LOUDONVILLE, NY – A little weather down south will not stop Siena Softball from beginning its 2023 season on the originally scheduled date of February 10. Following the cancelation of the CSU Kickoff Tournament in South Carolina due to inclement weather, the Saints will now begin 2023 play by facing former MAAC rival Monmouth in doubleheader action. The Saints and the Hawks will go toe-to-toe at the Adventure Sports Complex in Jackson, New Jersey at 1 and 3:30 PM on Friday afternoon.
While no live video or audio will be provided for Friday's doubleheader, live stats will be available at the corresponding links above. Continuous updates will be provided throughout the championship via the softball team's official Twitter page @Siena_Softball. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn, #SienaSaints, and #MAACSoftball.
The Green and Gold will look to regain momentum after finishing the 2022 season in unprecedented fashion. En-route to setting the program record for single-season wins (32), the Saints advanced to the MAAC Championship Game for the first time ever, doing so by winning four elimination games over three days. The team also re-wrote the record books by way of setting single-season marks in hits (423), strikeouts (301), walks drawn (141), and fielding percentage (.972).
Siena was selected fifth in the 2023 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll released Friday afternoon, with junior outfielder Isabella Pardo named to the Preseason All-MAAC squad. Pardo earned a Second Team All-MAAC nod last year and was also selected to the MAAC All-Tournament Team after leading the league in hits (69) and at-bats (193), and tying for second in runs (40). The Anaheim, California product batted .358 while adding 10 RBI's, 78 total bases, and going 6-8 on the base paths.
The Saints return 15 total letterwinners and nearly its entire starting offense from last season, with graduate student Ava Fitzmaurice (utility) and sophomore Kyleigh Potter (designated player) joining Pardo as returning players to earn a Second Team All-MAAC nod. Fitzmaurice went on to earn a Second Team All-Region nod as a utility/pitcher, becoming only the third Saint ever to earn the honor.
The team's top six qualifying hitters and three of four total pitchers will return from the 2022 MAAC Runner-Up team, while five newcomers join the Green and Gold. Additionally, pitchers Peyton Elzey and Alissa Eimont are expected to contribute after both missed the entirety of last year.
Following the impromptu Friday afternoon series to open the season, Siena is next scheduled to take the field at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach Florida February 24-26, and from there, will head to the Capital Classic in Northern California from March 2-4. The team will begin home play on Thursday, March 23 against crosstown rival UAlbany at Siena Softball Field, and will kickoff MAAC play at home against Saint Peter's on April 1.
Siena and Monmouth will face off for the 19th and 20th times on Friday, with the Hawks owning an 11-7 all-time advantage in the series since 2001. The Saints performed a doubleheader sweep on Monmouth at home back on May 1, 2022 to the tune of 7-1 and 1-0 victories.
