Posted: Mar 17, 2016

Softball Spring Trip Rewind

Eight days, 12-games, 17 players, two coaches, an athletic trainer, a sports information director (the only male), thousand of miles traveled, a little bit of sun burn, and countless memories....The 2016 Alfred State softball spring training trip to Ft. Myers, FL has come to an end.

The trip which accounts for a little more than a quarter of the season had some ups and downs on the field. The Lady Pioneers return to NY with a 3-9 record with victories over Wheelock, Rockford, and Knox. The three wins matches the win total of the 2014 squad at the Gene Cusic Classic and is two more wins than the 2015 team.

Allison Gibson (Arkport) led the Pioneers offense with a .441 (15 for 34) batting average. Gibson also made a handful of slick fielding plays that kept the opponents off the board.
Amanda Rockefeller (Bolivar Richburg) hit .406 (13 for 32), Katie Jackson (Troy, PA) hit .351, Stormi Kruger (Medina) hit .333, and Lura O'Keefe (Allegany Limestone) hit .333 with a team high nine RBI.
The offense finished the 12-game trip with a .306 batting average while the defense committed 14 errors compared to their opponents 25.
On the mound the freshmen duo of Tonia Tinker (Alfred Almond) and Jordan Leonard (Lancaster) gained valuable experience along with their first collegiate victories.

Off the field the Lady Pioneers learned about each other through team dinners, a putt-putt golf tournament (won by Kelsey Lewis), and trips to local beaches and shopping centers. Special team bonds were made by the hotel pool, singing during the van trips to and from games, and during birthday celebrations.

The northern portion of the season starts at the end of the month and the Lady Pioneers will hope to build on the positives of the spring break trip.