- Posted in All University
- Category: AthleticsCampus News
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA - When the Lincoln University softball team step onto the field for its season opener against Emory & Henry, it will be the first collegiate games for 85 percent of the team’s roster.
Despite the youth, it’s a team that has already garnered respect from the head coaches inside the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. But don’t expect the lofty prognostications to inflate the egos of the student-athletes donning the Orange and Blue for the Lions.
First-year head coach Renee Clarke has assembled a team that loves to compete and will be ready for the challenges the high expectations early in their careers.
“We are going to be competitive and scrappy,” said Clarke. “We will play good defense and get good pitching, and if we build off those facets – we will manufacture runs.”
Junior college transfer Amaya Townsend brings some college experience to the circle. In her two seasons at Lackawanna, she posted a 3.00 ERA with 7.64 strikeouts per seven innings. She will be joined by freshmen Tia Brown, Cate Liskey, and Sydney Davis, all of whom performed well in the fall.
The quartet all bring something different to the staff as Clarke will deploy them in a variety of facets during the season.
While good pitching is imperative, strong defense up the middle is where championships are won. With freshman Irlynn Richardson at shortstop and freshman Aniyah Isaac in centerfield, Lincoln has the cornerstone for fantastic defense up the middle.
“We are blessed to have Aniyah and IrLynn,” said Clarke. “Having a solid shortstop and centerfield can make everything around them go smoother.”
Freshman Jasmine Solis will spend a lot of time at second base with freshman transfer MacKienzee Rasheed and Davis possibly playing up the middle as well. Rasheed comes from Albany State, where she started games at third base, first base, catcher and designated player, while hitting .333.
Behind the plate more freshmen Jarae Turner and Kevyn Jones will split innings for the Lions.
The rest of the infield could see freshmen Jaelynn Barrios and Cailyn Dove man the corners. Jones and Townsend could see some time at third base, while Brown and Rasheed could see some time at first base.
There is a plethora of options for the corner outfielders as Rasheed, freshman Simone Hanner and freshman Lakya’h Young will compete in right field, and Townsend, Liskey, sophomore Jasmin Lewis, and freshman Jazzmin Haman will compete in left field. Lewis is the lone other player on the roster with collegiate at-bats, hitting .333 in the abbreviated 2020 season.
Freshman Jada Howard and junior Nydira Burton will compete for back-up innings in centerfield.
With a plethora of options to fill out a lineup, opponents can look for the trio of Townsend, Barrios and Dove to anchor the middle of the order.
The Lions begins the 2022 season with a doubleheader against Emory & Henry 1 p.m. February 19.
