Softball Unveils 2024 Schedule

1/18/2024 12:00:00 AM

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(2024 schedule)

Goldey-Beacom last season took a major step that went from respectability to contenders. This season, the squad looks to go even further against another challenging schedule that has been announced.

Four February doubleheaders grace the slate, beginning with the season opener February 10 at Millersville before the home opener seven days later against Bloomsburg. GBC on February 23 visits Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion Shippensburg, which started 2-0 in the NCAA Tournament last season, before visiting Staten Island the next day.

GBC then heads to Florida with the first two games in Clermont and the last 10 in Winter Haven. The squad is scheduled to begin March 1 against Charleston (WV) and end the 8th vs. Concord.

Goldey-Beacom on March 17 will host National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Strike Out Cancer Day against Southern New Hampshire before its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener two days later at home vs. Holy Family.

April starts with a home doubleheader on the 2nd against reigning NCAA East Region champion Wilmington (DE). This is before home games the next day vs. Lincoln (PA) on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day and road tilts April 6 at 2023 NCAA Tournament participant Caldwell.

If there were not enough NCAA Tournament teams on the schedule, add Georgian Court to that list April 16 in Lakewood, NJ. The home finale is April 20 versus Dominican (NY) on Past/Present/Future Bolt Day.

The eight-team CACC Tournament for a second straight year sees a two-game series each at the site of the higher seed (No. 8 at No. 1, No. 7 at No. 2, No. 6 at No. 3, No. 5 at No. 4). The higher seed requires just one win to advance to championship weekend and the lower seed needs to win both contests.

Championship weekend will be held May 2-4 on the campus of Wilmington University in New Castle, DE.

One of the major keys to this season is junior infielder Alex Lowry (Wenonah, NJ), who is one of the most reliable and well-liked student-athletes any school wishes to have. A two-sport athlete who also excels on the soccer pitch, she tied for the world lead a season ago with a 1.000 fielding percentage and did that over an amazing 103 chances.

A three-time member of the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team (twice in soccer and once in softball), Lowry enters this year tied for third in team history with 10 triples, tied for fourth with 30 stolen bases and 20th outright with a .333 batting average.

One of the pitchers who will be a key this season is sophomore Alesia Doctor (Rising Sun, MD), who displays great velocity and control all at the same time that makes her one of the area's elite. Notching an eye-popping 123:48 strikeout-to-walk ration last year, her school-record strikeout total was good for first in the league and already has her 12th in program history. Doctor's 11 victories has her tied for 15th place in team annals.

Junior Morgan McLane (Clayton, DE) can do it all in the circle, whether it is providing an overpowering start or coming out of the bullpen to get the rare college-softball save. A gifted athlete who has been a standout over her two seasons with the Lightning, McLane is tied for first in team history with five saves, fourth with 168 strikeouts, seventh with 18 wins and tied for 14th with 209 1/3 innings pitched.

Senior outfielder Hannah Davis (Bethel, DE) has been one of the Lightning's most dynamic players during her three seasons, whether it is coming up with a clutch hit or getting a stolen base in all 25 of her attempts from last year. Another outstanding competitor who looks to continue great things this year, Davis begins the year first in school history with 53 stolen bases, third with 94 runs, 17th with 127 hits and 21st with a .325 batting average.

The Lightning (32-23, 11-13 CACC) a season ago under second-year coach Juli Greep put forth a campaign in which they recorded the most victories since getting a school-record 37 during the 1998 season, notched the fourth 30-win season in program annals, played tough in all three games against Wilmington and got a huge win March 31 against a strong Caldwell squad.

GBC on March 11 saw its 6-2 trip to South Carolina end with an invitation to participate in the North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade. The Mayor's office was sent to watch the tournament and pick one team from the countless participating to join the festivities.

The eight win improvement from 2022 also saw Goldey-Beacom make the CACC Tournament in a non-COVID-abridged format for the first time since 2017. The squad also had a double-digit league victory total in consecutive years for the first time since 2005-06.

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