LOUDONVILLE, NY – Following a lengthy road trip to begin the 2024 season and weather-related cancelations to push back the start of home play, Siena Softball is finally set to take the field in Loudonville for the first time this season.

The Saints (18-10, 4-2) will host MAAC rival Marist for a three-game series with a doubleheader scheduled for 2 & 4 PM on Tuesday, April 9 and a single 2 PM game for Wednesday, April 10. The team will then welcome non-conference foe Central Connecticut State to Siena Softball Field for a doubleheader on Thursday, April 11 at 2 & 4 PM.

All five games this week will air live on ESPN+, with the "Voice of the Tri-City ValleyCats" Adam Cohen on the call for Tuesday's action, and Brett Bosley on the call for both Wednesday and Thursday. Live stats will be available for all games, while In-game updates will be provided via the team's official twitter page @Siena_Softball. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn, #SienaSaints, and #MAACSoftball.

Starting Lineup: Quick Hits

• Beginning home play on April 9 or later for the third time in the last four years, the Saints head to Siena Softball Field after seeing its scheduled doubleheader with crosstown rival UAlbany postponed due to weather last Thursday and its scheduled weekend home series against Fairfield moved to Connecticut. Siena is 19-25 overall in home openers, including 2-1 under head coach Casey Bump.
• The Green and Gold won five straight games entering Sunday's doubleheader against the Stags, but dropped both games of a doubleheader to finish out the series. Siena claimed victory in each of its first four MAAC games, beginning with a three-game series sweep at Mount St. Mary's March 29-30, and began the season 12-6 for the second straight year.
• The Saints currently lead the MAAC in fielding percentage (.974), team ERA (.974), and double plays per-game (0.36), while ranking second in shutouts (five), and scoring (4.43 runs per-game). Redshirt-sophomore pitcher Alissa Eimont is currently first in ERA (1.64) and hits allowed per-seven innings (4.99), while junior outfielder McKenzie Swinson is tops in stolen bases per-game (0.60).
• Eimont has already recorded her 100^th career strikeout this season, while fifth year Jocelyn Ulrich notched her 100^th career hit. Graduate student pitcher Nicole Patille became just the eighth pitcher in program history to eclipse 200 career strikeouts on April 6, and is currently top-ten in program history in K's (eighth), pitching wins (t-sixth), pitching appearances (sixth), games started (ninth), saves (second), and innings pitched (tenth).
• Already the program single season record-holder with 20 swipes last season, Swinson has 15 so far this season to rank fourth all-time with 35 career stolen bases. Senior Isabella Pardo is third all-time in career runs scored (113), and fifth in career hits (179), while Ulrich is tied for ninth in career walks drawn (55).
• Currently in her fourth season at the helm of the program, coach Bump earned her 100^th career victory on March 30 against Mount St. Mary's and has led the Saints to back-to-back 32-win seasons to set and tie the program single-season record for wins.
• Siena has boasted four different players with MAAC weekly awards this season, including Patille and Eimont with two MAAC Pitcher of the Week awards each, and sophomore Emma Petersen joining junior Madi Silber in claiming MAAC Offensive Player of the Week once.
• Siena will face off against a Marist team which won its third MAAC title under longtime head coach Joe Ausanio last season, and was picked to win the league in the annual MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Red Foxes boast a 25-10 overall record, including 7-2 in the MAAC, and have claimed nine MAAC weekly awards by way of five different players so far this season.
• Marist holds a 40-26 all-time advantage over Siena in the series which began in 1992, while the Saints are 3-7 all-time against Central Connecticut State. Siena and Marist split the doubleheader series in Loudonville last season, while the Blue Devils are scheduled to visit Siena Softball Field for the first time since 2017 and only the second time ever.