PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle softball season gets under way on Saturday, March 2 as the Explorers open play at the Rebel Springs Games in Orlando, Fla. The Explorers play a total of eight games against six teams over the spring break period - the season opener is at 11:00 AM against South Dakota. The squad has added seven new young ladies to the roster, all eager to earn playing time in the early weeks of the season.
 
The Explorers are a relatively young squad, boasting only two seniors – Liz Reed and Tristan Musho. Reed is a testament to consistency given she started in every game of the season for the past two seasons. The second-baseman batted .254 and led the team with six doubles. Musho is another reliable player – she made appearances as catcher in all 49 games last season, starting in 47 of those.
 
Returning to the squad is Alicia Aughton who was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team at the conclusion of last year's season. The sophomore pitcher recorded 25 complete games with 196.1 innings pitched and 99 strikeouts last season, all of which led the team. Aughton also ranked second on the team in home runs (4) and batting percentage (.368).
 
Joining Aughton in the circle are sophomores Kristin Travers and Alyssa Bitsimis. Travers started in 41 games last season, 14 of which she was the starting pitcher. Bitsimis recorded seven starts and saw action in 41 games on the season.
 
Freshmen outfielders Kendra Heyer and Casey Lester bring a great deal of offensive strength to the program. A Bothell, Washington native, Heyer is an all-around machine. She batted .636 and recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage her senior year at Bothell high school. At Gilroy high school, Lester garnered three consecutive MVP offensive player of the year awards and batted .477 her junior year.
 
“If all else stays the same, [Heyer and Lester] will bat one-two so we're going to count on them to get on base,” head coach Ron Shoemaker said. 
 
The rest of the freshman squad includes Alli Waddington, Genevieve Gaynor, Paige Giunta, Alyssa Sims, and Mary Cate Scott.
 
The Explorers have a total of 53 games scheduled for the season