Stockton University Athletics

Osprey Outlook: Softball Preview

Softball | 3/26/2021 3:00:00 PM

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The Stockton University softball team will be a veteran group with seven seniors and five juniors but will mix in some talented sophomores and freshmen this season. The Ospreys only played two games before being shut down last spring but should be a contender in the always-tough NJAC this year.
 
Head coach Mavreen Hering has 15 returnees who were on the roster last spring, a group headlined by five players who were starters the last time the Ospreys played a full season in 2019. That nucleus includes four field players and one pitcher.
 
Stockton's infield will be anchored by a pair of 2019 NJAC all-conference players in the middle. Slick-fielding junior Lilly James will be at shortstop. The 2019 NJAC Second Team selection batted .308 with 36 hits, 27 runs, her first two career homers and 22 RBI in her rookie season.
 
Senior Liani Ortiz is a returnee at second base who played in 26 games with 21 starts in 2019. An NJAC Second Team honoree, Ortiz batted .365 with 19 hits in 52 at-bats and blasted three homers, all of which came in NJAC play. She will give the Ospreys options as she can play infield and outfield but will make most of her starts at second base.
 
Junior Megan Gray could move into the starting lineup after and injury-plagued 2019 campaign and the COVID-shortened 2020 slate. Junior Caitlin Hughes and sophomores Gabby Pratts and Michaela Luyber also return to give Stockton some depth in the infield.
 
Seniors Megan Katzmar and Angie Dunphy should help bolster the offense. Katzmar has been one of the top pinch hitters in the NJAC throughout her career while Dunphy started 32 games in 2019. Power-hitting freshman Jenna Patterson adds a big bat in the middle of the lineup and fellow rookie Megan Dignam also will be an option in the infield.
 
Outfielder Meg Murzello gets a reset on her senior year. Murzello had another great season in 2019, batting .341 and tying for the team lead with 45 hits to go with 30 runs (2nd on team) and a team-high 16 steals in 17 tries. She has 100 career hits going into the season.
 
Senior Gracie Meyer is a former infielder who started both games of last season's lone doubleheader in right field. Sophomore Gabrielle Barranger is a transfer who saw action in three games with one start and registered two runs and a stolen base as a freshman at the University of Hartford a year ago.
 
Sophomore Vanessa Tancini and junior Jacqueline Panico will vie for playing time in the outfield as well. Panico spent two years on the junior college level at Rowan College-Burlington County prior to her arrival at Stockton.
 
Senior Marissa Semeraro is the veteran of the pitching staff. Semeraro has pitched 124.1 innings and recorded 11 wins in her career. Junior Samantha McErlane transferred to Stockton last year and pitched one of the team's two games. McErlane went 5-2 in 51 innings of work for Post University as a freshman in 2019. Freshman Stevie Unger gives the Ospreys a trio of strong arms.
 
Behind the plate, senior Madison Kelly returns after seeing time in 13 games with eight starts in 2019. In 38 chances behind the dish, Kelly committed just one error for a .974 fielding percentage. Sophomore Megan McManus is one of the five sophs who are basically starting their rookie year over and freshman Brittany Rifenburg also should see some time at catcher in her first year.