The Roger Williams University Softball team enters the 2022 season with a talented roster, ready to make some noise in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. After falling just shy of the condensed conference playoffs a season ago, the Hawks return much of their core from last season and project to be especially difficult as a pitching staff.
 
"I am excited about our team," said Head Coach Joyce Maudie. "I am excited about our (pitching) staff. The roster is talented, but untested due to COVID. Our freshmen, sophomores, and juniors have not experienced a full (normal) season, so we are going to learn a lot about ourselves quickly."
 
The Softball team finished last season with the second-most wins (17) among CCC schools and went 9-7 in conference play but with the playoff format adjusted due to COVID-19, the Hawks narrowly missed the postseason as Nichols held the edge in winning percentage. Nonetheless, the season gave the team experience that they will look to build on this year.
 
Roster-wise, Roger Williams will benefit with some tremendous balance. The Hawks have plenty of game experience with four returning seniors in addition to a trio of players returning as graduate students. Throw in the four freshmen on their roster and RWU should feature a terrific blend of experienced veterans and talented, hungry youth and with that comes some outstanding depth that Maudie is very excited about.
 
"We have depth," Maudie said. "It will be a matter of embracing our roles, pushing ourselves and each other, supporting our teammates, and working while we wait for our opportunity."
 
Projected Lineup

1. Sydney Provencal- LF (Gr.)
2. Emma MacLean- 2B (Jr.)
3. Alexandra Lombardo- 1B (Sr.)
4. Taylor Bigliani / Alex Burdick- DP (Sr./Jr.)
5. Francesca Cioffi / Bay Naples – C (Sr./Gr.)
6. Maddie Predaris- SS (So.)
7. Jax Beaulieu- CF (Jr.)
8. Isabelle Rosado / Jamie Wells- 3B (Jr./Fr.)
9. Casey Uryga- RF (Fr.)
10. FLEX

Last season, the Roger Williams Softball team was the number-two team in terms of total runs, scoring 172 as a team. They did not showcase a power-hitting team in terms of home runs, hitting just seven as a collective unit on the year. The Hawks instead feature gap-to-gap power which led to them ranking second in extra-base hits and doubles while leading the CCC in three-baggers. To that point, RWU plays more of a small-ball, contact-oriented style of play. They were tied for second in the conference in team batting average at .309 last season and also excel on the basepaths, swiping 30 bags a season ago, the third-most in the league while they were only caught three times, the third fewest in the conference despite playing more games than any other CCC school.
 
"I think we are well-balanced and dynamic offensively." Maudie said. "We have some power, and some speed, and some contact so we have the chance to be really versatile. I do want to see us be situationally savvy offensively. I want us to stay within ourselves at the plate and do the little things by executing, advancing runners when the needed and so on."
 
Leading things off for the Hawks will be two-time all-conference selection and graduate student Sydney Provencal (Cumberland, R.I.). A starter since she joined the team as a sophomore, Provencal has appeared in 77 of the team's 83 games since then, starting in all but one of those contests. Provencal is your prototypical leadoff hitter, boasting a high batting average and on-base percentage with some outstanding speed. An All-CCC selection as a sophomore, she currently ranks eighth in program history with a career batting average of .365 to go with a career OBP of .439 that ranks sixth. She has finished each of the past three seasons in the top three on the roster among qualifiers in batting average, on-base, hits, and runs. Last spring, she earned all-conference first team recognition by posting a .372/.438/.532 triple-slash, with each mark ranking in the top 25 in the CCC, while she also showcased some improved ability to drive the ball, resulting in 11 two-baggers and a pair of triples to sit tied for first and fifth in the CCC respectively. All the while, she rarely struck out, whiffing just four times in 94 at-bats and while she only drew a quartet of free passes, she had a knack for getting plunked as she was second in the conference getting hit by seven pitches last season.
 
After Provencal projects to be the utility player Emma MacLean (Newton, Mass.) who, in limited time across the past two seasons, has impressed with a .353 batting average and .397 on-base percentage. Now as the team's projected full-time starter at second base, MacLean looks to take the next step. While she has not shown much pop to this point in her career with just a single extra-base hit among her 24 career knocks, she does embody the team's small-ball approach after finishing last season tied for the team lead in sacrifice bunts (three) while also pacing returners with four steals while not getting caught in any of her attempts.
 
