May 16, 2007
BEVERLY, MA - After five consecutive Commonwealth Coast Conference Championships and five straight trips to the NCAA Tournament the Endicott College softball team has established itself as a perennial power in the New England Region.
The 2007 Gulls successfully defended their CCC title and EC has now won five straight conference titles (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007). The Blue and Green posted an impressive 31-12 overall record, matching the programs third highest win total, and went 20-3 in CCC play. Endicott won seven of its final eight games, including three straight in the CCC Tournament, heading into the NCAA Regional.
The Gulls earned the fifth seed in the NCAA Division III New England Regional and topped the Keene State College Owls in their opening round game before falling to top-seeded Rhode Island College, 10-3 and Emerson, 3-2 in 12 innings. Despite being bumped from the tournament EC picked up its first NCAA win since the 2005 season when the Gulls were the top ranked team in the region.
Entering the spring the Blue and Green knew they had a difficult road ahead as Roger Williams University and Curry College looked to dethrone the four-time champs. Head coach Mark Veilleux quickly silenced any doubters as he trotted out one of the regions most powerful offenses as well as one of its most formidable pitching staffs.
EC opened its season with a 7-3 record on its spring break trip to the 2007 Rebel Games in Kissimmee, FL. The Gulls dropped a pair of games to conference rival Roger Williams upon returning to New England but rattled off 14 straight wins before they would lose again. Despite the two losses to RWU and a hard fought loss to Curry, Endicott picked up big wins over Wellesley, Colorado College and Tufts University during the season and closed out the year by winning seven of its final ten games.
The Gulls offense was paced by sophomore catcher Meghan Sargent (Salisbury, MA/Triton). The 2006 CCC Rookie of the Year didn't miss a beat in her second season for the Gulls as she earned CCC Player of the Year and All-CCC First Team honors after leading the Gulls in every major batting category. Sargent hit an even .400 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and an eye popping 50 runs batted in. Her 27 walks and .497 on-base percentages were also among the leagues leaders. The First Team All-New England catcher dominated the conference hitting .540 with eight homers and 40 RBI while only striking out once in CCC games.
In total the Gulls placed six players on All Conference teams including All-CCC First Team outfielder Danielle Sargent (Sabattus, ME/Oak Hill). The junior hit .387 with 41 runs scored, 10 doubles, six home runs and 34 RBI while playing top tier defense in both leftfield and centerfield. She was also named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-New England Third Team and proved to be one of EC's most clutch performers. In the Gulls final six games which comprised of the CCC and NCAA Tournaments Sargent hit .435 with nine runs scored, two doubles, a home run, a pair of stolen bases and six RBI.
The middle of the Endicott lineup was a nightmare for opposing pitchers all season long as Meghan Sargent, Danielle Sargent and Rachel Pearson (Gales Ferry, CT/Ledyard) combined for 126 of the teams 232 RBI, 106 runs scored and 23 home runs. Pearson, an All-CCC First Team designated player drove in 42 runs while hitting .339.
The Gulls lineup was strong one through nine thanks in large part to a pair of freshmen that made immediate impacts. First Team All-CCC and Third Team All-New England selection Sarah Spaziano (Norton, MA/Norton) played stellar defense at the hot corner and added another solid bat to the Gulls lineup. Spaziano hit .315 with 31 runs scored, two doubles, a pair of triples and went nine for nine in stole base attempts. Joining Spaziano on the left side of the infield was freshman shortstop Jenna Lazar (Milton, MA/Milton). Lazar and junior centerfielder Paula McGinn (Lynn, MA/Lynn Classical) served as table setters for the Gulls monster lineup hitting at the top of the order.
An All-CCC second teamer, Lazar lead the team in runs scored with 44 and walks with 30. She also posted an on-base percentage of .471 and some how seemed to always find a way to advance and base runners thanks to her keen eye and great speed. McGinn, the Gulls lead-off hitter was also a second team All-CCC selection as she played 31 games in centerfield for the Blue and Green.
EC got solid production from its first base platoon of Maria Mangine (Lockport, NY/Lockport) and Taylor Sevigny (Fitchburg, MA/St. Bernard's) while right fielder Casey Shanley (Billerica, MA/Billerica) also added some pop to the Gulls lineup hitting .278 with 17 RBI and four home runs.
Endicott certainly boasted a phenomenal hitting lineup but its pitching was equally impressive. The Gulls sent four starting pitchers to the rubber with regularity, forgoing the conventional two starter rotation and posting a conference low 2.17 earned run average. The Gulls who already had All-American and 2006 CCC Pitcher of the Year Robyn Savitske (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley) as well as talented sophomore Jackie Collier (Swampscott, MA/Bishop Fenwick) added freshman Maria Mangine and junior transfer Jen Elwell (Tewksbury, MA/Shawsheen Tech) to its rotation in 2007.
Elwell, the 2006 GNAC Pitcher of the Year, came to EC from Suffolk University and quickly became one of the most effective pitchers in the league as her 1.27 earned run average was the best in the conference. Elwell posted a 13-3 record and allowed just 19 earned runs in 105 innings of work, she also struck out 86 batters while walking just 19 and allowing only 12 extra base hits.
Elwell joined Danielle Sargent as two of the teams most clutch performers as the junior went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in the Gulls three Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament game. She also picked up the win in Endicott's 8-4 win over Keene State in the NCAA Tournament.
Savitske had a solid senior season taking home the CCC Senior Scholar Athlete Award. She also posted a 3.42 ERA and an 8-5 overall record. In 86 innings of work the senior struck out a team high 88 batters and walked just 15. Meanwhile Mangine posted an ERA of 2.03 with a 4-2 record in eight appearances and Collier owned a 2.51 ERA while racking up six wins and just two losses, holding opponents to a .254 batting average.
The Gulls lose just to seniors with Savitske and infielder Lynsey Vacchino (Kingston, MA/Silver Lake) walking across the graduation stage. Endicott returns eight players with NCAA experience and will once again boast a strong lineup and pitching corps as the Blue and Green seek out an unprecedented sixth straight CCC Championship.
