Softball Set to Open 2018 Season at Cleveland State

The Canisius softball team will officially open the 39th season in program history Saturday, Feb. 10, when the Golden Griffins travel to Cleveland to take part in the Cleveland State Dome Tournament.

The Griffs will return to the Cleveland State to open the year, the program's fifth trip to the event in the last six seasons. Canisius will meet Bowling Green Saturday, Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m., to start the season, and the Blue and Gold will also play the host Vikings in the first tournament on the schedule. On Sunday, Feb. 11 the Griffs face-off against Robert Morris at 11 a.m., followed by a final contest with Cleveland State at 4 p.m.

Canisius returns 10 starters and two pitchers from last year's team that posted a 21-32 overall record and a 9-11 mark in MAAC play. Junior designated player Lauren Castro was named to the 2018 Preseason All-MAAC Team, the conference announced on Tuesday. Fellow junior Denver Keller, earned All-MAAC Second-Team accolades last season after she hit .319 with eight doubles, a triple, four home runs, 25 runs scored and 22 RBI in her sophomore season. She started 49 games in 2017, and ended the season with 13 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games.

The MAAC office also announced the 2018 MAAC Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Tuesday, and the Griffs were tabbed to finish seventh. Defending MAAC champion Fairfield is the league's preseason favorite to win the conference's title, as the Stags received six first-place votes and 111 total points. Monmouth received three first-place vote and earned 98 points to place second, while Marist (95 points), Iona (89 points) and Manhattan (84 points) rounded out spots three through five in the poll. Siena was voted to finish sixth with 69 points, with Canisius (51 points), Quinnipiac (49 points) and Niagara (46 points) ranking seven through ninth. Rider (17 points) and Saint Peter's (17 points) finished tied for 10th in the league.

The Blue and Gold will open their home slate March 25 when the team plays Robert Morris in a non-league doubleheader at the Demske Sports Complex. The 2018 MAAC Softball Championship will be hosted at the home site of the league's regular-season champion. This year's league championship is set to be held May 9-12.

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Players Mentioned

#33 Lauren Castro: P/INF; 5' 5"; Junior

#6 Denver Keller: IF; 5' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#33 Lauren Castro
: 5' 5"; Junior
: P/INF

#6 Denver Keller
: 5' 6"; Junior
: IF

Players Mentioned

#33 Lauren Castro

#6 Denver Keller

Players Mentioned

#33 Lauren Castro

#6 Denver Keller