Game Preview: Softball vs. Babson
Wednesday, March 16 - 9 a.m./11 a.m.
National Training Center - Clermont, Fla. 
Live Stats    Video

Last Meeting
Babson opened NEWMAC play with a sweep of Smith last season in the conference opener for both teams. The Pioneers dropped game one of the doubleheader, 3-2 before falling 4-0 in the nightcap on March 18, 2015. Joanna Giordano (South Salem, N.Y./John Jay) led Smith at the plate in game one, going 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Tori Brown (New Market, Md./Linganore), Caroline Kushner (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) and Kristina Gaffny (Reading, Mass./Austin Prep) each recorded a hit. 

The Series
The Pioneers lead the all-time series 29-26. Their last win was on March 23, 2014. 

The Beavers
Babson (3-3) earned a split on Monday with an 8-4 victory over Western New England, after suffering a 9-0 six-inning loss in the opening game of the day to the University of New England. First-year Annie Quine went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and four RBI in the doubleheader. Senior Madison Dinaso earned her first collegiate win and also went 2-for-3 at the plate. Following a 23-win season, the Beavers return 11 players as it looks to compete for a league title in 2016. The Green and White are under the direction of 17th-year head coach Dave Canan and brings back six players that started at least 30 games in 2015, led by the senior duo of Dinaso, Maya Lacy and Caitie Benoit. Sophomore Ali Reilly, Babson's top returning pitcher, went 9-9 in 109.0 innings of work with a 3.85 earned run average in 2015. The Beavers will feature six first-year player that have the potential to contribute immediately. Babson was picked to finish sixth in the NEWMAC preseason coaches' poll.

The Pioneers
Smith (3-3) bounced back from a 15-4 loss to Frostburg State University with their 8-6 win over Becker College on Monday in their twinbill. First-year Emma Kraus (Wakefield, Mass./Wakefield) is off to a scorching start to her softball career, batting .556 with 10 hits, including two doubles, one triple and a home run. Kraus leads the team with eight RBI and six stolen bases. Rowan Turner (Prairie Village, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) (1-2, 6.00 ERA) and Natalie Burchat (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) (2-1, 4.02 ERA) are splitting time in the circle so far in 2016. Kraus ranks third in the NEWMAC in batting average (.556) and fourth in stolen bases (6). The Pioneers were selected to finish seventh in the NEWMAC preseason coaches' poll.  

Milestone Watch
Head Coach Kelly O'Connell is two wins away from her 50th win at Smith College and senior Joanna Giordano (South Salem, N.Y./John Jay) needs nine hits to reach 100 in her career. 

Next Up
The Pioneers play the final two games of their Florida schedule on Thursday against Calvin College (9 a.m.) and RPI (1 p.m.).

            2016 NEWMAC Softball Standings

School	Overall	Conference
Springfield	5-1	0-0
WPI	8-2	0-0
Babson	3-3	0-0
Clark	5-5	0-0
Smith	3-3	0-0
Wheaton	3-3	0-0
Coast Guard	4-6	0-0
Emerson	4-6	0-0
MIT	0-0	0-0
Wellesley	0-0	0-0

 
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