The Knights are coming off one of their best seasons in school history after posting 49 wins and making it to their first NCAA Super Regional. There are high hopes as they are one of the nation’s highest pre-seasoned ranked non-power five schools.
The Knights, once again, will be led by Jade Cody. Cody, a junior out of Murrieta, California, posted a .361 BA with 75 RBI in 2022. She also based 15 home runs and three triples on the year. The offense should not be an issue as they also return all four of their RBI leaders in Cody, junior Shannon Doherty (36), Sophomore Ashleigh Griffin (36), and junior Kennedy Searcy (31). As a team, they racked up 42 home runs on the season. Expect more of the same this year.
Although they lost their two aces from the 2022 season, there is no shortage of arms in the dugout. Currently, the Knights have seven pitchers on the roster. Sophomore
Kaitlyn Felton had the most innings last year (50) for the Knights. Felton started nine games, posting a 4-2 record with a 3.36 ERA and 32 strikeouts. They have numerous freshmen coming in, and it will be something to keep an eye on. Who will be the one to emerge as the ace of this staff?
The Knights have a tough schedule in 2023 and will be tested out of the gate when they face No. 10 Georgia to open the season on February 9, 2023, at home (6:oo pm). They will also face No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Florida, No. 6 Alabama, No. 20 Louisiana, and No. 22 Duke. If you are a fan of high-quality softball, the Knights will provide plenty of opportunities to watch.
