JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University softball team will head into the 2019 campaign under new leadership, as Ashley Martinez, the top assistant coach for the Gothic Knight softball team during the 2018 campaign, was hired in July.
 
Martinez will look to hit the reset button on the program in her first year, as the team is coming off a 4-30 season in which they were winless in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
 
"We have to go back to square one in order to be successful," Martinez said. "The biggest challenge is adopting a stronger mentality. If we're not mentally strong, we're not mentally prepared to take the field. Right now, the camaraderie, the strong mentality, the mindset of playing our role is what is going to make this team successful."
 
The Knights will bring back seven players from last year's team, and the middle of the lineup is where their coach sees them thriving.
 
"We're probably going to have a strong heart of our lineup," Martinez noted. "We're going to struggle with our bats outside that, but if we could play small ball better that will lead to more success."
 
Senior shortstop Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) (.298/.337/.447 BA/OBP/SLG in 2018) and junior catcher Arianna Scrimo (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) (.312/.354/.312) will be at the heart of that, with sophomore outfielder  Zoe Viant (Union City, NJ/Union City) (who hit .300 in limited at bats in 2018) and newcomer Emma Herrick (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) looking to break onto the scene.
 
On the run-prevention side of things, the story is the same: strong up the middle, with room to grow around that.
 

"As long as they keep pushing, I think we'll have a better outcome than some think," Martinez said.
 
The team will rely heavily on senior right-handed pitcher, Christine Mezey who pitched in basically every NJCU game in 2018, to do just about the same in 2019.
 
The Martinez Era gets underway with a seven-day, 12-game affair in Southwest Florida, at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. It will be the most games the team has played on its spring trip and with weather unpredictable in the Northeast every spring, make up nearly a third of the program's schedule.
 
"Florida is going to be big for us," Martinez pointed out. "Coming over that hump as a team, buying into our roles, that's when the fun comes in. I'm trying to emphasize how putting the work in is what leads to that fun, and that's what leads to success when you step on the field."
 
Martinez said the goals for now are more processed-based and long-term for the most part, but that getting to five wins overall and one win in conference would be great to see. (Both would be one-game improvements from 2018). However, the coach reiterated that there are bigger goals than a direct win-loss record in 2019.
 
"Long term, I want these kids buying in and allowing that to transfer year to year to year to year," Martinez explained. "Coming in with hard work, that's all I'm asking for. Effort goes tenfold, especially in life. That's what this is, this game is about life for me."
 
NJCU Rundown
2018 Record: 4-30 (0-18 NJAC)
Best Single-Season Record All-Time: 26-9 (1999)
Best NJAC Record All-Time: 7-11 (2001); 6-2 (1998, 1999, 2000 in Blue/Gold format)
NJAC Championships: None
NJAC Regular Season Titles: None
NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: None
 
Key Dates
Season Opener: Saturday, March 9, 9:00 a.m. vs. Kenyon College (Fort Myers, FL)
Home Opener: Monday, March 25, 3:00 p.m. vs. John Jay College (Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, Jersey City)
NJAC Opener: Saturday, March 30, 1:00 p.m. vs. Rutgers-Camden (Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, Jersey City)
 
Key Returners (with Coaching Comments)
Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown), Senior, SS: Edging towards 100 hits (84 coming into the season)..."She has been a Rising Knight and a huge part of our program for the last four years...started her career with a really bad injury and to come back from that, that's mental toughness, that's mental strength. Getting Hannah back into her alpha role is fun, she's always been a great leader, so we're just reminding her of her importance now."
Christina Mezey (Jersey City, NJ/Saint Dominic Academy), Senior, RHP: 478.0 career innings pitched, 93 appearances, 83 starts, 254 strikeouts. "Our ace pitcher; to see her leave is just going to be so sad; she's tremendous, good spirit; kid that loves to play and will do anything I ask of her.
Arianna Scrimo (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), Junior, C: Batted .312 in 2018..."All-around good kid, all around good ballplayer...I'm already excited for her to return next year...she's an awesome leader...her energy is very contagious...she's good at getting the girls together, gluing them together, getting everyone to connect."
Dulce Almonte (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder via County Prep), Sophomore, 2B/3B: "From start to finish her improvements last season were probably 40+ percent...even now, coming back on the field, she picked up her bat and has gotten stronger there...by the time she's a senior, I think she's going to be a monster...it's going to be really fun to watch her grow...great energy she brings to the field."
Zoe Viant (Union City, NJ/Union City) (Sophomore, Outfielder) and Amber Hunter (Piscataway, NJ/Arts (Newark)) (Sophomore, RHP): "They all were part of the program last year so they bring the spirit of the older crew...they're good at talking to the new kids...they're helping to contribute to the culture."
 
Impact Newcomer
Emma Harrick, Freshman, First baseman: "I think she'll be a big part of our program over the next four years...she's a little quiet right now, as her confidence grows and she breaks out of her shell, she's going to be one of our cultural leaders. I plan, and I hope she plans, on becoming even stronger. She could be named captain once she breaks out of her shell. Really strong bat. She came in and I felt I struck gold."
 
Fresh Faces (From Familiar Places)
The NJCU softball team is going to have quite a few two-sport athletes on their roster this year, as familiar names: seniors Marajiah and Miesha Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) and Ariana Moore (Linden, NJ/Linden) from women's basketball, freshman Laura Ford (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) (who played women's soccer) and women's volleyball seniors Amber O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison), Georgina Rayo (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic), and Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) will all be coming to softball as their second sport, making debuts with the program this year.
 
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Ashley Martinez
Career Record (Years): 0-0 (First year)
NJCU Record: 0-0 (First year)
Staff: Nicole Paiotti and Kim Ragazzo as assistant coaches. Gina Carbonaro and Maryam Dahhan (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) as team manager.
 
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