Opening Pitch: Mount St. Mary's will open its 2012 campaign with 13 games in the state of Florida. The Mount will participate in the Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson on Friday to Sunday. The squad will play five games in the three-day event, including a consolation/championship game on Sunday. The Mountaineers will then face St. Bonaventure in a doubleheader on Wednesday in Jacksonville and return to Stetson on Thursday for a twinbill. Mount St. Mary's will close out the 10 days in Florida at the Osprey Invitational hosted by North Florida with four games.
Games 1, 6, 7 and 11: Mount St. Mary's (0-0) vs. St. Bonaventure (1-3)
When: Fri, Feb. 24, 2012, 11 a.m./Wed, Feb. 29, 2012, 5:30 p.m., Fri, Mar. 2, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Patricia Wilson Softball Field, Deland, Fla./UNF Softball Complex, Jacksonville, Fla.
Series Information: Mount leads 4-3
Last Meeting: Mount (3-2) 2-27-10
First Meeting: St. Bonaventure (10-6) 2-27-99
Last St. Bonaventure Win: (4-3) 2-29-08
About The Series: The four games between Mount St. Mary's and St. Bonaventure will mark the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 1999 season. The Mount won both meetings in 2010 6-5 and 3-2 while the Bonnies last win in the series was a 4-3 decision in 2008. All seven of the previous matchups were at a neutral site.
Former Player Up Against Former Coach: Mount St. Mary's head coach Anna Nagro will face her alma mater, St. Bonaventure, four times in Florida. Nagro and assistant coach Christine Kelleher, who battery mates for the Bonnies together for four seasons under St. Bonaventure head coach Mike Threehouse.
Games 2, 5, 8, 9: Mount St. Mary's vs. Stetson
When: Fri, Feb. 24, 2012, 4 p.m.; Sat, Feb. 25, 2012, 6:30 p.m.; Thu, Mar. 1, 2012, 4 p.m.
Where: Patricia Wilson Softball Field, Deland, Fla.
Series Information: Stetson leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Stetson (1-0) 3-9-07
First Meeting: Stetson (1-0) 3-9-07
Last Mount Win: N/A
About The Series: The four games between Mount St. Mary's and Stetson will be the second, third, fourth and fifth meetings in the all-time series dating back to the 2007 season. The Hatters downed the Mount 1-0 in the inaugural meeting.
Game 3: Mount St. Mary's vs. Bethune Cookman
When: Sat, Feb. 25, 2012 1:30 p.m.
Where: Patricia Wilson Softball Field, Deland, Fla.
Series Information: Bethune-Cookman leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Bethune-Cookman (11-0) 3-9-07
First Meeting: Bethune-Cookman (11-0) 3-9-07
Last Mount Win: N/A
About The Series: The contest between Mount St. Mary's and Bethune-Cookman marks the second meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2007 season. The Eagles won the first meeting 11-0 in 2007.
Game 10: Mount St. Mary's vs. Delaware State
When: Fri, Feb. 24, 11 a.m./Wed, Feb. 29, 5:30 p.m.
Where: UNF Softball Complex, Jacksonville, Fla.
Series Information: Mount leads 11-8
Last Meeting: Delaware State (2-0) 3-20-11
First Meeting: Mount (14-1) 3-29-92
Last Mount Win: (1-0) 3-5-05
About The Series: The game between Mount St. Mary's and Delaware State marks the 19th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 1992 season. The Hornets have won six-straight games, but the Mount still holds an 11-8 advantage in the series. Delaware State won both meetings last season while the Mountaineers last win in the series was a 1-0 decision in 2005.
Game 12: Mount St. Mary's vs. McNeese State
When: Sat, Mar. 3, 2012, 1:30 p.m.
Where: UNF Softball Complex, Jacksonville, Fla.
Series Information: Series Tied 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A
First Meeting: N/A
Last Mount Win: N/A
About The Series: The game between Mount St. Mary's and McNeese State marks the first meeting in the all-time series between the two teams.
Game 13: Mount St. Mary's vs. North Florida
When: Sun, Mar. 13, 2012, 1:30 p.m.
Where: UNF Softball Complex, Jacksonville, Fla.
Series Information: North Florida leads 3-0
Last Meeting: North Florida (9-0) 3-11-11
First Meeting: North Florida (12-0) 3-10-07
Last Mount Win: N/A
About The Series: The game between Mount St. Mary's and North Florida marks the fourth meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 2007 season. The Ospreys have won all three meetings, including a 9-0 decision last season.
Next On Tap: After the 13 games in Florida, the Mount will return to the state Maryland to participate in the UMBC Tournament starting on Mar. 10. The Mountaineers will play their first 23 contests on the road before opening the home slate against Quinnipiac on Mar. 24.
