Nighthawks Softball Opens 2011 in Florida

The Newbury College softball team returns from their Spring Break trip in Fort Myers, Fla. where they participated in the Gene Cusic Classic. The Nighthawks faced a plethora of top tier opponents including Ohio Wesleyan, who finished the last two seasons with 24 victories.

Despite a 0-8 record, Newbury received top performances from their freshmen and returning veterans that look to make for a promising 2011 season.

Freshman infielder/pitcher Joanna Robie was solid for Newbury in all three phases of the game. In eight games in the Sunshine State, Robie hit .444 at the dish while being a threat to steal on the basepaths, swiping three bases on five attempts. On the mound, she had good control over her pitches and helped the Nighthawks to 29 strike outs while leading the squad with a team-high 25 put-outs in the field.

As the week progressed, Newbury improved as they played their best ball against Nichols College where starter Rebecca Roach pitched masterfully going the distance to strike-out eight Bison. Sophomore leftfielder Theresa Hylinski was two-for-four from the top of the order as the Nighthawks got to Nichols starter Kara Buckley for three runs in the top of the first.

In 13 appearances on the rubber last season, Roach compiled 46 strike outs and is nearly halfway to topping the milestone this season. With a one-to-one strike-out to walk ratio, Roach fanned 20 opposing hitters in six appearances for the Nighthawks in Florida.

One of two juniors on the squad, catcher/infielder Ariel Ross continued where she left off last season. As a sophomore, she saw a striking increase in her offensive numbers, raising her batting average from .243 to .286 and on-base percentage from .291 to .327. The 2011 season does not appear to be any different as she continues to improve.  Through eight games, Ross holds an impressive .389 average with nine total bases and a slugging percentage of .500.

With every passing game the Nighthawks continue to improve as they begin their season up north this Saturday, March 19^th, against St. Joseph’s for a double-header in West Hartford, Conn.  First pitch is slated for high-noon.