While the team identity offensively will be contact and speed oriented, the Hawks do have some power and a major source of that will be senior captain and first baseman Alexandra Lombardo (Thomaston, Conn.). An All-CCC honoree for the first-time last spring by making the third team, Lombardo should enter this season among the most feared sluggers in the conference after ranking tied for the team lead with two long balls last year while also being tied for second on the roster and seventh in the conference with seven doubles. She did so with the outstanding ability to hit for power without sacrificing too much average as she still hit .305 while getting on base at a .370 clip and collecting more walks than strikeouts along the way. Lombardo is also the team's top returning run producer after finishing tied for 19^th in the conference with 15 RBIs a season ago.
 
RWU has options in their fourth and fifth spots in the lineup. In the clean-up spot is expected to be junior Alex Burdick (Jewett City, Conn.) as the team's designated player. Despite seeing limited action in her first two seasons in Bristol, compiling just 21 plate appearances to this point, Burdick is a safe bet to be the team's biggest breakout star this spring. Simply stated, when Burdick has played, she has produced and last season she posted a .471/.550/.588 triple-slash that does lead all returners despite not qualifying among the team ranks a season ago. Burdick could split time at the DP position with two-way player Taylor Bigliani (Saint James, N.Y.) who has three career hits in limited at-bats in her career.
 
In the fifth slot will also be a timeshare between the team's backstops, Bay Naples (Livingston, N.J.) and Francesca Cioffi (Brewster, N.Y.). Both catchers bring a wealth of experience to this Hawks squad as Naples is a graduate student and Cioffi is a senior, and both can swing it at the plate. After previously being known for her defensive prowess, Naples enjoyed a huge breakout season last spring to earn all-conference third team recognition and it was well-earned. While Naples did not qualify for the team leaderboard, she would have ranked fifth with a .367 batting average while also ripping a quartet of doubles while only fanning once in 50 plate appearances. Cioffi, meanwhile, possesses a .357/.393/.411 career triple-slash across 56 career at-bats. Along the way, she has produced 14 RBIs and a trio of two-baggers in just 23 career games and 17 starts.
 
Also rotating in at both the designated player and catcher positions will be sophomore, Taylor Howell (Sandwich, Mass.). Howell exploded onto the scene last spring on her way to an All-CCC Third Team selection as a utility player and it was well deserved. She was third among qualifiers on the team with a .313 batting average, and fifth in slugging at .448 and OPS with an .800 mark. She also flashed some true power-speed potential. Howell finished last season with four doubles and a homer while also tallying one three-bagger and a steal across 67 at bats.
 
Second-year infielder Maddie Predaris (Rye, N.H.) figures to slot in at shortstop and the six-hole in the lineup. Predaris was stuck behind all-conference infielder Katrina Goria last year, but in limited opportunities she did produce with a .308/.379/.462 triple-slash, one double and one long ball across just 29 plate appearances and 12 games including eight starts.
 
Speedy outfielder Jax Beaulieu (Sandwich, Mass.) is expected to bat seventh and roam centerfield. A day-one starter, the junior Beaulieu has appeared in 35 of the team's 42 games over the past two seasons making 32 starts along the way. After hitting .346 before the season was canceled in 2020, Beaulieu did see her average drop to .288 last spring but there is reason to believe that number will rise. When she is able to put the ball in play, Beaulieu can use her legitimate plus-speed to beat out hits at a high rate as evidenced by her .356 BABIP last season, a mark that rises to .366 in her career. Once she gets on base, Beaulieu can wreak havoc on a defense as she is five for six in career stolen base attempts and she has scored a run on 17 of the 36 times (30 hits, four walks, two HBP) she has reached base in her career (47% rate).
 
Isabelle Rosado (Central Islip, N.Y.) is the heir-apparent at the hot corner for Roger Williams. The junior could not find traction in limited action offensively last season but did go 3-for-12 with a double as a freshman. She will have competition, however, courtesy of freshman Jamie Wells (Castle Rock, Colo.). Whether it be as the starter at third or as a utility infielder, Wells figures to see plenty of time on the diamond this season for RWU.
 
Rounding out the starting-nine will likely be first-year outfielder Casey Uryga (Berlin, Conn.). The slap-hitter figures to patrol right field and was an all-state selection as a senior in Connecticut.
 
Second-year infielder Madison Tobin (Pittsfield, Mass.) will see time in the infield after operating almost exclusively as a pinch runner last season while junior Kaylin Fehan (Plymouth, Mass.) will rotate into the outfield.
 
