This weekend, the Bloomsburg University Softball Team will take the field for the first time this season on Saturday, Feb. 22, as they head to the Coker University Spring Tournament held in Hartsville, South Carolina.

 They will face the University of Mount Olive, Coker University on Saturday and Fairmount State University, as well as Mount Olive again on Sunday. Last season, the Huskies had an overall record of 30-17 with a tremendous home record of 14-0 (as well as performing 15-13 on the road). 

Six Huskies received All-PSAC Central Softball Honors, including  Erin DelPierre, Tara Baney, Kelsey Impink, Marissa Shelhamer, Abby Wild and Taylor Winkelman. In addition to that, Delpierre was nominated the 2019 PSAC Central Freshman of the Year. 

This was very well deserved, as she led the team in batting average, on-base percentage, doubles, triples, and total bases. She also had a season long 18-game hitting streak, and finished second on the team in runs batted in (RBI), slugging percentage, and stolen bases. 

As for the Huskies defense, both Baney and Wild served as the team’s “aces,” steering BU to a conference-best 2.28 ERA. Wild ranked third in the Conference with an ERA of 1.97, and tallied 153 strikeouts overall. Just behind her, Baney placed fifth in the conference with a 2.23 ERA with opponents hitting merely .223 off of her. 

Furthermore, head coach Susan Kocher was crowned the Central Division Coach of the Year, and has led her team for nine consecutive seasons. With a complete 280-147 career record, Kocher has guided the team to the PSAC tournament in each season, and competed in six NCAA postseason appearances. 

According to the league’s preseason coach’s poll conducted recently, the softball team has been chosen to finish at the peak of the Central Division of the PSAC. Among them are Lock Haven, who also obtained three first-place votes and were picked to finish first along with BU. 

The rest of the Central from third to sixth place include: IUP, Mansfield, Pitt-Johnstown, and Clarion. 

As the season progresses, the Huskies look to fulfill this prediction and take ownership of first place in their division.