members.

McBride started all 31 games, batted .333 and was a perfect 9 for 9 in stolen base attempts last season, while DiRaimo started all 31 games, scored 20 runs and collected 19 hits.

“Last season we had first-year’s all throughout our lineup,” Coach Condon noted. “The maturity levels, skill sets and work ethic and leadership have transitioned very nicely and we are looking at a more experienced team.”

SCHEDULE

The Blazers will kick off their 2010 slate with eight games at the Gene Cusick Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Beginning on March 6.

Upon its return home to New England, Elms will travel to Westfield State College (March 25), Worcester State College for a double header (March 27) and Smith College (March 29) before hosting Regis College on April 1 in a doubleheader.

The Blazers will take on Western New England College (WNEC) on April 8 and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on April 14 to complete the non-conference portion of their schedule.

Elms will host NECC foes Daniel Webster College (April 10), Mitchell College (April 17), Wheelock College (April 24) and Lesley University (April 27) in doubleheader action. The squad will travel to Bay Path College (April 6), Southern Vermont College (April 11), Newbury College (April 25) and Becker College (May 1) to round out the league portion of its schedule.

WRAP UP

The Elms College softball program is steeped in tradition and has a history of great success, and returning to greatness has become the central focus for this team. But as Coach Condon, now in her 24th season pointed out, the values and traditions will never change.

“Each year, players change, personalities change but the constant is the tradition of the program and the success that it’s had. Everyone that has come before this group of players has passed down that sense of ‘what does excellence look like?’ From year to year I may change the way we prepare a little bit, but I don’t change the values, expectations, or traditions. These are the core values of the program and are always going to be there. There is an expectation for this program to succeed, and we plan to deliver.”