Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (6/5/2023) – Gwynedd Mercy University opened the 2023 season with their best start in program history thanks to six straight wins at the Fastpitch Dreams Classic. They were led to the #6 seed in the 2023 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Softball Championship Tournament by juniors; third baseman/pitcher Grace Scally (Philadelphia, Pa.) – who second straight All-AEC Second Team selection - second baseman/pitcher Ashley Focht (Harrisburg, Pa.), and second baseman/left fielder Shylynn Cordero (Allentown, Pa.). Senior first baseman Allison Ross (Philadelphia, Pa.) batted in five runs in a 12-3 five-inning victory over #4 Neumann University to advance the Griffins to the second day Championship Pod Play, but a lack of offense against the eventual league champion, #1 Cabrini University ended Gwynedd Mercy University's first double-digit win season under Head Coach Dave Hoch on a 17-18 (4-8 AEC) overall mark.  
 
A red-hot Gwynedd Mercy University began their season and stay at the 2023 Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic with wins over Bridgewater State University (W, 7-0 on Mar. 5), Dean College (W, 13-5 (6) on Mar. 5), New Jersey City University (NJCU) (W, 17-3 (5) on Mar. 7), Lancaster Bible College (W, 8-7 on Mar. 7), Sweet Briar College (W, 7-3 on Mar. 8), and Elms College (W, 9-4 on Mar. 8). The spring trip concluded with a March-9 split as the Griffins took a narrow 5-4 loss to Delaware Valley University before defeating Clarks Summit University by a 14-10 final. Junior Jocelyn Baumeister (Willow Grove, Pa.) swept the March-6 AEC Weekly Softball Awards, garnering the league's Player and Pitcher of the Week honors as she went the full seven versus Bridgewater State University, earning the win (1-0, 7.0 IP, 2H, BB, 6K) over the Bears while going 2-for-3 with a run and four runs-batted-in (RBI). Scally followed Baumeister as the AEC Player of the Week on March 13, garnering the title with a .688 (11-for-16)/1.063/.632 (AVG/SLG/OBP) slash line that produced five runs and nine RBI over the Griffins' final five games in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
 
Following their return home and a week's rest, Gwynedd Mercy University took up their bats for a March-17 doubleheader at Rosemont College. A split with the Ravens saw Focht throw a complete game (W, 7.0 IP, 6H, 6R, 1ER, 3BB, 3K) and record two hits (2-for-4) in a 7-6 game-two victory.

Three days later (Mar. 20), the Griffins advanced their early-season record to 10-2 with a sweep of Rutgers-Camden. Baumeister played hero in game one with an eighth-inning single to center field that plated Cordero for the game-winning run of a 3-2 extra-inning final. Focht did it all in 6-5 game two victory with the win (6.0 IP, 11H, 5R, 5ER, BB, K), a pair of hits (2-for-4), a run, and two RBI.
 
A pair of March-21 losses at Ursinus College (L, 2-4/L, 5-6) and a 1-3 start to the AEC season cooled Gwynedd Mercy University to an 11-7 record over their first month. Nevertheless, Scally and junior first baseman/pitcher Ashley Haggerty (East Norriton, Pa.) were named to the AEC Softball Weekly Honor Roll (Apr. 3) for their contributions to the Griffins' showing versus Centenary University (L, 6-2/L, 8-5 on Mar. 29) and Neumann University (L, 3-2/W, 8-6 on Mar. 31). Scally did damage in the second game of both doubleheaders as she was 2-for-4 with a run, two doubles, and two RBI against the Cyclones, then 2-for-3 with a run, a double, her first collegiate home run, and three RBI against the Knights. Haggerty played 5.1 innings at first base before earning her second win of the season with the final five outs from the circle; 1.2 IP, 1H 1K.
 
Fortunately, the Griffins opened April with sweeps of Valley Forge University (W, 8-0 (5)/W, 3-0 on Apr. 3) and Immaculata University (W, 8-5/W, 5-2 on Apr. 5) as the season closed with a 1-9 stretch that's lone victory was a 6-0 game-one win over Marywood University (Apr. 19). Baumeister (W, 5.0 IP, 2H, 2BB, 7K) and Focht (W, 7.0 IP, 4H, 4BB, 3K) kept the Patriots off the scoreboard for a 12-inning twin bill and stayed on top of the Mighty Macs while sophomore outfielder Ally McDaid (Maple Glen, Pa.) went 6-for-10 with a walk, two runs, and two RBI en route to her first AEC Weekly Honor Roll (Apr. 11) appearance. Focht collected her eighth win and second shutout of the season in the victory over the Pacers; she celebrated a Senior Class that included Ross, Hannah McLaughlin (Stratford, N.J.), Emma Carney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), and Katelyn Barker (Newtown Square, Pa.) by scattering six hits and three walks over seven innings.
 
A 4-8 conference standing earned Gwynedd Mercy University the #6 seed for the 2023 AEC Softball Championship Tournament. There, Ross nearly defeated Neumann University single-handedly as she doubled in a run in the second inning, singled in two runs in the third, and singled in two more in the fifth to keep the Griffins alive in Championship Pod Play. Her heroic performance earned Gwynedd Mercy University a second chance at #1 Cabrini University. Regrettably, the Cavaliers controlled the postseason rematch behind a no-hit performance from the eventual AEC Pitcher of the Year, senior Avery Byrnes (Downingtown, Pa.).
 
Scally earned her second straight All-AEC Second Team selection and anchored the Gwynedd Mercy University lineup with team-highs in hits (39), doubles (10), total bases (52), slugging (SLG) (.545), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (.976) while ranking among the AEC Top-10 in triples (T10^th, 1), batting average (9^th, .394), OPS (9^th), hits (T9^th), total bases (8^th), SLG (8^th), doubles (T8^th, 10), and sacrifice flies (T3^rd, 2). Scally also made three appearances in the circle, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits and three walks. She struck out five over 9.2 innings.
 
Focht anchored the pitching staff with a 9-8 record and a 3.85 earned run average (ERA) over 94.2 innings in the circle; she allowed 52 earned runs on 137 hits and 27 walks, while striking out 28. Focht also led the team in RBI (23) thanks to a .324 (33-for-102)/.330/.343 (AVG/OBP/SLG) slash line. Fellow pitcher/infielder, Baumeister finished 6-8 with a 5.80 ERA over 82.0 innings in the circle; she struck out 56 while allowing 68 earned runs on 119 hits and 40 walks. At the plate, Baumeister scored 13 runs and knocked in 17 with a .361 (26-for-72)/.432/.458 slash line. As the Griffins' leadoff batter, Cordero led Gwynedd Mercy University in runs (33), walks (12), and stolen bases (10-of-11, .909).