Sign of spring: LHU softball set for 2022 season, PSAC announces preseason poll
LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) on Tuesday released its 2022 Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Lock Haven University ranked seventh in the Eastern Division as they prepare to open the season on February 26th.
LHU opens the season in Glenville, West Virginia against West Virginia Wesleyan in the Glenville State Spring Tournament on Saturday, February 26th at 12:00 p.m. The Bald Eagles also square off against Clarion, Seton Hill and Glenville State in a four-game opening weekend February 26-27.
Schedule:
After opening the season in West Virginia, the Bald Eagles head even further south to Winter Haven, Florida for the PFX Tournament. LHU will have a busy stretch of eight games from March 11-15 and kicks off the tournament on Friday (Mar. 11) against American International at 1:30 p.m.
Key Returners:
LHU returns a large chunk of talent both at the plate and in the circle. In the batter’s box, the Bald Eagles return their top-four team leaders in hits in 2021. Riley McClellan returns with a team-high 34 hits and five homeruns. Summer Peters and Haley Lestician both notched 31 hits last spring and Morgan Karasek tallied 14.
Lock Haven also returns its top-three pitchers in innings pitched and strikeouts. Madison Waltman led the Bald Eagles in both innings pitched (84.2) and strikeouts (59). Kinley Gioglio recorded up 17 strikeouts in her 41.1 innings of work, and Jada Schellhammer notched 15 K’s in 57.1 innings pitched.
Poll Results:
In the PSAC preseason coaches poll the Bald Eagles were ranked seventh in the Eastern Division. The Haven was 10-22 in 2021’s conference-only season, and 5-11 at home on Lawrence Field.
Defending champion West Chester received six of the nine first-place votes in the East and claimed the top spot. In second, Kutztown brought home the remaining three first-place votes. Rounding out the top three was East Stroudsburg followed by Shepherd and Shippensburg in fourth and fifth-place, respectively. In sixth, Bloomsburg slid just ahead of the Bald Eagles in seventh-place, while Millersville and Mansfield wrapped up the poll.
In the Western Division, 2021 runner-up Seton Hill received seven first-place votes to claim the top spot, followed by Gannon in second-place with the remaining two first-place votes. California (Pa.) wrapped up the top three in the West.
Full Poll Results:
EAST (# of First-Place Votes)
1. West Chester (6)
2. Kutztown (3)
3. East Stroudsburg
4. Shepherd
5. Shippensburg
6. Bloomsburg
7. Lock Haven
8. Millersville
9. Mansfield
WEST
1. Seton Hill (7)
2. Gannon (2)
3. Cal U
4. IUP
5. Mercyhurst
6. Edinboro
T7. Clarion
T7. Slippery Rock
9. Pitt-Johnstown
