ALBANY, N.Y.- The University at Albany softball team is set to travel back to the sunshine state this weekend for the Spring Games in Boombah Soldier's Creek. The tournament will be on Friday, February 28 through Sunday, March 1. The Great Danes are slated to face Western Michigan, Loyola Chicago, Dartmouth, FIU and Detroit Mercy. 
 
Tournament Info
Friday, February 28 vs. Western Michigan (3:30 pm)
Friday, February 28 vs. Dartmouth (6:00 pm)
Saturday, February 29 vs. Loyola Chicago (11:00 am)
Saturday Febrary 29 vs. FIU (1:30 pm)
Sunday, March 1 vs. Detroit Mercy (8:30 pm)
Sunday, March 1 vs. Loyola Chicago (11:00 am)
 
All games can be watched on FloSoftball.
 
Leading the Pack

• Madison Petrella leads the Great Danes in batting average (.571), doubles (3), home runs (2), rbi (9).
• Alexis Phillips has scored five runs, tallied eight hits, and has two doubles.
• Morgan Petty has eight hits in 17 at-bats, and has scored five runs.
• Kelly Barkevich is second on the team with one home run.
• The Great Danes tallied 10 stolen bases at the Spring Games last weekend.
• Wendi Hammond, Chloe Lewis and Maranda Jimenez each have victories in the circle. 
• Jimenez also recorded her first save of the season on Sunday against Manhattan.

 Scouting the Opponents

• Western Michigan enters the tournament with a 2-7 record. The team is coming off a 3-2 loss to Green Bay to close out the Bruin Challenge. Junior Sydney Stefanick leads the team in batting average (.429), and has seen most of the action in the circle with a 4.91 ERA.
• Dartmouth enters the tournament with a 3-2 record. The team is coming off an eight-inning 2-1 victory over North Carolina A&T to close out the Charleston Classic. Abby Shipley leads the Big Green in hits (7), doubles (2) and rbi (4). Madie Augusto leads in the circle with two wins.
• Loyola Chicago enters the tournament with a 7-3 record. The team is coming off three straight wins to close out the Bearkat Classic. Allyson Ivey leads with 16 rbis and one home run. In the circle, Sydney Ruggles has four wins with 15 strikeouts.
• Detroit Mercy enters with a 0-13 record and are coming off losses at the Mardi Gras Mambo. Reese Ruhlman has six RBIs and seven hits, and Liz Murphy leads in the circle with 28 strikeuts.
• FIU enters with a 2-6 record, and are coming off five straight losses at the UCF Tournament. Alexis Johns leads the team in hits (12) and Allison Muraskin has two wins in the circle with a 1.62 ERA.

Petrella Tabbed Rookie of the Week
Petrella earned weekly conference honors this week after having a stellar weekend at the plate in the Spring Games.  Petrella was named Rookie of the Week, as the conference announced Tuesday.
The League City, Texas native paced the Great Danes offense hitting .571 with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs. Petrella hit her first collegiate home run in the win against Merrimack, and then followed it up with a two-run shot in the victory over Manhattan.
 
Great Danes Picked Fifth in Preseason Poll
The Great Danes were selected to finish fifth in this year's America East Preseason Poll. The Great Danes tallied 18 points, finishing ahead of Hartford (13 points) and Maine (six points). America East 2019 Tournament runner-up Stony Brook was picked to finish first with 34 points and four first place votes. Rounding out the rest of the top four was UMass Lowell (31 points) in second with two first place votes, defending champion UMBC (24 points) in third with one first place vote and Binghamton (21 points) in fourth.
 
Rookies Return
Sophomores Lové Drumgole and Chloe Lewis return for the Great Danes after having strong rookie seasons. Both were named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2019.Drumgole has was a regular in the Great Danes lineup, starting 38 games at shortstop. The infielder had a breakout game against Niagara on April 25, as she racked up two doubles and scored two runs to help the Great Danes to a 7-0 win. Lewis finished her first season in the circle with a 3.59 ERA in 18 appearances, and tallied three wins.
 
Keepin it Fresh
This season, the Great Danes welcome 10 freshmen to the roster. Wendi Hammond, Caitlyn Mitros, Adian Sheeren, Natalie Florschutz, Madison Petrella, Breanna Bryant, Kaycee Hawk, Morgan Petty, Emma Adams and Schuyler Ossman all look to make their collegiate debuts in 2020. 
 
Seeing Double
Falotico led the Great Danes with 15 doubles in 2019 which was tied for second in the conference. The junior also hit not one, but two home runs in the same inning in a 13-5 victory over Binghamton last season.

Next
The Great Danes will continue tournament play at the Liberty Challenge on Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15.