complete game notes (.pdf)

A NEW SEASON BEGINS
The Southern Connecticut State University softball team begins its 2008 season with a pair of non-conference twin bills. On Monday, March 10, the Owls will host Mercy College. On Tuesday, Dominican College comes to the Elm City. The first pitch of both doubleheaders is scheduled for 3 p.m.

IN THE 2007 CAMPAIGN
The Owls finished the 2007 season with a record of 32-17. They wrapped up their Northeast-10 Conference schedule in the third spot with a 21-7 record in conference play. In their last game, Jessica Dempsey took a hard-luck 1-0 loss against Dowling in the NCAA Northeast Regional playoffs.

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
A member of the East Coast Conference, the Mercy College Mavericks finished last season winless at 0-20 overall and ECC. The Mavericks return senior first baseman Jessica Madick, their leading hitter from last season. Madick hit .326 in 19 games and also led the squad from the mound with 52 strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
Selected to finish fifth in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, the Dominican College Chargers went 19-19 overall last year and 11-11 in CACC action. The Chargers welcome back three second team All-CACC players this season. The Dominican lineup is helmed by Kristine Knuth, who batted .404 in 36 games in the 2007 campaign.

LEADING THE WAY
Senior All-American candidate Jessica Dempsey is poised to once again serve as the ace of the Owls' pitching staff. Dempsey posted a 13-8 record in 26 appearances for the 2007 Owls. She broke her own university record with a 0.94 earned run average, which was the lowest ERA in the Northeast-10 Conference and slotted her at 12th in all of Division II. Dempsey paced the Owls with 120 strikeouts and five saves en route to being selected to the Northeast-10 Conference and NCAA All-Northeast Region First Teams. The Stratford, Conn. native pitched a no-hitter last season, the second of her career, in the first game of a doubleheader against Saint Anselm on April 28.

ARMED FORCES
Joining Dempsey in the starting rotation will be junior Amanda Pindar and sophomores Kerry Iacomini and Megan Caporossi. Pindar posted a 9-3 record and recorded one save in 16 appearances in the 2007 campaign. She pitched four complete games and registered a 2.21 ERA. As freshmen, Iacomini and Caporossi contributed a combined six wins and three save. Joining the staff will be sophomore Nicole Marcelynas, who spent last year at Saint Joseph (Conn.) College.

IN THE NORTHEAST-10 PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Owls have been selected to finish third in the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. They received three first place votes. Le Moyne, the 2007 regular season champion, was chosen to repeat in 2008, receiving with seven first place votes and 215 total points. Bryant claimed the second slot with 194 points, including four first place votes. Massachusetts-Lowell, the 2007 conference tournament champion, received the final first place vote and claimed the sixth spot with 159 total points.

BACK FOR MORE
Sophomore Megan Caporossi, the 2007 Northeast-10 Conference Freshman of the Year, will look to once again lead the Owls offense. Caporossi, who also selected to the NCAA Northeast Regional Second Team as a designated player, led the team last season with a .342 batting average. She also paced the Owls in runs (35), triples (eight), home runs (five), total bases (92) and slugging percentage (.594).

ANOTHER ALL-CONFERENCE OWL
2007 All-Northeast 10 Conference selection Monica Savarese returns to the Owls' outfield for her junior season. Savarese batted .331 with four home runs, 27 runs batted in and a team-high 11 doubles in 44 games.

EXPERIENCE AROUND THE HORN
Two starting infielders from the 2007 season return to the lineup for Southern Connecticut. Juniors Brittany Gandley and Amanda St. George both started all 49 games for the Owls, batting .237 and .250 respectively. Sophomores Melissa Corwin, a transfer from Bryant University, and Khristle Lee, who played at Northern Oklahoma College last season, will platoon at catcher and as utility infielders for the Owls this season.

THE CAPTAINS
A quartet of players will serve as team captains for the 2008 season. Senior Jessica Dempsey and juniors Brittany Gandley, Kierstin Pry and Monica Savarese will lead the Owls on the field.

THE COACH
Head Coach Lisa Barbaro returns for her fourth year in the dugout. In her Southern Connecticut career to date, Barbaro has posted a record of 78-56-5, including a 49-32-3 mark in Northeast-10 Conference games.

ON DECK
The Owls head south to Florida, where they will play 10 games from March 14 to March 19. The first opponent on their southern jaunt will be Palm Beach Atlantic. The first pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. from Miami Shores, Fla.