Live Video | Live Stats

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team begins its 2014 season this weekend at the Spartan Clash, hosted by Norfolk State, for three games against La Salle, Delaware State and Yale
 
Last Time Out (2013 Season)
The 2013 season for the Knights was one of the best in program history, as they finished with an overall record of 23-21 and 10-10 in the Northeast Conference for a fifth-place finish. Second-year head coach Candi Letts looks to take FDU to the conference tournament with a group that is poised for successful after a great run in 2013.The Knights were projected to finish in fifth place in the NEC when the annual preseason coaches' poll was announced.
 
Sophomore Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) was named Second Team All-NEC as a freshman after compiling an incredible 1.41 ERA and a record of 8-5. Her counterpart behind the plate, sophomore Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School), hit .283 with 41 hits. Wilen had rubber legs behind the plate, catching all 44 games for the Knights last season to go with a solid year behind the plate.
 
La Salle
2013 Season: 16-31 (3-19 Atlantic 10)
When: Saturday, Feb. 22 - 5 p.m.
Where: Norfolk, Va. (NSU Softball Field)
Last Meeting: March 18, 2006 - La Salle 4 FDU 3
What You Need To Know: The Explorers will be led by Megan Hodgson and Kendra Heyer. Hodgson looks to build off of 2013 where she broken the single season home run record with 10 last season; only needing one to break the program record. She also batted .287 with 37 hits, 39 RBI, 22 runs and was perfect on the base paths with eight stolen bases. Heyer led the team batting with a .342 average and 40 hits to go along with being tied with Hodgson for runs scored with 22. La Salle will be led by their one-two punch in the circle with sophomore Mary Cate Scott (8-10, 3.92 ERA) and junior Alicia Aughton (8-17, 4.34), who combined to start 44 of the teams 47 games in 2013.
 
Delaware State
2013 Season: 22-35 (12-6 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
When: Sunday, Feb. 23 - 9 a.m.
Where: Norfolk, Va. (NSU Softball Field)
Series History: FDU leads 3-1
Last Meeting: Feb. 25, 2013 - FDU 9 DSU 1
What You Need To Know: The Hornets finished 2013 in fourth place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season, before falling to Norfolk State in the MEAC tournament. Delaware State was led by a three-headed Hornet in 2013. As a freshmen Nicole Gazzolla set the program's single- season hit record with 86 to go along with a .443 batting average. Sophomore Jessica Madrid batted .360 with 62 hits, while Rochelle Sablay batted .341 and drove in a team-high 45 runs. As a team, the Hornets recorded a .308 batting average.
 
Yale
2013 Season: 10-37 (5-15 Ivy League)
When: Sunday, Feb. 23 - 11 a.m.
Where: Norfolk, Va. (NSU Softball Field)
Series History: Yale leads 7-2
Last Meeting: March 11, 2007 - Yale 6 FDU 3
What You Need To Know: The Bulldogs will be led by junior Sarah Onorato, who finished with a program-record .430 batting average in 2013. While compiling a .430 batting average with 64 hits, Onorato led all offensive categories for Yale belting 14 home runs to go along with 37 runs and 28 RBI. Second-year head coach Jen Goodwin will look to improve a Bulldog team that had a 5.28 ERA and a .247 batting average in 2013.

Up Next
The Knights will head back down to Virginia the following weekend to participate in the Hampton Invitational. FDU will face Columbia and Saint Joseph's on Feb. 28, before taking on Hampton and Hartford on March 1.