HIRAM, Ohio - March 4, 2022 – Coming off its first postseason appearance since 2011, Hiram College softball will look to build off its 2021 campaign and return to the postseason when it takes the field in 2022.
 
The Terriers put together a sensational season in 2021 that saw five Terriers earn All-NCAC honors, winning the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) East Division crown to earn a spot in the NCAC Championship Series, where they fell to DePauw, 2-0.
 
Hiram, in their fifth year under Head Scott Scott Pohlman in 2021, went 24-17 (11-1 NCAC), as Pohlman earned NCAC Coach of the Year honors and five Terriers, including three returnees in 2022, earned First-Team All-NCAC East Division honors.
 
The Terriers posted their best finish since 2011, ranking at or near the top of the NCAC in numerous categories, including hits, doubles, home runs, walks, runs scored and earned run average.
 
Now, the Terriers enter 2022 in their sixth season under Pohlman, looking to return to the postseason and continue to make waves in the NCAC, opening the 2022 season on Sunday, March 6 against No. 13 Mount St. Joseph at The Spring Games.
 
"We are excited about what this season holds for Hiram College softball," Pohlman said. "In each of the first six years, we have continued to play the strongest competition that we could find. This year we are slated to play four nationally-ranked teams. In addition, during our spring break trip, we will face both teams that were regionally ranked last year and who were in the NCAA Tournament."
 
Pohlman will once again be joined in the dugout by Assistant Coach Summer Collins, in her second year with the program, as well as first-year volunteer assistant coach Michael Kernan `88.
 
Hiram's 2022 roster is highlighted by 15 returnees, including three returning All-NCAC honorees, as well as six incoming freshman and first-years.
 
2021 All-NCAC East Division honorees Giselle Bahena, Abriana Schwartz and Jeskari Rodriguez are back for the 2022 campaign, as well as a host of returning contributors.
 
Schwartz returns after leading the Terriers at the plate, batting .405/.490/.612, leading the Terriers and ranking Top 10 in the NCAC in all three categories. Joining Schwartz in the starting lineup, Bahena, a mainstay behind home plate, returns for her fifth year with the Terriers, after slashing .353/.405./.463.
 
Also, back for the 2022 campaign on the diamond are seniors Giselle Chavez, Melissa Galindo, Kaitlyn Saffel and Leah Valdez, juniors Avery Balurdi, Kylie Perez and Hunter Whitton, and sophomores Lexa Avalos, Larissa Baeza, Maricruz Gonzalez, Viviana Macias and Angel Santellan.
 
Baeza, Chavez and Galindo all saw extensive time in the outfield in 2022, combining for 47 hits and 12 stolen bases in 83 combined starts, while Valdez saw extensive action at second base, starting 25 of her 29 games played.
 
In the circle, Hiram's two leading pitchers return in Rodriguez and Santellan, both of whom also contributed at the plate. Rodriguez led the Terriers with her 2.03 ERA and 61 strikeouts, going 10-3 in 17 appearances and 12 starts, while Santellan went 7-2 in her 17 appearances with a 3.69 ERA, striking out 37.
 
At the plate, Santellan slashed .354/.391/.598 with 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBI, while Rodriguez batted .357/.357/.500 with 10 hits in 28 at-bats.
 
Joining the Terriers 15 returnees are six incoming freshmen and first-years from all across the country. First-year Trinity Meza joins the Terriers from Los Banos, Calif. after a season at Barstow Community College as does freshman Natalie Mallas, from Thousand Oaks.
 
Freshman Holley Moore comes to Hiram from down the road in Champion, Ohio, and Keegan Whitton joins her sister, Hunter, both from Reno, Nevada, while Darian Kanno and Fayth Kawamura join the Terriers from Hawaii.
 
The Terriers open the 2022 campaign at The Spring Games in Clermont and Leesburg, Fla., with 10 games over seven days against 10 different opponents, beginning with their season opener against No. 13 Mount St. Joseph.
 
Hiram then returns home for their home opener on Friday, March 18 against Mount Union at Myrtis E. Herndon Field, taking on the Raiders in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
 
The Terriers open conference play on the road in Delaware, Ohio against Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday, April 2 before their home, conference opener on Wednesday, April 6 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Denison.
 
Hiram was picked to finish third in the 2022 NCAC Preseason Poll and was one of just two teams to receive a first-place vote in the poll, garnering 51 points to finish third, one point behind The College of Wooster in the preseason rankings.
 
On Tuesday, April 26, Hiram wraps up non-conference play at Baldwin Wallace, before wrapping up the regular season with a conference doubleheader at Allegheny on Saturday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m.
 
"This year's schedule does not allow us to take a break," Pohlman said. "We are fortunate to have players who have bought into what we are teaching. This year's freshman class has made great strides so far this season and is looking to contribute to the success of our team."
 
Should the Terriers reach it, the 2022 NCAC Softball Tournament is tentatively scheduled for the week of May 2.
 
Be sure to keep up to date with Hiram Terriers softball online at HiramTerriers.com and by following the Terriers on Facebook at Hiram College Athletics and on Twitter and Instagram at @Hiram_Athletics.