Erie, Pa.—The Mercyhurst Softball team will officially kick off its spring season with four non-conference games against PSAC and MEC opponents on the campus of Glenville State Saturday and Sunday.
Laker Overview
Mercyhurst is coming off a 2021 season in which they qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the first time in eight years, five players were named to the PSAC West All-Conference team, and Leanne Baker was named the PSAC West Head Coach of the Year.
All five players named to the PSAC West All-Conference will return for the 2022 campaign. Madison Fry, who headlined the group with a first-team nomination as well as First Team All-Region recognition from the D2CCA and Second-Team All-Region from the NFCA, will return for her junior season.
Cheyenne Hindman and Sarah Koscho, who joined Fry as All-PSAC West First-Teamers, return as a senior and graduate student, respectively. Koscho led the Lakers with 11 home runs last season and was named an Academic All-American by CoSIDA.
Junior Allison Dejidas and senior Chloe McQuestion, named to the All-PSAC West Second Team last season, will be back on the field for Mercyhurst as well.
Scouting West Chester
The Golden Rams opened their season Feb. 5-6 with a pair of doubleheaders against Francis Marion University and Barton College. They picked up a 13-12 win against Francis Marion in their second game and nearly did the same against Barton, but they fell 9-8 in eight innings. West Chester began play in Glenville on Friday, taking down Salem 13-2 in five innings. They will play Glenville at 3 p.m. On Saturday, they will play West Virginia State before playing the Lakers at noon.
Scouting Glenville
The hosts are opening their season with this event, and got things rolling with a 6-0 win over Clarion Friday morning. They will play West Chester at 3 p.m. on Friday. The Lakers will be Glenville's first Saturday opponent when they play at 2:30 p.m. The Pioneers finished the 2021 season with an 11-30 overall record and 10-22 MEC record.
Scouting Shepherd
The Rams will open their season in Glenville with a game Friday night at 5:30 p.m. against West Virginia State. They will then play West Virginia Wesleyan and Indiana (Pa.) Saturday before finishing their weekend with a noon duel against the Lakers on Sunday. Shepherd was picked to finish fourth in the PSAC Preseason Poll after finishing the 2021 season 26-14 overall and 19-8 in conference play and participating in the Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament.
Scouting Salem
The Tigers dropped both ends of a doubleheader against Wheeling on Feb. 11 to start their season. Their scheduled doubleheader on Feb. 17 against Kentucky State was postponed, leading them into this weekend. After opening against West Chester Friday night and IUP and Seton Hill Saturday, they will finish their weekend against the Lakers at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
