The 2024 Saint Mary's softball team opens up their season with a ten-game stint in Florida at The Spring Games.

The season opens up for the Belles with a pair of contests on Sunday as the squad has two games scheduled on five separate days northwest of Orlando. The Belles then open up their home slate of competition on March 23 when they host Wheaton at 1:00 p.m. Conference play begins with a road doubleheader at Alma on April 6.

The team is made up of eight returners and eight newcomers in 2024. Six returning Belles hit .250 or above in 2023 led by Caitlin Traxler's .400 batting average. Traxler paced the team in runs scored, doubles, home runs, and RBI a season ago. McKenna Myers registered a .368 batting average and was second in runs, home runs, and RBI last spring. The pair along with Rylee Hershberger, Libby Bierbaum, McKenna Shoupe, Alexis Rauch, and Sam Mikitka all saw playing time in at least 30 of the team's 36 games in 2023. Bierbaum posted the highest innings pitched total for Saint Mary's last spring and also led the team in strikeouts and wins in the circle. Several newcomers will make an immediate impact on the field in 2024 as the Belles look to earn an MIAA Tournament berth.

Team Breakdown
Returners: Libby Bierbaum (Sr.), Rylee Hershberger (Sr.), McKenna Myers (Sr.), McKenna Shoupe (Sr.), Caitlin Traxler (Sr.), Alexis Rauch (Jr.), Sophie Allen (So.), Sam Mikitka (So.)
Newcomers: Leah Zimmerman (So.), Mary Charniak (Fr.), Kennedy Cornett (Fr.), Lauren Drexler (Fr.), Madi Ingolia (Fr.), Madi Minton (Fr.), Emma Smiley (Fr.), Claire Watson (Fr.)

The first pitch of the 2024 season is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EDT at Leesburg, Florida, on Sunday against Juniata.