Softball’s 40th Season Starts Season at Fastpitch

BOSTON – Suffolk softball ventured south to get its 40th campaign underway. Ten games at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic await the Rams in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina March 9-15.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

A LOOK BACK
Suffolk's second season in the CCC saw the Rams go 20-20 overall and earn a spot in the league's postseason as the fourth seed behind a 10-8 conference mark.

RAMS RETURNERS
Fourteen Rams are back in blue-and-gold this season including centerfielder Caitlin Murphy, who opted in for a fifth-year of eligibility, as well as reigning CCC Rookie of the Year Jolie Quintana. Also back on the Rams roster is Ally Cifaratta, who has held down the hot corner for the last three years, positional pitcher Ava Brandow.

Suffolk softball will get a boost from a handful of fresh faces as five Rams rookies joined the fold for the 2023 season, head coach Janet Maguire announced.

The group features junior Lily O'Neil and true freshmen Catherine Carignan, Maddie Southers, Bella Rocha-Medeiros and Sophia Barker.

MORE READING: Softball Welcomes Five Newcomers for 2023

GEOGRPAHY 101
Suffolk's geographical makeup spreads seven states. Eight Rams are Massachusetts products with three coming to the Bay State from Connecticut. A pair hail from California, New Jersey and Rhode Island with one student-athlete representing New Hampshire and New York.

CLASS CATEGORIES
The Rams' 19-player roster is underclassmen heavy with nine sophomores and four true freshmen. A trio of juniors anchor the upperclassmen with two seniors and one graduate student.

RAMS RINGLEADERS
On the eve of its 2023 season debut, Suffolk softball head coach Janet Maguire has announced is tri-captains in seniors Ally Cifaratta and Savannah Scripter, and graduate student Caitlin Murphy.

Murphy will begin her second season with the title, while Cifaratta and Scripter earned the leadership title for the first time in their careers.

MORE READING: Upperclassmen Trio to Captain Softball in 2023 

COACH'S CORNER
Janet Maguire is back for her second season at the helm of the Suffolk softball program. She led the Rams to a 20-20 overall record a year ago and guided the blue-and-gold to the CCC Tournament.

Assistant Coach Michelle Zullo is back on Maguire's staff, while Jadynne Hill joined the staff as an assistant for her first season.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
For the second time in as many seasons, Suffolk softball has been predicted to finish sixth in the Commonwealth Coast Conference per the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll, conducted by the league's 10 coaches.

MORE READING: Softball Selected Sixth in CCC Preseason Coaches' Poll

LEADING OFF

• Since 1987, Suffolk is 8-26 in the first game of the season.
• Starting in 1995 the rams took a neutral field on day one of the season and have picked up six of their opening day victories on neutral turf.
• A year ago, Suffolk lifted the lid on its campaign in Boston for the first time since 1994. 

LEADING OFF

• Since 1987, Suffolk is 8-27 in the first game of the season.
• Starting in 1995 the Rams took a neutral field on day one of the season and have picked up six of their opening day victories on neutral turf.
• Last season, the Rams began their campaign at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic and fell to Fitchburg State, 9-6.
• Suffolk is in search of its first opening day victory since 2019 when it took down Rhodes, 4-3.

SUFFOLK'S SCHEUDLE
Once back in Boston, Suffolk has nine days to prepare for its home opener a Friday, March 24 showdown against Emerson. That Beantown battle twinbill is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. game one start.