By John Boccacino/Sports Information Director
After winning six straight North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) postseason titles, the Keuka College softball team has fallen short of earning an NCAA berth in each of the last two seasons.
The 18 student-athletes on the softball team are hoping to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three seasons, and with a potent lineup and two talented pitchers, head coach Jamie Burke thinks her Wolfpack squad is among the better teams in the conference.
Keuka returns 10 student-athletes from last year's squad that went 16-10 (14-4 NEAC) and advanced to the final day of the NEAC tournament before being eliminated.
The Green and Gold open the season with a pair of home NEAC doubleheaders against Cazenovia College and Morrisville State Friday and Saturday.
"We have great leadership from our captains, juniors Ally Muller (Bath, N.Y./Haverling) and Liz Warren (Elmira Heights, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison)," said Burke who has compiled a 193-85-1 record (.694 winning percentage) in nine seasons leading the Green and Gold.
"Our bats are very strong and we have a nice 1-2 combination on the mound. My expectations are high every year. We try to have a very competitive team in the NEAC as well as in the region. If we can stay healthy on the mound, which has been our downfall the past two seasons, then I do believe that we will compete for the NEAC championship again. How far we can go really depends on how well we can shut down other teams on the defensive end."
Muller and Warren are among a group of seven returning starters to the Wolfpack lineup. Muller earned first-team All-NEAC North after batting .425 (fifth-highest in school history) while crushing five home runs and driving in 28 runs in 25 games.
Muller is one of five returners who batted .300 or better in 2014. Muller sported a team-best .488 on-base percentage and a .767 slugging percentage. She also scored 21 runs and led the team in batting average, home runs, RBI, hits (31), and doubles (8), while ranking second in runs scored.
"Although we lost a strong, solid group of five seniors, we bring a lot of talent in with the 
freshmen and transfers and I'm really excited to see what they bring to the plate," Muller said of an offense that hit .326 last year, including .348 in NEAC play.
"Offensively, I've seen in the cage that we have a lot of talent this year. That talent can just work off of the bats that we already have from past seasons. It's definitely nerve-wracking to have a good season and then try to improve the next year, but I look forward to the challenge. I'm excited to see not only myself hitting well, but my teammates succeed at the plate as well."
Warren and sophomore Samantha Blum (Niskayuna, N.Y./Colonie) each earned second-team All-NEAC North honors in 2014.
Warren posted a 6-6 record with 11 complete games and a 4.24 ERA in 72 2/3 innings pitched. She struck out 76 batters while issuing only six walks, good for a 12.67:1 strikeout to walk ratio, and averaged 7.32 strikeouts per game.
Warren and sophomore Brianna Bush (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan), a 5-foot-11 right-hander, will split pitching duty for the Wolfpack.
Warren was named the NEAC's Pitcher of the Week on back-to- back occasions after winning five straight decisions from April 11-19. She allowed only two runs (one earned) with 37 strikeouts and only two walks in 31 innings pitched during that time.
"I think we can definitely make it back to the NCAA tournament," said Warren, who tossed her
first collegiate no-hitter last year in a 2-0 win over Morrisville State (April 11, 2014).
"I really see us as a squad that's able to come together and play as a team. We have a lot of young talent and a lot of returning talent, and I think we mesh really well together. As a pitcher, I need to keep my endurance up. Losing Danielle Gravel will have a big impact on us, but I think we can fill that gap with me and Bri."
Blum, a centerfielder, batted .307 with one home run, 22 RBI and 19 runs scored while appearing in all 26 games. She was 4 of 5 on stolen base attempts and had six doubles and two triples.
Junior Mackenzie Cole (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) returns in left field after batting .305 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 21 runs scored, four doubles and four triples.
Sophomore Tally McDonald (Romulus, N.Y./Romulus) and junior Nicole Wright (Seneca Castle, N.Y./Midlakes) will compete for time at shortstop.
McDonald appeared in 22 games and hit .344 with eight RBI, four doubles and 11 runs scored last year, while Wright appeared in 24 games and drove in two runs while scoring 12 times in 2014.
Junior Jessica Parmiter (Cortland, N.Y./Homer) returns at third base after hitting .321 with one home run, seven RBI, five doubles and six runs scored in 20 games played.
Sophomore Alysha Bachman (Seneca Falls, N.Y./Mynderse) returns at first base after appearing in all 26 games last year.
A pair of freshmen are expected to see action at catcher. Freshman Katelyn Warren (Elmira Heights, N.Y./Thomas A. Edison) was named the New York State Class C Player of the Year last year.
Warren and Mickenzie Palmer (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) will share catcher duties. Burke believes the Warren sisters will become the first sister pitcher/catcher duo in school history.
Freshman Maddie Dupuis (Cohoes, N.Y./Cohoes) is expected to start in right field.
Junior Alyssa Prince (Holley, N.Y./Elba) and sophomore Brianna Long (Arkport, N.Y./Dansville) also return to the squad, with Prince seeing time at first base and Long as backup catcher.
"We return seven starters from last year, and each of them brings something to the team. These returners are very talented," said Burke, Keuka's winningest softball coach who needs seven wins to eclipse 200 for her Keuka career.
"Liz Warren looks real good this year. She is throwing with a lot more confidence as she has worked on her location and spin in the offseason. Ally will pick up where she left off last season. Mackenzie Cole keeps getting better every day and has come a long way from the beginning of last year. Alysha Bachman has improved her game over the summer, and Jess Parmiter returns healthier and brings experience to the infield, and also a solid bat. And Brianna Bush and Kate Warren both have the ability to put up big numbers this season as well."
Freshmen Sue Welch (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon) and Megan Wilbur (Waverly, N.Y./Waverly) will help out at second base and bring speed to the team, while Wilbur could also see time at third base and in the outfield.
Freshmen Kali Johnson (Elmira, N.Y./Horseheads) and Leah Parker (Rush, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) will also get some at-bats in the lineup, while Parker can also help on the mound to provide Warren and Bush with rest in-between starts.
"This year's group seems to get along so well, and they want to work hard for each other," Burke said.
"There seems to be a higher level of confidence in each other's abilities this year. The juniors are carrying that upperclassmen load and have handled it very well and with confidence, knowing that they are the leaders on the team now. We no longer have a player who has been a part of a NEAC championship team and NCAA participant. These juniors are hungry to get our program back to that level."
The Wolfpack will take on some of the region's better teams in non-conference play, traveling to SUNY Geneseo (April 7) and Ithaca College (April 28), while hosting NCAA participant Alfred University and an always-strong St. John Fisher College squad (April 21).
"For us to go to the NCAA tournament once again, we need to mesh in all areas," Muller said. "We need to succeed in batting, we need to succeed in our defense, and our pitching really needs to strive to be the best this year. Liz and Bri are going to do a great job working together and really packing a punch for us."
