The College of Southern Maryland softball team opened its 2026 campaign with a mix of strong offensive performances and competitive outings during a weekend tournament in Hickory, North Carolina, at Reep Park, aiming to defend its MD JUCO Conference title and push toward the program’s first NJCAA Tournament appearance in over two decades.
The Hawks, coming off a 21-8-1 record (16-1-1 in conference) in 2025, faced Pitt Community College twice on February 27, splitting the doubleheader before playing Cleveland Community College and No. 6 Surry Community College on February 28.
In the opener against Pitt, Southern Maryland rallied for a 9-6 victory. Pitt scored one run in the first and three in the second for an early 4-0 lead, but the Hawks answered with two in the third, six in the fourth—including key doubles from Brooke Colliflower and Emily Shuff—and one in the sixth to secure the win. Sophia Neal earned the pitching victory (1-0), while Miranda Twigg took the loss (0-1).
The nightcap saw Pitt pull away for a 13-4 decision in five innings. Southern Maryland plated one run each in the first, second, and fourth, plus one more in the fifth, but Pitt responded with one in the first, two in the second, and a big five-run third, powered by a home run from Rachel Humphries and another from Alana Carroll. Carrie Hayden and Leanne Fenwick each doubled for the Hawks.
On February 28 against Cleveland Community College, the Hawks fell 9-8 in eight innings. Cleveland jumped ahead 4-0 in the first and held on despite Southern Maryland’s late surge of three in the fourth, two in the seventh, and one in the eighth. Cassie Wolfe hit a home run for Southern Maryland, while Cleveland’s Zaley Packett and Savannah Holleman doubled and Peyton Whitson tripled twice.
The day ended on a high note with a 13-9 upset over No. 6 Surry. Southern Maryland erupted for two in the second, seven in the third, and one in the sixth, led by two home runs from Cassie Wolfe and doubles from Brooke Colliflower, Carrie Hayden, Miranda Twigg, and Raynna Ratchford. Surry managed two in the first, two in the third, and five in the fifth, with Raegan Carter homering, but the Hawks’ offense proved decisive.
These results position the Hawks for a strong start under the guidance of returning talent and a talented freshman class. Key returners include sophomore catcher/utility player Emily Dove (.377 average, 1.030 OPS, three home runs in 2025), utility player Amanda Ramirez (.333 in limited action), and outfield/utility MacKenna Zopelis.
The newcomers bring depth and potential. Freshmen include infielder Hanna Leszczynski (McDonough HS), utility Emilia Enfinger (Northern HS, .189 average but strong on-base skills), outfielder Carrie Hayden (Chopticon HS), catcher/pitcher/utility Cassie Wolfe (Chopticon HS, already showing power with three home runs in early games), catcher/utility Leanne Fenwick (Chopticon HS), pitcher/outfield Brooke Colliflower (Chopticon HS), shortstop Emily Shuff (McDonough HS), outfield/utility Raynna Ratchford (Westlake HS), and pitcher/utility Miranda Twigg (Northern HS, .269 average in high school).
The preview from the program highlights the goal of repeating as conference champions while building on last year’s success to qualify for nationals. The team opened the season against familiar and new opponents, with Pitt leading the all-time series 3-0 since 2013 (last meeting a 13-0 Pitt win in 2018), Cleveland marking a first-time matchup, and Surry holding a 1-0 edge (though Southern Maryland won 14-11 in their most recent clash in 2025).
These early games at Reep Park tested the Hawks’ lineup against solid competition, with standout contributions from freshmen like Wolfe (three home runs across the weekend) and Colliflower (multiple doubles) complementing veteran presence. The program enters the year with momentum from its dominant 2025 conference run and looks to translate that into deeper postseason success in NJCAA Division II play.
