The 2010 season was a mixed bag of results for the Emory softball program.  With a number of new faces in the lineup on a regular basis, the Eagles recorded the school’s 11^th consecutive winning campaign, compiling an overall record of 25-16.  The squad’s final win total also represented the 11^th straight effort of 20 or more wins by the program.  And while the club saw its streak of NCAA Tournament appearances end at four, there were a number of notable accomplishments that the 2010 team could take pride in, and which bodes well for the future.

** Winning its fourth UAA Championship in the 12-year history of the program and first since 2003 with a 6-2 won-lost ledger at the league’s tournament.

** Leading the UAA and ranking 16^th nationally in hitting with a .348 mark, the second-highest effort in school history.

** Ranking fifth nationally in fielding percentage (.972) and 58^th in slugging percentage (.464)

** Hitting 20 home runs, the third-highest seasonal mark in school annals.

** Outscoring the opposition by a 240-105 margin.

Heading into the season, head coach Penny Siqueiros knew that there would be some voids to fill following the graduation of six seniors from the 2009 unit that battled to a won-lost mark of 32-12.  On the offensive side of things, five of six graduates combined for a career total of 582 hits, 31 homers, 678 games played and 348 RBIs.  The sixth, pitcher Shanon Andersen, notched 38 wins in her two years with the program while striking out 445 opponents.

Emory spent the early portion of the season looking for a comfort level, as well as battling some bizarre weather, and got out of the blocks with a 3-6 record after nine games.  However, the Eagles rebounded and rattled off five straight wins that included their first two encounters at the UAA Tournament, including a 5-0 win over No. 6-ranked Washington University.  The Eagles used that early momentum in chalking up a 6-2 slate en route to a conference championship. 

Emory continued its winning ways with victories in seven of eight games following the UAAs and stood 19-9 following a doubleheader sweep of Agnes Scott on April 7. After dropping back-to-back doubleheader decisions to NAIA members Berry College and Reinhardt College, the team responded with four straight victories, sweeping doubleheaders against region foes Piedmont College and LaGrange College.  The twin killings of the Lions and Panthers boosted the Eagles’ record to 23-13 and kept the hopes alive for a berth to the NCAA Tournament.   However, a 4-3 win against LaGrange came with a price as sophomore slugger Jessica Thomas suffered an injury that forced her out of action for the next five games.  Without her imposing presence in the lineup, the Eagles came out on the short end of three of those affairs, all by one run, thus dashing hopes for postseason play.

Senior center fielder Cassie Walsh was one of four seniors on the squad and she closed out her honor-filled career in grand style by becoming the program’s all-time leader with 228 hits. A starter in all 41 games, her team-high batting average of .434 ranked third among UAA players and represented the third time that she had hit .400 or better.  The owner of a team-high 20 multiple-hit games in 2010, she was a NFCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team honoree and captured All-UAA Second Team acclaim as well.  Her 63 safeties topped the club and placed sixth on the school’s seasonal list.  Other all-time categories that Walsh figured prominently include batting average (3^rd, .415), games played (t-8^th, 165), runs scored (4^th, 145) and stolen bases (1^st, 67).

Caitlin Fitzgerald was another senior who played a key role in the fortunes of the 2010 team.  Fitzgerald, who saw the bulk of her duties as the designated player, played in all 41 games and drew 39 starting assignments.  She hit a career-high .396, third on the team and seventh in the UAA, and manufactured 14 multi-hit games.  Like Walsh, she garnered Atlantic Region and All-UAA second-team recognition. Career-wise, she finished with a batting average of .363 (161-of-444), good for 11th place on the school's all-time chart. She ended up ranked among the top 15 performers at Emory in 17 different categories including seventh in RBIs (104) and 11th in hits (161).

Freshman Ellyn Kocoloski emerged as a dynamic offensive threat and concluded the season with a hefty .433 batting average that was second only to Walsh among Eagles and fourth in the UAA.  Kocoloski, who held down first base duties, was named the UAA Rookie of the Year and landed conference first-team honors after registering 17 multi-hit games and five homers.  She was the program’s lone representative on the NFCA All-Atlantic First Team and also found a spot on the UAA All-Tournament Team after hitting .577 over the eight games.

Sophomore Jessica Thomas continued to be a vital cog in the Emory offense, battering opposing pitchers for a .389 hitting mark.  A starter in 36 of 39 contests, she socked six homers and her team-high 38 RBIs slotted her fourth among UAA players and tied the 11^th highest seasonal showing in school history.  She was named to the All-UAA First Team and was an All-Atlantic Second Team honoree and wound up the year with 13 multiple-hit and eight multi-RBI games.  After two seasons with the program, Thomas is fourth in career batting average at Emory (.405), 12^th in doubles (24) and RBIs (77) and tied for third with 12 home runs.

Sophomore Bridget Holloway established herself as the ace of the pitching staff, finishing with a  won-lost record of 15-10.  She tossed 170 1/3 innings, third highest among UAA players during the year, and posted an ERA of 2.05.  She completed 19 of her 24 starts and fanned 119 opposing batters while issuing just 17 base-on-balls. Her efforts as the workhorse of the mound corps enabled her to snare All-Atlantic Team Second Team honors.

Honors and Awards