Sports
Softball finishes with record tying 15 victories
By Tucker Hamlin ’17
May 7, 2015
Last week, the Continental softball team (15-17) finished their season with a double-header sweep of Skidmore. In a spring that saw many postponed games and even a late April snow, the team ultimately put together a strong season. Over the past three years, the Continentals have won a program record 41 games. The Continentals finished the season winning five of their final eight games, including two NESCAC victories against Amherst and Bates.
Last Tuesday, Hamilton finished their season with 3-0 and 4-0 victories against host Skidmore College. Kelly Leonard ’15 threw her ninth career shutout, giving up only six hits in the contest. Similarly, Zoe Singer ’18 threw six shutout innings in the second game. Kelly’s victory in game one gave her 11 wins on the season and 33 in her career, which is second all-time at Hamilton.
In game one, Ellie Kiernan ’15 and Leonard each picked up two hits with Kiernan also scoring a run. The Continentals scored one run in the second and picked up two more runs in the fourth on an error.
In game two, Hannah Staab ’17 and Olivia Gozdz ’16 each collected a hit, RBI and scored a run. Additionally, Monique St. Jarre ’15 and Phoebe Collins ’18 each collected a hit and scored a run in the victory. The Continentals scored runs in the third, sixth and seventh to complete the sweep.
This year, Gozdz led the Continentals on offense starting in all thirty-two games and batting .413. Gozdz led Hamilton in all major offensive categories including hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage. Furthermore, Gozdz did not make a single error with forty-three put outs on the year. In addition to Gozdz, sophomores Hannah Staab and Daphne Assimakopoulos each batted over .300 with slugging percentages greater than .500. The combination of Gozdz, Staab and Assimakopoulos will only help the team improve for the future. With three solid offensive players to bolster the Continental lineup, the softball team is poised for an offensive attack in the coming years.
Hamilton’s successful season could not have been accomplished without the success of Leonard and Singer. Leonard posted a 2.51 ERA over 26 appearances throughout the season. Over fifteen complete games and 128.1 innings pitched, she held opponent hitters to a .273 batting average. In her first season playing collegiate softball, Singer had a 3.62 ERA in 50.1 innings pitched. In 12 appearances, Singer held opponents to a .307 batting average.
On defense, the Continentals posted a .955 fielding percentage over the course of the season. Hamilton only had 44 errors in 32 games compared to opponents who committed 57 errors against them. Leading the way on defense was Mackenzie Doherty ‘18, who had 75 put outs and nine assists while not committing an error throughout the entire season.
Despite four seniors graduating, Hamilton will continue to get better. Solidified with a core of young players who continue to work hard and an outstanding coach in Patricia Cipicchio, the Continentals will look to improve on their 15 victories, five of which came against NESCAC West opponents.