The Massachusetts softball team is back. As the team prepares for its final season in the Atlantic 10, it boasts both returning players and new faces.
Coming off a semifinal loss to the Saint Louis Billikens in the conference tournament last season, the Minutewomen, led by head coach Danielle Henderson, will look to build off their run and call themselves champions in their last season as a member of the A-10.
After losing seven seniors from last season, many key contributors have returned, hoping to provide even more of a spark in larger leadership roles this season.
Pitching:
On the pitching side, three pitchers return to Amherst after having career years last season.
Julianne Bolton
Bolton led the pitching staff last season in complete games with 14 while pitching 158.2 innings, the most innings in a season for her collegiate career. The senior also led the team with eight wins and 124 strikeouts, both career-highs for her.
Natalee Horton
Horton looks to grow this season after putting up a strong sophomore campaign with career-highs across the board. The junior had some strong performances throughout last season, including a 10-strikeout game against St. Bonaventure on the road which led to a 9-5 win in the first game of a series sweep. After recording a career-low ERA of 4.38 coupled with 104 strikeouts, the Worcester native can be an X-factor heading into her junior season.
Hannah Streicher
Looking to grow in a potential expanded role with the team, Streicher impressed in her first collegiate season, leading UMass with a 3.90 ERA in 13 appearances. The sophomore also won A-10 Rookie of the Week after a powerful performance at home during a series against George Mason. She captured her first win in the first complete game of her career, allowing only four hits in a 2-1 Minutewomen victory.
Hitting:
Despite losing its three best batters in Chloe Whittier (.325 AVG), Bella Pantoja (.306) and Payge Suggs (.254) and a leader in Abby Packard, UMass still has a ton of options within its lineup that can provide some offensive firepower.
Sarah Keagy
With career-highs of 12 home runs — ranking second in the A-10 — and 38 RBIs, Sarah Keagy is ready to pick up where she left off last season. Her efforts did not go unnoticed in 2024 as Keagy was named to the All-A-10 Second Team and the A-10 All-Championship team.
Her top performance came against Fordham during the Minutewomen’s postseason run, as she recorded two home runs and five RBIs against the Rams. Patience at the plate was also a big part of her game last season, as she led the team with 33 walks. Going into her graduate year, Keagy is ready to lead her team with some instant power.
Lydia Castro
After transferring in last season from South Florida, Lydia Castro shined as one of UMass’ top producers. Castro tallied three home runs and 23 RBIs, ranking third on the team. She also showed discipline at the plate as she was third in walks with 19. Building off a solid offensive year, Castro can be a strong second option in the Minutewomen lineup.
For one last time as a member of the A-10, UMass opens its season on Friday, Feb. 7 at the Campbell Tournament with a doubleheader. The Minutewomen match up with East Tennessee State first at 10 a.m., followed by Campbell with first pitch at 3:00 p.m. UMass also faces a future Mid-American Conference opponent in Kent State on the last day of the tournament on Sunday, Feb. 9, with that first pitch arriving at 10:30 a.m.
Benito Marinero-Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @bmrodriguez12.
