LOUDONVILLE, NY– Siena Softball is set to kick off it's 10th season under the direction of Head Coach Bill Lajeunesse this weekend and it's 45th campaign in program history this weekend. The Saints will take part in four contests as part of the Phoenix Invitational on the campus of Elon University in Elon, North Carolina.
The Saints will begin their 2020 journey with a matinee against Radford on Saturday, February 15 at 9:30 AM at Hunt Softball Field, and will also battle the host Phoenix at 4:30 PM later in the afternoon. Siena will then face the Highlanders once again on Sunday, February 16 at 9:30 AM, and will conclude the weekend with a bout against Morgan State at 11:45 AM.
Live stats for all four contests will be available on SienaSaints.com. Follow the action live with social media updates by heading to @Siena_Softball on Twitter.
Starting Lineup: Siena Opening Weekend Quick Hits
- The Saints will head to the Phoenix Invitational for the first time in program history to face three opponents that they have not seen in recent memory. The last saw Morgan State in 2013, Radford in 2010 and host Elon in 2009. This is the earliest date in program history that Siena has ever started a season.
- Continuing under the winningest coach in program history in Lajeunesse, Siena looks to build on a 22-25 mark in 2019, with included a 13-7 mark in MAAC play en-route to a program record third consecutive top-3 league finish. The Saints also captured an opening-round win in the MAAC Tournament for the first time ever, while Coach Laj picked up his 100th league win in regular season action on April 27, 2019.
- Lajeunesse is just three wins away from becoming the first coach in program history, just the third active coach at Siena and the seventh active skipper in the MAAC to achieve 200 career wins entering the 2020 season.
- The Green and Gold were picked in a tie for fifth in the 2020 MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, marking their second-straight top-5 selection in the ballot.
- Siena will work under the direction of five seniors and six returning offensive starters this season, which includes co-captains Maddie McMahon and Isabelle DeChiaro, who each earned Second Team All-MAAC honors last season. The pair return as the team's top remaining offensive players from 2019 in the circle and on the field, respectively.
- McMahon heads into her senior season inside the top-10 in multiple career pitching categories in the Saints' record book. The Red Bank, NJ native ranks tied for third in shutouts (7), fifth in wins (30), sixth in strikeouts (311), seventh in games started (54) and innings pitched (344.1), ninth in appearances (79) and knotted for 10th in complete games (26) entering the year.
- Aside from bringing back veteran leadership, the Saints have welcomed 10 freshman and a high major transfer to the Capital Region. Junior pitcher Taylor Rhinehart matriculates to Loudonville from Villanova, while rookie newcomers include two pitchers, two catchers, two infielders and four outfielders.
- Overall, Siena returns with four of its top five hitters and three of four top pitchers from 2019. The squad will look to fill the void of 2019 MAAC Player of the Year Madysen Cossack, who was one of the top offensive performers in the region last season.
- Siena opens its season in the state of North Carolina for the first time since 2011, having spent the last five years commencing the new year in Florida at the Madeira Beach Invitational. The Saints picked up wins over Cornell and North Florida during their 2019 opening weekend.
On Deck Circle:
Siena will have two weeks off before traveling to its next non-conference tournament following this weekend's action. The Saints will trek to Harrisonburg, Virginia March 6-8 to take part in the JMU Invitational. They will meet multiple high-major powers in UConn and California, and most likely will face a ranked opponent for just the third time ever when they play James Madison on March 7.
