BOSTON – As the 2018 Suffolk softball first pitch – set for Saturday, March 10 in Clermont, Florida, versus Geneseo at THE Spring Games – looms, GoSuffolkRams.com will give Ram Nation an insider's look at each position. The final of three installments features the infield and catcher.
Suffolk boasts diverse personnel manning the infield and will rely on a number of skillsets.
Senior second baseman Madison Eucalitto and juniors Jaclyn Flint (shortstop) and McKenzie McGrath (third baseman) represent the returning guard on the infield dirt.
Sporting the lethal combination of a power bat and steady glove, Flint slugged .600 and recorded an .881 fielding percentage in the most demanding defensive position. She enters her third year on the verge of emerging in the Rams record book with six homers and 14 doubles.
Eucalitto is one of six seniors on the squad and not only brings years of experience, but also familiarity with the starting lineup. The captain slashed .307/.409/.380 as a junior with one dinger, eight doubles, one triple and 11 RBIs.
McGrath broke out as a freshman in 2016, immediately cracking the starting lineup at the hot corner and remaining there throughout back-to-back seasons. One of the most consistent gloves on the field with a.930 fielding percentage, McGrath looks to improve upon her batting numbers .299/.356/.318 from a year ago.
With the departure of four-year starter and Suffolk's all-time putouts leader Lindsay Pagano, first is wide open. The fresh face of Kelly Keane, a rookie from Hamilton, New Jersey, is the top contender to fill the void.
When not commanding the circle, freshman Payton Sylvester may provide a spark in the middle infield or fill in as the Rams' designated player.
Behind the plate Delaney Sylvester's role calling games and protecting the plate is vital, as is her bat in the middle of Suffolk's order. She led the way offensively with .421/.474/.686 and 10 homers to increase her total to 22, which lands second in the Rams' ranks. Her team-high 61 hits produced 39 RBI with the three-time all-region selection crossing the plate 26 times.