Preseason Poll: The Mount St. Mary's softball team has been picked 10th in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Preseason Coaches Poll. Robert Morris, the defending NEC regular season champion, nabbed six first-place votes to be tabbed as the preseason favorite. Quinnipiac garnered three first-place nods to finish second in the poll while the defending NEC Tournament champions Sacred Heart received one first-place vote to place third. Bryant, LIU Brooklyn, Central Connecticut State, Monmouth, Fairleigh Dickinson, Wagner, the Mount and Saint Francis (Pa.) rounded out the 11-team poll. Monmouth received the final first-place vote.
Offense Coming Back: Senior Chloe Mizianty returns for her senior season after leading the team with a .303 batting average, 37 hits, 20 runs scored, three home runs and 22 RBIs. Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen returns after missing the 2011 season due to an injury. Christiansen posted a .351 batting average with 54 hits, 33 runs scored, a program-record 11 home runs and 50 RBIs in 2010.
Hurling On The Mound: Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano paced the pitching staff last season with a 9-12 record, 101 strikeouts and a 3.15 ERA in 124.1 innings pitched. Senior hurler Amanda Sadowl posted a 5-12 record with 51 strikeouts in 110.1 innings pitched.
All-Conference Returners: While the Mount did not receive any All-Northeast Conference selections last season, redshirt junior Liz Christiansen returns in 2012 after missing the 2011 campaign due to an injury. Christiansen was named to the 2010 All-NEC first team and the inaugural Defensive Player of the Year, but will miss the season due to an injury.
The Roster: The 2011 softball roster is composed of three seniors, five juniors, seven sophomores and eight freshmen.
New To The Mountain: Head coach Anna Nagro has added eight newcomers to her team in 2012. Casey Beck, Holly Buckel, Danni Cummings, Kendra Hayward, Maria Santiago, Kayla Spataro, Hayley Stankan and Rachel Teti have joined the team in 2012.
Christiansen Powering Up On The All-Time Charts: Redshirt junior Liz Christiansen returns for the 2012 season after missing the 2011 campaign due to injury. Christiansen sits in third place on the program's all-time career home run list with 15 home runs, three behind former teammate Beth Everist (18, 2008-11) and Danyale Goode (18, 2003-06). The redshirt junior also ranks 10 in RBIs with 62 and can move into the Top-5 with nine RBIs. Christiansen is also creeping up on the career Top-10 list in doubles (16) and total bases. She needs six doubles and 32 total bases to crack the Top-10 in those categories.
Taylor Made For Top-10: Senior Taylor Beebe ranks third in career doubles with 30. Next on the list is former teammate Lisa Curreri (34, 2007-10) in second place while former teammate Amanda Burk (39, 2006-09) is the program's all-time leader. The senior also ranks fifth in runs scored with 79, nine away from former teammate Courtney Zingle (88, 2008-11). She is also moving closer to the Top-10 in hits, sitting at 101 hits and 24 away from the Top-10.
Sadowl Pitching Her Way Into The Top-10: Senior Amanda Sadowl ranks sixth in career wins (23), one win away from Reanna Tuczynski (24, 2009-11). The senior also sits in sixth place for games pitched with 78, six away from former teammate Amanda Hanson (84, 2008-11). Sadowl is eighth in strikeouts with 150, 42 away from Hanson (192) and 10 in innings pitched with 354.0. Next on the list is Jamie Mataldi (356.0, 1995-98) and Hanson (356.2).
Here Comes Pagano Too... Redshirt sophomore Nicole Pagano has moved into ninth place in career strikeouts with 133 with teammate Amanda Sadowl (150) directly ahead of her. She is also two wins away from cracking the Top-10 in career wins. Former teammate Amanda Hanson ranks 10th with 15 wins.
For Openers: Mount St. Mary's won its season open for the second-straight season and the third time in the last five years. Head coach Anna Nagro became the first coach in program history to win in her first game as a Mount head coach.
Local Products: Freshman Holly Buckel, a 2011 graduate of North Carroll, and freshman Rachel Teti, a 2011 graduate of Linganore, have joined the team this season and hail from Carroll County and Frederick County, respectively.
Family Tradition Continued: Freshman Holly Buckel is the second Buckel to play at Mount St. Mary's. Holy's sister, Amanda, was a four-year letterwinner on the Mount softball team and a 2010 graduate of the Mount. Amanda Buckel was named to the All-NEC first team in her senior season.
Zingle Returns: Courtney Zingle, a 2011 graduate of the Mount, returns to her alma mater to serve as an assistant coach in 2012. Zingle ranks in the Top-10 in program history in games played (190), at bats (571), runs scored (88), hits (165), runs batted in (88), doubles (27), home runs (10) and total bases (222).
About The Coach: Anna Nagro enters her second season as the head coach of the Mount softball team. The Mount went 16-30 overall and 5-115 in Northeast Conference play in her first season
