The Davis & Elkins College softball team heads into their second season under the direction of head coach Elle Fracker. The team looks to improve on their 11-21 season in 2021. Fracker and assistant coach Kellsi Peterson hit the recruiting trail hard adding nine freshmen and one transfer to the 13 returning players. Fracker said, "I am extremely excited to get the 2022 season underway, we have added 10 strong additions to our core of returners."

The Senators welcome back star hitter Lilly Saucedo for her sophomore season. As a freshman, Saucedo batted .356, with seven home runs, eight doubles, and 25 RBIs. Saucedo led the Senators in hits, home runs, and slugging percentage. Saucedo's efforts earned her a spot on the Mountain East Conference Second Team.  

The team welcomes back a veteran pitching staff with three seniors returning for the 2022 campaign. Between Haley Grindstaff, Jenna Evans, and Ava Willis the trio pitched a combined 196.9 out of a possible 200 innings. Grindstaff said, "There are aspects of this game that I am so excited to see implemented this season that I haven't in my four years here." The amount of experience carried by the senior pitching line-up will be crucial in close games throughout this spring. Fracker explained, "we have a great amount of experience coming back in our returning class along with a group of eager new players."

When asked about her thoughts on the season ahead, Grindstaff stated, "Coach Fracker has brought in a great group of girls that I think are going to be valuable assets to the team, the growth within this program, on and off the field, has been incredible to experience and I hope to see that growth on the field this year. It should be a good year for D&E softball."

Fracker added, "Everyone has been working extremely hard in the off-season and now we are ready to see all of the hard work translate on the field. We are going to take advantage of having a very competitive pre-season to get us ready for conference ball."

D&E softball gets their season underway this weekend, as they travel to Wingate, North Carolina to face the Bulldogs. The first pitch on Saturday is scheduled at noon. The following weekend Fracker and her Senator squad head south again, this time to Dahlonega, Georgia to compete in the Captain D's Surf n' Turf Classic hosted by the University of North Georgia. February 25-27 the team will travel to Owensboro, Kentucky to compete in the Blue Bridge Battle. March 5 and 6 D&E will travel south once more to Newberry, South Carolina to compete in a round-robin against Newberry College and King University.

The Davis & Elkins softball team opens Mountain East Conference play at home against Frostburg State University Saturday, March 19.