Softball | 3/15/2016 10:36:00 AM

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT 2016 softball team will look to earn a spot in the Liberty League postseason tournament and compete for the league championship, as 12 players, including eight starters, return from last season's team that won 14 contests.
 
Head Coach Becky Stryker begins her seventh season at RIT in 2016 and is excited to see her veterans take the next leap and propel the Tigers for a deep postseason run. Assistant coaches Alyssa Serinis, Nicole Watson, and Mary-Karen Wheat will also provide strong leadership. Serinis is in her second year with the program, while Watson and Wheat join the staff for the 2016 season.
 
"I think we gained a lot of ground as last season progressed and we carried that into the offseason," said Stryker, who has won 86 games at RIT. "We return virtually our entire starting lineup and I think we are going to surprise a lot of teams with our talent and depth."
 
Seniors Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) and McKenzie Martin (Deposit, NY/Deposit) will serve as captains in 2016. Cook is a two-time All-Liberty League selection, while Martin stepped right in last season and emerged as a valuable leader offensively and defensively.
 
"Both Amanda (Cook) and McKenzie (Martin) bring strong leadership skills on and off the field," said Stryker, who played at RIT from 1999-2002. "I like that McKenzie will lead the infielders and Amanda patrols the outfield. Amanda leads by example and McKenzie is more the vocal leader."
 
In the infield, Martin will return as the starting third baseman, while Alexandria Lunderman (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) and Emma Sarles (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) will split time at first base. Martin enjoyed a strong first season at RIT after transferring in prior to the 2015 season, leading the team with 30 hits, 15 runs scored, three homers and 15 RBIs. Lunderman stole four bases last season, while Sarles hit .258.
 
Newcomers Sarah Thayer (Tully, NY/Fabius-Pompey) and Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) will be expected to patrol the middle of the infield in 2016. Both players come in known as strong defensive players with good range and instincts and will chip in offensively. In addition, senior Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) will also see time at second base, while Olivia Doret (Fairfax, VA/Chantilly) will provide depth in the middle.
 
Junior Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) and freshman Emily Lazarus (Whitehall, PA/Allentown Catholic) will share duties behind the plate. Killian is a two-year starter who has gained tremendous experience, while Lazarus is a strong defensive catcher who will step right in and see time.
 
"We have a good blend of experience in addition to some strong newcomers who will see time in the infield," said Stryker. "We should be pretty strong defensively and have good depth at each position."
 
Cook, along with juniors Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) and Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) will serve as mainstays in the outfield Cook is a four-year starter in center field, while Farner, a left fielder and Blaker, a right fielder, have seen consistent time since arriving as freshmen in 2014. Sophomores Katelyn Koester (Amherst, NY/St. Mary's School for the Deaf) and Destiny Pacheco (Rochester, NY/Wilson Magnet) and freshman Laura Weintraub (Syosset, NY/Syosset) provide depth in the outfield and could spark the offense at the plate and on the bases.
 
"It is nice to return all three outfield starters for the third straight year," said Stryker. "Having all three veterans back is a huge benefit for us, but we also have great depth in Katelyn (Koester), Laura (Weintraub), and Destiny (Pacheco)."
 
On the mound, RIT returns both starters from last season, junior Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena), and sophomore Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont). Valentine, who was named a 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-Region selection, had five wins last season to go along with a team-best 3.14 earned run average and 88 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings. She threw a two-hit shutout against Liberty League Champion Rochester and hurled a no-hitter against Houghton. Mahar enjoyed a strong first season with RIT, winning a team-best nine games with a pair of shutouts. She was a Liberty League Rookie of the Week and won five straight decisions.
 
Weintraub will also contribute quality innings for the Tigers in 2016.
 
RIT opens the season at the National Training Center Spring Games in Clermont, Florida, playing 10 games from March 19-23 against a handful of regional and national competitors. The Tigers return north and get a week off before playing Keuka, Medaille, and Fredonia State on the road before opening its home schedule against The College at Brockport on April 6. The Tigers are also slated to play non-conference doubleheaders at home against Alfred and St. John Fisher and head to SUNY Geneseo, Houghton, and Nazareth.
 
The Tigers begin Liberty League play on the road April 9-10 at Rensselaer and Union. The following weekend, Clarkson and Skidmore come to Tiger Stadium, while the annual doubleheader against two-time defending league champion Rochester is at RIT on April 23. The Tigers close out league play at home against St. Lawrence for Senior day on April 30.
 
The top four teams will compete for the Liberty League Championship from May 5 to May 7 at the highest seed. Stryker believes the Tigers will contend for their first league title.
 
"Our schedule works well, as we should be able to have plenty of games under our belt before we start Liberty League play," said Stryker. "We want to be playing our best for those 12 conference games, get into the Liberty League Tournament and have a shot at the automatic bid (for the NCAA Tournament)."