Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (1/11/2023) – As the days grow longer and longer, the calendar creeps closer and closer to the start of the 2023 Gwynedd Mercy University softball season. "This is one of the hardest working teams I've seen and they have a lot of fun while doing their work. This year's schedule will challenge us, but I expect great things this spring," said Head Coach David Hoch. The Griffins open their upcoming schedule in mid-March with a spring trip to the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic before returning home for doubleheader dates with Rosemont College, Rutgers-Camden, Ursinus College, King's College (Pa.), the University of Valley Forge, Widener University, Eastern University, and their Atlantic East Conference (AEC) rivals.
 
2023 marks Gwynedd Mercy University's ninth trip to Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Griffins went winless (0-7) on their 2022 excursion and will look to fare better in competition against Bridgewater State University (Mar. 5, 11:00 a.m.), Dean College (Mar. 5, 1:00 p.m.), New Jersey City University (Mar. 7, 3:00 p.m.), Lancaster Bible College (Mar. 7, 7:00 p.m.), Sweet Briar College (Mar. 8, 9:00 a.m.), Elms College (Mar. 8, 1:00 p.m.), Delaware Valley University (Mar. 9, 5:00 p.m.), Clarks Summit University (Mar. 9, 7:00 p.m.), Thiel College (Mar. 10, 1:00 p.m.), and Alvernia University (Mar. 10, 5:00 p.m.). Bridgewater State University was the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MSCAC) runner-up with a 23-16-1 overall mark and a 12-2 conference standing in 2022. Meanwhile, Sweet Briar College will be competing for the first time since 2017. The only hold over from last year's visit to the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic is Thiel College, who defeated the Griffins in an 8-0, six-inning final on March 8. 
 
Upon returning home, Gwynedd Mercy University will visit Rosemont College (Mar. 17, 5/7:00 p.m.), Rutgers-Camden (Mar. 20, 3/5:00 p.m.), and Ursinus College (Mar. 21, 3/5:00 p.m.) for their first doubleheaders of the year. The 2022 doubleheaders with the Ravens and the Scarlet Raptors were cancelled, but the Griffins challenged the Bears in a pair of competitive losses (L, 3-6/L, 6-9 on Mar. 22) a year ago.
 
With the refurbishment of the campus softball field in progresses, Gwynedd Mercy University will host their 2023 home dates at nearby Temple Ambler campus (Butler Pike and Woods Drive, Ambler, Pennsylvania 19002). The Griffins' first guest will mark the start of their AEC schedule as they host Centenary University (NJ) in a noon (12:00 p.m.) twin bill on March 25. The Cyclones won both 2022 contests, defeating Gwynedd Mercy University by finals of 3-2 (9 innings) and 8-0 (5).
 
March concludes with a home, non-conference doubleheader against King's College (Pa.) (Mar. 27, 3/5:00 p.m.) and April opens with twin bills versus Neumann University (Apr. 1, 12/2:00 p.m.) and the University of Valley Forge (Apr. 3, 3/5:00 p.m.). The Griffins split with the Knights in 2022, winning the first game of the conference doubleheader with RBI-base hits in the fifth, sixth, and seventh frames on a 5-2 final.
 
The dates versus the Patriots mark the first-ever meeting between the University of Valley Forge and Gwynedd Mercy University; the Griffins departed the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) following the 2018 season, while the Patriots just completed their second season as a member of the league with a 1-15 league standing.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University then briefly returns to AEC play for a pair of April-6 contests at Immaculata University (Apr. 6, 3/5:00 p.m.) before visiting Widener University for an April-12 non-conference twin bill. Both the Mighty Macs (L, 0-8 (5)/L, 4-5 on Apr. 22) and Pride (L, 5-7/L, 6-8) swept their 2022 doubleheaders with the Griffins.
 
That on-and-off pattern of conference play repeats itself twice more before the conclusion of the season. The Griffins host Marywood University (Apr. 15, 12/2:00 p.m.) for a league doubleheader and Eastern University (Apr. 19, 3/5:00 p.m.) for a non-conference twin bill before traveling to league-rival Cabrini University (Apr. 22, 12/2:00 p.m.) and non-league member Moravian University (Apr. 25, 3/5:00 p.m.). Afterwards, a league doubleheader at Marymount University (Apr. 29, 12/2:00 p.m.) and a home doubleheader with Albright College (May 1, 3/5:00 p.m.) will bring close to the 2023 regular season. Gwynedd Mercy University was swept in the league doubleheaders with the Pacers (L, 0-8 (6)/L, 2-3) and Cavaliers (L, 0-8 (5)/L, 2-4), while 2023 marks their first meeting with the Eagles since 2008 and their first meeting with the Lions since 2004.
 
The Griffins did not qualify for the 2022 AEC Softball Championship Tournament, which concluded with Cabrini University eliminating top-seeded Marywood University with back-to-back victories (3-0/5-1 on May 8).
 
Gwynedd Mercy University will look to take their first step back to postseason play on March 5 (11:00 a.m.), when they square off against Bridgewater State University in their first competition at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.