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Softball Brandon Sans

Seahawks Ready For Season Opener

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Anchored by four All-CAA returnees, the UNCW softball team opens its 38th season of play on the road in the CSU Kickoff Tournament with a pair of weekend doubleheaders against Toledo and Charleston Southern at the CSU Softball Complex.

The Seahawks, led by 10th year Head Coach Kristy Norton, take part in the CSU Kickoff Tournament, beginning at noon on Saturday against Toledo. UNCW then battles host CSU at 5 p.m. in a game aired on ESPN3 featuring Larry Sienko and John Peters on the call.

UNCW concludes the tournament on Sunday with another twinbill against the Rockets at 10 a.m. and the Buccaneers at noon.

"There are a lot of good vibes going on with our team," said Norton. "We are excited about the opportunity to compete and really see how this group holds up the standards we have developed over the last few months."

UNCW is coming off a 15-23 season, including an even 9-9 split in Colonial Athletic Association play to finish third in the CAA South division.

The Buccaneers went 11-24 last season, while the Rockets posted a 32-11 record one year ago.

Three All-CAA seniors, catcher Jada Santiago, along with two-way players Logan Bjorson and Janel Gamache, return as linchpins in the Port City. They are joined by emerging sophomore middle infielder Tayler Vitola.

Santiago, an All-CAA First-Teamer and Team MVP, was the circuit's fifth-leading hitter with a .390 batting average last season. The Pine Level, N.C., product finished tied for second in the conference with 11 doubles to complement a. 481 OBP, good for fourth in the CAA.

Gamache, a Second-Team All-CAA selection, was one of the CAA's top two-way players one year ago. At the plate, the Exeter, R.I., product finished fourth in the CAA in batting average (.391) and tied for fifth in doubles. In the circle, Gamache ranked 11th in the league with a 3.40 ERA in 55.2 innings with 36 strikeouts.

In the circle, Bjorson led the CAA and tied the school record with three saves last season. The righty held opponents to a .246 average, which ranked fifth in the CAA over 19 appearances.

Meanwhile, Vitola, an All-Rookie team selection, returns after finishing among the conference leaders in several statistical categories, including batting average (.368, 10th), hits (43, t-8th), and runs (29, 10th).

UNCW's 46-game regular-season schedule features 30 home games at Boseman Field, including an 18-game homestand from Feb. 18-Mar. 13.

UNCW kicks off its home schedule on Friday, Feb. 18, with a 1 p.m. first pitch against Marist. The Seahawks and Red Foxes will play a doubleheader.

The CAA Championship, hosted by Elon on May 11-13, will feature a five-team field with the champion earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
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Players Mentioned

Logan Bjorson

#20 Logan Bjorson

UTIL
5' 6"
Junior
R/R
Janel Gamache

#9 Janel Gamache

P/IF
5' 11"
Junior
R/R
Jada Santiago

#7 Jada Santiago

C
5' 6"
Junior
R/R
Tayler Vitola

#27 Tayler Vitola

UTIL
5' 7"
Freshman
L/R

Players Mentioned

Logan Bjorson

#20 Logan Bjorson

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
UTIL
Janel Gamache

#9 Janel Gamache

5' 11"
Junior
R/R
P/IF
Jada Santiago

#7 Jada Santiago

5' 6"
Junior
R/R
C
Tayler Vitola

#27 Tayler Vitola

5' 7"
Freshman
L/R
UTIL