Pioneer softball opens year ranked 20th in NJCAA

SMC's softball team will begin the season ranked No. 20 in the NJCAA preseason poll.

The Pioneers went 41-15 last season, 21-4 in Region 10 to win a second straight regular-season championship. They finished runner-up in the tournament for a fourth straight season and just missed a trip to the World Series.

Among the returners are Kelli Shealy (Gilbert), who batted .309 last season with eight home runs and 51 RBIs; and Hannah Knight (Buford), who hit .329 last season with three home runs and 21 RBIs while stealing 43 bases.

Thad Fox has led SMC to a 141-60 record in his four seasons and has been named Region X coach of the year twice in a row after back-to-back 40-win seasons.

The Pioneers have an exhibition doubleheader Friday at home against Erskine and Feb. 6 at Gardner-Webb before opening the regular season Feb. 7 at a tournament in Cartersville, Ga.