Smith College Softball Game Notes
Game 15, 16	Springfield (16-2, 5-1) at Smith (6-8, 3-1)
Date / Time	Friday, April 7, 2017 | 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m.
Location	Northampton, Mass.
Series History	Springfield leads 31-10. Last Meeting: Smith 3 Springfield 9: April 8, 2016
Watch Live	Video
Follow Live	Live Stats
Team Information	Smith / Springfield
Twitter	@smithpioneers
Instagram	@smithcollegesoftball | @smithpioneers

THE SERIES
The game marks the 42nd meeting between the two programs, dating back to the first contest during the 1999 season - a 4-3 Springfield victory. The Pride lead the series 31-10. Smith's last win came during the 2014 season.

LAST MEETING
The Smith College softball team dropped a pair of New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) games to Springfield College on April 8, 2016. The Pride blanked the Pioneers in game one, 3-0 and completed the sweep with a 9-3 victory in the nightcap.

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Smith enters a new era in 2017 under first-year head coach Emily Lopez. The Pioneers look to improve upon a 2016 season which saw them finish 13-20 overall, 9-9 in conference play and just shy of a playoff berth. Leading the offense this season will be senior Ally Snyder (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury), a two-time All-Conference Second Team selection. Snyder led the team as a junior batting .365 in 33 games with 38 hits, 29 RBI and eight home runs. She currently holds the Smith College softball record for home runs in a season (8) and home runs in a career (16) and ranks 2nd in the NEWMAC in home runs (4) in 2017. On Wednesday, the Pioneers swept Clark for the third consecutive season. In that game, Tyler Feeney (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) belted her first career home run and pitcher Rowan Turner (Kansas City, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) tossed five hitless innings for her first no-hitter. The Pioneers were selected to finish 8th in the NEWMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

SCOUTING THE PRIDE
Springfield enters the 2017 campaign under first year head coach Kate Bowen. The Pride look to improve on a 2016 season which saw them finish 23-19 overall, 9-9 in the NEWMAC and a berth in the conference tournament. Returning for Springfield is junior pitcher Talia Loda who is 9-0 with six complete games, a 0.59 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Junior infielder Kirsten Drobiak ranks first in the NEWMAC in RBI and is batting .460 with 29 hits in 2016. The Pride last played on March 3, earning a split with WPI where they won game one 4-3 before dropping the nightcap 8-4. Loda finished with four hits in addition to a complete game effort on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Springfield broke into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 20 in the Division III National Rankings this past week. The Pride were picked to finish 6th in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.