Cougars Debut At No. 6 In First NEISCA Poll

Middletown, Conn. - The streaking Clark softball team debuted at No. 6 in the first release of the New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA) poll it was announced on Wednesday.

The Cougars left Florida with a 9-1 record and now sit at 11-3 following a pair of doubleheader splits last weekend.

Clark took game one against NEWMAC power Wellesley - a team that won 21 games a year ago and is ranked ninth in the poll.

The Scarlet and White have been carried this season by their offensive production and excellent starting pitching.

Senior Darcey Kurashige-Elliott (Berkley, Calif.) is hitting a team-best .408 with three homeruns and 17 RBI. She is second on the team in hits (20) and registered her 100th career hit earlier this season.

Classmate Melissa Traft (Milton, Mass.) also collected her 100th career hit and has an average of .340 and a NEWMAC high of 22 RBI.

Freshman Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.) has had an immediate impact on the Cougar offense, hitting .375, with a NEWMAC-leading 21 runs scored.

On the mound, the combination of Sarah Carter (Worcester, Mass.) and freshman Nicole Meuse (Hudson, Mass.), have a 10-1 overall mark with 47 strikeouts.

NEWMAC favorite Coast Guard, who won a school-record 37 games a season ago, is the region's No. 1 team.

Clark returns to the diamond on Saturday with a road contest at MIT.