FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Having cancelled all but four games last season due to the pandemic, the Fredonia State softball team has learned that things can change at a moment's notice.
The Blue Devils were only a day or two away from boarding a plane for their annual Florida trip last March when the spread of COVID-19 first caused a pause, and eventually a total shutdown, of the 2020 season. This year, they've been preparing for the start of a season scheduled to begin April 6 at home vs. Alfred University. Barring any changes, it'll mark the first home softball game in 709 days dating back to April 28, 2019.
The Blue Devils will be led by right-handed pitcher-outfielder Katie Yudin, a graduate student who took advantage of the NCAA waiver granting an extra year of eligibility to all 2020 spring student-athletes. Yudin had a 2-0 record with a 1.40 ERA season and has won 18 games over the previous four seasons. She'll likely be the No. 1 option of Head Coach Tony Ciccarello, who's in his eighth season at Fredonia State and 20th season as a college head coach.
After Yudin, the projected starting lineup will include senior catcher Eva FitzSimmons, junior first baseman Nicole Kumro, senior shortstop Amber Piniewski, and an all-senior outfield of Delana Thomas in left, Syd Merkley in center, and Alyssa Piniewski in right. Ciccarello is still looking for starters to emerge at second and third, and it might take some time into the season for that to happen. He also has options at designated player. Those include three returners, senior Maria Caviris, junior Marisa Sultana, and sophomore Amber Recksiek, who had a hit in each of the three games she played in 2020.
Emily Chelius, a sophomore, is the other returning pitcher with college experience, yet it consists of only 5 1/3 innings. She, Recksiek, and four other sophomores comprise what Ciccarello refers to a "second freshmen class." "They do have a full year of school," he said, "but on the field, we only played four games and none of them played in all four. The lack of experience is huge. With that said, it's the same for all the teams in our conference." The true freshmen class, seven strong, includes three players likely to see playing time early: pitcher Vanessa Galbraith, catcher Evelyn Webster, and corner infielder Hannah Mezzoprete.
The Blue Devils are scheduled to play an abbreviated 24-game season, including 16 conference games against teams in the SUNYAC West Division, which consists of Fredonia State, Buffalo State, Brockport, Geneseo, and Oswego. The top two teams in the West Division and the top two teams in the East Division will play off for the conference championship in early May.
