WESTFIELD, Mass. - The Worcester State University softball team has been chosen to finish second in a tightly-packed Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Poll, as announced by the conference on Thursday afternoon.
Worcester State finished only behind the two-time defending MASCAC Champions from Framingham State University. The Rams finished in first with five first-place votes and 47 points, followed by the Lancers, grabbing 39 points and one first place vote. The final two first places votes were split by Bridgewater State and Westfield State, who tied for third with 37 points. The full poll can be seen below.
The Lancers, who won last season's Regular Season Championship, went 12-2 in league play in 2018, and will turn to Kaiulani Ennis (Swansea, Mass.), a 2018 First Team All-Conference player, to power the offense. Ennis was fourth in the league in slugging percentage (.705), third in runs scored (36), and third in home runs (7).
In the circle, Worcester State returns a powerfull one-two punch with senior Rachel Frisch (Worcester, Mass.) and junior Carly Zielinski (Monson, Mass.). The duo combined to go 13-4 last season with an ERA of 2.78 in 138.2 innings. Both were in the top six in the MASCAC in ERA.
Worcester State will open its season in Florida on March 10, starting at 11:45 a.m. against Amherst College.
2019 MASCAC Softball Pre-Season Coaches Poll
(First Place Votes In Parentheses)
| 1. | Framingham State | (5) | 47 points |
| 2. | Worcester State | (1) | 39 points |
| T-3. | Bridgewater State | (1) | 37 points |
| T-3. | Westfield State | (1) | 37 points |
| 5. | Salem State | 23 points | |
| 6. | Fitchburg State | 21 points | |
| 7. | MCLA | 13 points | |
| 8. | Bridgewater State | 7 points |
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