BOSTON – Head coach Jaclyn Davis unveiled the2019 Suffolk softball calendar Tuesday afternoon. The 40-game slate features four teams that had their hats in the NCAA bracket a year ago, Spring Break trip and eight home doubleheaders at East Boston Memorial Park.
Play commences in the Sunshine State once again as the Rams take their talents to The Spring Games in Central Florida for the second straight season. Over four days, Suffolk will compete in 10 games with half of the competition – Rhodes (March 9), Plymouth State (March 9), Montclair State (March 12), William Patterson (March 13) and Finlandia (March 13 – being fresh faces for the Rams in the program's 34-year history. Meetings with the University of New England (March 10), Gettysburg (March 10), Amherst (March 12), UMass Dartmouth (March 14) and Arcadia (March 14) are also on the Spring Break Schedule.
Ram Nation will not have to wait long for its first glimpse at Suffolk's 2019 squad as the Rams are set to lift the lid on its home calendar Saturday, March 23 when Roger Williams visits Eastie. The next day the blue-and-gold opens a road swing at Emerson with trips to Brandeis and Curry set for Tuesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 28, respectively.
A Saturday, March 30 showdown with Western New England closes out the first month of play.
A Tuesday, April 2 against Lesley serving as final prep before conference competition commences at Rivier Saturday, April 6.
Suffolk will spend the next week at home as Anna Maria (April 7), Becker (April 10) and Norwich (April 13) all stop by Beantown before heading out on the road to St. Joseph (Conn.) (April 14) and Emmanuel (April 18).
From there, the Rams will honor its three-member Class of 2019 against Albertus Magnus Saturday, April 20 before concluding home action versus Johnson & Wales Friday, April 26.
The blue-and-gold treks to Standish, Maine, a day after hosting the Wildcats to wrap up the regular-season at Saint Joseph's (Maine), Saturday, April 27.
Davis' Rams will have a fresh look this season as her 18-player roster is split in have with returners and rookies. Highlighting the group is two-time all-league selection, junior Ashley Zulla (.432/.500/.802), who will take her talents from right field to behind the dish this year. Seniors Jaclyn Flint (.381/.423/.571), McKenzie McGrath (.361/.410/.435) and Hannah DelCervo (10.2 IP, 15 Ks) are back in blue-and-gold for their final campaigns and look to lead Suffolk to GNAC glory for the first time in the Davis era and first time since the league's inaugural season in 1996.