Projected Pitching Staff
SP- Lia Nocella- RHP (Sr.)
SP- Ellie Fleming- RHP (Gr.)
RP- Taylor Myers- LHP (Jr.)
Roger Williams expects to boast one of the better rotations in CCC this season as they return more than 90% of their innings pitched from a year ago. The Hawks were middle of the pack in the conference ranks in team ERA (3.94, 7^th) and K/7 (4.25, 5^th). However, they limited the long ball, allowing just eight homers, the fourth fewest in the conference despite playing more games than any other squad. The pitching staff did have some trouble with distributing free passes last season, allowing 68 as a team, the third-most in the CCC, but with their ability to miss bats and keep the ball in the park, they could see increased success if they do a better job living in the strike zone.
 
"Our pitching staff is really solid as a collective," Maudie said. "They work well off each other and complement each other really well. I want to see us go deeper into games sometimes and also to pitch smart. But I think they could be a really special group."
 
All members of the Hawks' pitching staff will get innings, but their top arm is undisputedly Lia Nocella (Tyngsboro, Mass.). Nocella is perhaps the top returning pitcher in the CCC after leading the conference in wins a season ago (10) and ranking in the top ten among qualifiers in K/7 (5.82, 5^th) and ERA (3.27, 10^th) and that is including a pair of rocky outings that caused her ERA to spike. Nocella lives off a power fastball and tends to rack up the K's as she was the team leader in strikeouts last season with 64. While she did surrender 19 extra-base hits, a number that is tied for the most on the roster, she did so in 77 innings and still held opponents to a .243 average. Nocella already is in the program record books in career wins (20, 7^th), strikeouts (146, 8^th), and shutouts (4, T-8^th) but if she could cut down on her walks (31 in 2022, 3^rd most in CCC) she could take her game to a previously unseen level.
 
The other primary starter for RWU will be graduate student Ellie Fleming (Mashfield, Mass.). Fleming was plagued by some bad luck last season resulting in a 3-4 record despite a 3.50 ERA. Contrary to Nocella, Fleming relies on locating while also changing speeds to keep the opposition off balance and in turn induces a good amount of soft contact. Teams did hit .323 against her but she rarely issues a free pass (seven in 58.0 innings in 2021) and keeps the ball in the yard (0 HR against over past two seasons) which projects well for continued success.
 
Junior Taylor Myers (East Haven, Conn.) will primarily operate as a reliever, showing teams a different look from the left side. A crafty lefty with great breaking pitches, Myers was solid last season owning a 4.11 ERA despite only accumulating 18 K's across 47.2 innings last season. While teams only hit .282 against Myers, she did give up some barrels resulting in her surrendering allowing 17 extra-base hits including four home runs last spring.
 
Taylor Bigliani (Saint James, N.Y.) is the only other member of the roster with experience in the circle at the college level, appearing in seven career games with one start over the past three seasons.
 
Meanwhile, freshman Nicole Corey (Dighton, Mass.) is an intriguing freshman with upside who will see time toeing the slab this year for the Hawks.  
 
Fielding
Roger Williams was the number-two fielding team in the Commonwealth Coast Conference last season, posting a .955 mark as a squad though they will have some holes to fill, specifically at third base where last spring they featured CCC Defensive Player of the Year Taylor Chatowsky. Despite this, the Hawks have tended to be sound in the field under the guidance of Maudie and they also will benefit from exceptional range at all three outfield spots.
 
Behind the plate, both Naples and Cioffi are terrific defensively and as a team, RWU threw out six would-be base stealers last year, a number that was tied for the most in the conference.
 
"I want to see us be consistent defensively," Maudie said. "Make the routine plays and just be steady and fundamentally sound."
 
Overall
With a great blend of veterans and youth, Roger Williams has a strong chance to open some eyes entering 2022 as they seek their fourth CCC crown, and first since 2013.
 
"We have big shoes to fill (from last season)," Maudie said. "Leadership and emotional maturity will play a big role into our team's success. Our (coaching) staff is looking for a whatever it takes mentality from our team to capitalize on our potential."
 
The Hawks open their season on March 11^th on their spring break trip in Florida with a doubleheader against Alvernia and Marywood. Following their slate of games in the Sunshine State, RWU will return to Bristol with a double-dip against Coast Guard on March 22^nd beginning at 2:30 PM.