2024 Softball Preview
Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications
SALEM, Mass. -- Salem State is looking for a productive season in 2024, headed by new coach, Ryan Leahy. The Vikings have six captains for this season, and will be led by Isabella Perrotti (Winthrop, Mass.), Emily Henning (Grafton, Mass.), Emily Carter (Warwick, R.I.), Payton Jeffers (Holly Ridge, N.C.), Dawn Eisnor (Medford, Mass.), and Gracie Martineau (Westminster, Mass.).
Coach Leahy talked about the leaders on the team. "We have strong leadership with our six captains for 2024. Senior Payton Jeffers has been a leader since day one on campus and is ready for a big senior year behind the plate. Senior Emily Carter has led our pitching staff for the last three years and has the experience to keep us in every game. Senior Isabella Perrotti has made huge strides offensively from both sides of the plate and always plays hard, laying her body on the line. Junior Emily Henning has done a great job stepping into a leadership role this year. She will be a middle of the order bat playing in the outfield. Junior Dawn Eisnor has some defensive flexibility, being able to play 1B/3B, but her bat will be in the middle of the order all season long. Sophomore transfer Gracie Martineau from Curry has a great mix of pitches and has been a great leader with our on-campus visits."
Leahy expressed the differences between last season and this season. "The difference between last year and this year is the talent and energy our freshmen class has brought to the team along with the experience our upper class has. Freshman SS Samantha Gaona (Billerica, Mass.), freshman 3B/P Alanis Toledano (Boston, Mass.) and 2B Paige Souza (New Bedford, Mass.) will be contributing right away offensively and defensively. Sam is a walking highlight reel, Paige can really swing the bat and Alanis can really do it all at the plate, on defense and in the circle."
He spoke about what the team is doing to get better for this season. "This group has done a great job leading us through the fall and winter workouts, fundraising and helping our freshmen and sophomores navigate being a D3 student athlete; running study halls. Senior's Mackenzie DeSantis (Ridge, N.Y.), Stephanie Grassi (Cambridge, Mass.) bring experience to our group as well as Hailey Langenfeld (Hardyston, N.J.), who adds depth to our pitching staff, along with junior Katherine Quigley (Ipswich, Mass.)."
He mentioned why we should be optimistic for the team for this upcoming season. "We are optimistic this year as we have a lot of team speed both on offense and defense. We've built up the coaching staff, adding former SSU captain Rebecca Walker (Lynn, MA), former Bridgewater State University captain Maddison Dana (Lynn, MA), and former Emmanual captain Tianna Dawe (Lynn, MA). They've done a great job helping organize everything, helping build chemistry with the group, and coaching the girls."
Perrotti, spoke briefly about her personal goals for this season. "My personal goal is to make smarter decisions in the field. I feel I had a good season last year, but with more years of playing and experience, I feel like you always can make smarter decisions. Another goal I have is just getting on base more."
Henning, who batted .265 last season with three home runs and eight RBI, expressed the team chemistry during the preseason. "I definitely think the chemistry between the underclassmen and upperclassmen has been the strongest out of the two years that I have been here. I think obviously there are still going to be some rough parts, but with Florida coming up, I am sure we are going to [get along] perfectly in Florida."
Carter, who pitched 84 innings with 58 strikeouts in just 19 appearances and 16 starts last season, spoke about which games she is most looking forward to this upcoming season. "I am looking forward to all of the conference games. I think we are going to go on our revenge tour. This year is going to be really great."
Eisnor, who batted .274 with two home runs and 28 RBI in just 39 games last season, also revealed what games she is looking forward to this season. "I would have to say MASCAC games. I've wanted to come back from our season last year, so I am hoping this season we focus on those games, and hopefully, we can come out more positive."
Jeffers batted .291 with one home run, 18 RBI, and an impressive 12 extra-base hits in just 31 games last season. She spoke about how the freshmen can learn from the captains on this team. "I think just by seeing how we work and seeing the flow of how we talk to the coaches every day and see how we work hard academically. Just being a student-athlete, in general, and how we apply that and also how we work on and off the field."
Martineau, a transfer student from Curry College, expressed how stong the chemistry and the team bonding was during preseason. "I would say we have a really good sense of family chemistry. We are always positive and cheering each other on, and we are all excited to get going every day."
Salem State will begin the 2024 season this Sunday, March 10, at 9 a.m. against Cortland when the team travels to Florida for spring break.