February 21, 2010

Softball Plays Against Fordham And Morehead State Sunday

Battling the Elements
The Quinnipiac University softball team will play two games tomorrow afternoon against Fordham University and Morehead State University. The games were rescheduled from the Longwood University Lancer Leadoff Classic, which was cancelled due to unplayable field conditions. The Bobcats will play at Captains Park on the campus of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. The Bobcats are scheduled to start their first game against Morehead State at 11 a.m., followed by the game against Fordham at 1 p.m.

The Gang's All Here
The Bobcats return 15 players from the 2009 campaign, having graduated no seniors from the 2009 team. Quinnipiac returns the 2009 Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year, right-handed pitcher Heather Schwartzburg (Mission Viejo, Calif.), who led the NEC last season in ERA (1.64), strikeouts (206), and opposing batting average (.196). Also returning for the 2010 season is senior shortstop Christine Bourdeau (Seymour, Conn.), who started all 48 games last year, and led the team in several offensive categories, including batting average (.355), hits (55), runs (27), doubles (10) and slugging percentage (.439).

Fresh Faces
Quinnipiac brings in five freshmen for the 2010 campaign. First-year players Alejandra Alba (Sylmar, Calif.), Bridget Figmic (Stratford, Conn.), Kortney Kesses (Woodbridge, Conn.), and Lauren Salgado (Covina, Calif.) join the Bobcats, along with Jacqueline Ristow (Seal Beach, Calif.), a transfer from Tennessee Tech.

Eyes on the Prize
The Bobcats were picked fifth of 11 teams in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Defending NEC regular season champion Long Island received nine of 11 first-place votes, while NEC tournament champions Sacred Heart picked up the remaining two first-place selections to earn second place. Robert Morris and Monmouth were picked to finish ahead of the Bobcats, in third and fourth places, respectively. Wagner, Mount St. Mary's and Saint Francis (Pa.) finished sixth through eighth, while Bryant, Fairleigh Dickinson and Central Connecticut round out the poll in the final three spots.

Fearsome Foursome
The Bobcats return their captain's trio from last season, and add a fourth to their group. Senior Emily Bellush (Newton, Mass.) joins fellow classmates Bourdeau, Kelly Wall (Westport, Conn.) and Katie Allendorfer (Glenside, Pa.) as the captains for Quinnipiac in the 2010 season.