Thomas More Voted Preseason Softball Favorites

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GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) – The Thomas More softball program and sixth-year head coach Lindsay Bramhall were selected as the favorite to claim the 2014 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Softball Championship Tournament title in this year's preseason coaches' poll.

The preseason poll collects votes from each of the conference's 10 head softball coaches. The Saints collected 95 total points and six of the league’s 10 first-place votes.

Geneva was picked second, finishing with 89 points and three first-place nods, while Bethany was picked third with 69 points. Westminster was pegged fourth, totaling 68 points and the league’s final first-place vote.

Washington & Jefferson was picked to finish fifth (65), followed by Thiel in sixth (48), Waynesburg in seventh (41), Saint Vincent in eighth (39), Grove City in ninth (25) and Chatham 10th (11).

"It’s a nice honor to be voted number one in the preseason PAC softball poll, yet we realize this poll is based somewhat on last year’s ending results. We are very excited for the season, yet we still have quite a few things to work on," said Bramhall.

Thomas More battled from the conference championship tournament’s number four seed to secure the league’s 2013 title. The tournament championship was Thomas More’s fourth in program history (2013, 2010, 2009, 2007). The Saints have earned appearances in the conference championship tournament in seven of its eight years as a PAC member. Thomas More was the second-straight number four seed to claim the PAC tournament title, following Geneva’s terrific two-day run in 2012.

The Saints are expected to lean on senior third Alex Walter (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon), who was named the 2013 PAC Player of the Year. Walter is the fourth Saints player to earn Player of the Year honors since Thomas More entered the conference in 2005-06. Bramhall collected league coach of the year honors for the third time following last season.

Thomas More returns all five of its 2013 All-PAC selections.

The 2014 PAC Softball Championship Tournament will be held Friday-Saturday, May 2-3, with the highest seed serving as the tournament host.

2014 PAC Softball Coaches' Preseason Poll
School (first-place votes) Points 2013 Record (PAC)
1. Thomas More (6) 95 25-19 (12-6)
2. Geneva (3) 89 23-20 (14-4)
3. Bethany 69 19-19 (10-8)
4. Westminster (1) 68 23-15 (14-4)
5. W&J 65 25-16 (13-5)
6. Thiel 48 14-20 (7-11)
7. Waynesburg 41 15-21 (7-11)
8. Saint Vincent 39 12-18 (5-13)
9. Grove City 25 11-21 (4-14)
10. Chatham 11 8-28 (4-14)

2014 PAC Softball Players to Watch

Bethany
P Kiersten Conwell, Jr. (Washington Pa./ Chartiers-Houston); OF Kayla Kelly, So. (Pasadena, Md./Institute of Notre Dame)
 
Chatham
3B Ashley Lamb, Sr. (Sterlington, Va./Potomac Falls); C Jenn Stefano, Sr. (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville); 2B Elizabeth Deckelman, Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Fallston)

Geneva
2B Christina Fuqua, Sr. (Derwood, Md./Richard Montgomery); SS Ashley Davis, Sr. (New Middletown, Ohio/Springfield Local ); 1B Laura Beck, So. (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield); P Samantha Johnson, So. (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional)

Grove City
SS Kelsey Shirey, Jr. (Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia); P Erika Aughton, Fr. (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon)

Saint Vincent
3B Becky Deane, Sr. (Economy, Pa./Ambridge); 1B Shannon Baczek, Jr. (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk)

Thiel
2B Ashley Dolan, Sr. (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional); P Amanda Callahan, Jr. (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch); C Danielle Massengill, Jr. North Bend, Wash./Mt. Si); OF Alana Callahan, Fr. (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch)

Thomas More
P Ronni Burns, Sr. (Dayton, Ohio/Carroll); 1B/C Stefaney Turner, Sr. (Franklin, Ohio/Carlisle); 3B Alex Walter, Sr. (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon); P/OF Mamee Salzer, So. (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry)

W&J
C/SS Kelsey Cunningham, Sr. (McMurray, Pa./Peters Twp.)

Waynesburg
OF Jasmine Blackwell Sr. (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon Area); P Carrie Maier, Sr. (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem); SS Maddie Presto, Sr. (Center Twp., Pa./Center); 3B Ashley Clark, Jr. (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry)

Westminster
2B Kelsey Squelch, Sr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional); 1B Lauren Stoczynski, Sr. (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek); P Ashley Smith, Jr. (Spartansburg, Pa./Titusville); P Amber Forrest, So. (Clear Springs, Md./Clear Springs)