NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The New England portion of the schedule begins for the Smith College softball team (4-4, 0-0 NEWMAC) with a bit of a twist when the Pioneers play a NEWMAC doubleheader against the United States Coast Guard Academy (5-5, 0-0 NEWMAC).  Due to an unplayable field at Smith, the games will be played at Coast Guard, and Smith will bat as the home team.





Last Meeting:  The Bears swept the conference opener for both teams with wins of 9-1 and 13-1 on March 20, 2012.  Both games went five innings.



Last Smith Win:Smith got a home run from Megan Keifer to earn an 11-2 win in the opener of a doubleheader against the Bears on April 19, 2008.



Smith Overview:  Smith is back from a successful Spring Break trip at the Gene Cusic Classic.  The Pioneers went 4-4, equalling their win total from all of 2012.   The Pioneers recorded victories over Worcester State, St. Joseph's (Brooklyn), NYU-Poly, and Brockport.



Coast Guard Overview: The Bears rebounded from a tough start to their Spring Break trip by winning their final three games against Marietta, Anderson (Ind.), and Rowan.  Coast Guard has won the last three conference tournament championships, but graduated Hayley Feindel, who recorded more strikeouts than anyone in Division III history.



Smith Player to Watch: Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore) has proved a threat both at the plate (.481, seven RBI), and in the circle (1.56 ERA, 19 strikeouts)



Coast Guard Player to Watch: Holli Bastinck is hitting .435 through seven games this year.



Did you know? Bastinck is a native of Wayne, N.J., which is about 10 minutes from Pompton Plains, home of Smith pitcher Gina Martucci (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Township).