Softball | 3/2/2017 9:38:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – After advancing to its first Liberty League Tournament in 2016, the RIT softball team is looking for even greater success for the 2017 season. With 11 returners, including seven starters, the Tigers will look to win their first Liberty League Championship.
 
Head Coach Rebecca Stryker, the 2016 Liberty League Softball Coach of the Year, is very optimistic about RIT's chances this season. Last season, RIT won seven games and made its first appearance in the Liberty League Tournament, since joining in 2012.
 
"We are progressing very well and hope to pick up right where we left off last season," said Stryker, who enters her eighth season at the university. "We have a veteran group returning who know what it takes to be successful."
 
A major strength should be pitching for the Tigers in 2017, as senior Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) and junior Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) return. Both will serve as captains this season and could comprise one of the better pitching staffs in the region.
 
Valentine was named the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year in 2016. In addition, she was an All-Liberty League first team pick and National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Northeast Region third team selection. Valentine finished the season with 10 wins, a 3.20 earned run average, two shutouts, and a league best 138 strikeouts (sixth most in one season at RIT) in 135 2/3 innings pitched. Mahar recorded six wins, while striking out 84 batters in 110 2/3 innings, with one shutout. She fired 12 complete games. Freshmen Torie Adler (West Chester, PA/B. Reed Henderson) and Melissa Gould (Harleysville, PA/Souderton Area) could also see innings on the mound in 2017.
 
"We are looking for big things from our pitchers," said Stryker. "Sierra (Valentine) and Lauren (Mahar) have had a lot more days of throwing, conditioning, and facing live batters, which puts them ahead of where they were last year at this time." 
 
Sophomore Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) will also serve as a RIT captain in 2017. Last season, she emerged as RIT's starting second baseman, hitting .349 with a team-best three triples, two home runs, and 17 runs batted in. She was named the 2016 Liberty League Rookie of the Year and and was a first team selection.
 
Senior Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) and sophomore Emily Lazarus (Whitehall, PA/Allentown Catholic) will be counted on to split the catching duties. Killian was an All-Liberty League first team selection in 2016, leading the team with a .402 batting average, while hitting a home run and driving in 25 runs. Killian added 10 doubles, slugged .536 and had a .448 on-base percentage. She will also serve as designated player when not behind the plate. Lazarus is a strong defensive backstop, who chipped in offensively with 17 hits and was named to the Liberty League Championship All-Tournament Team.
 
Junior Alexandria Lunderman (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) will see time as RIT's starting first baseman. Last season, she appeared in 29 games, hitting .250 with 12 doubles and seven RBIs. Senior Emma Sarles (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) will also be counted on at first base and provides power. She hit a pair of home runs in 2016, while slugging .478.
 
Sophomore Sarah Thayer (Tully, NY/Fabius-Pompey), an All-Liberty League honorable mention selection in 2016, and freshman Erin Guinan (Geneva, NY/Geneva) will be counted on to patrol the left side of the infield in 2017. Thayer was RIT's shortstop a year ago, but may move to third base. Guinan can also play both positions.
 
"We are excited to be returning nearly our entire starting infield from last season," said Stryker. "This is a very talented group."
 
Seniors Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) and Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) will lead the RIT outfield. Blaker, a 2016 All-Liberty League second team selection, will move to center field in 2017. Last season, she hit .379 and was second on the team with 44 hits and 12 doubles. Farner started 27 games in left field in 2016 before suffering a season-ending injury. Sophomores Tia Aunkst (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo), Laura Weintraub (Syosset, NY/Syosset), Olivia Doret (Fairfax, VA/Chantilly), along with freshmen Tia Aunkst (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo), Francesca Cusato (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) and KayLee Steiner (Jamesville, NY/Manlius Pebble Hill) will all vie for playing time as well in the outfield. Aunkst and Doret may also be counted on to provide infield depth.
 
"Tori and Alexa are two experienced seniors who will lead our outfield and we have a couple talented sophomores who will be counted on to step in," said Stryker.
 
RIT opens the season on March 3-4 with four games at the Virginia Wesleyan Beach Blast in Norfolk, Va. A week later, RIT will embark on its annual Spring trip to the National Training Center Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. from March 11-16. The Tigers will play 10 games before returning north to play their first home games of the season, a doubleheader against Oswego State on March 25 from Tiger Stadium. Five days later, RIT is set to host 2016 NCAA Tournament participant Keuka in a doubleheader. RIT will also host non-conference doubleheaders against SUNY Geneseo on April 19 and wrap up the regular season with a pair of games against Nazareth College on April 30.
 
RIT will play non-conference doubleheaders at The College of Brockport on April 5, 2016 NCAA World Series participant St. John Fisher College on April 13 and Alfred University on April 26.
 
"It is nice to have a quick road trip (to Virginia) right away to jump right in and see where different players fit in, giving us a better idea where we stand in preparation for the Florida trip," said Stryker.
 
RIT is scheduled to play 12 of its 40 regular season games against Liberty League foes and opens conference play with back-to-back road doubleheaders at Skidmore College on April 8 and Clarkson University the following day. The Tigers also travel to face St. Lawrence for two games on April 15 and defending league champion University of Rochester on April 29. The Tigers play their only home league games against Union College on April 22 and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on April 23.
 
The Liberty League Tournament will take place on May 4-6 at the highest seed. The top four teams in regular season play make the league tournament and play a double elimination format. The Liberty League Champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
 
"Making the tournament was great experience for us last year," said Stryker. "I think we are much more aware of what it will take to be successful and will be ready to compete from the start."