Stockton Team Ranked 19th in the Nation for Academics
Val Julien Elected to New Jersey ASA Hall of Fame
Ashley Jimenez Named NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Jimenez Repeats as NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Suzanne Gorczynski Named NJAC Player of the Week
Kaitlyn Corica Named NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Corica Repeats as NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Corica Earns Third NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week Award
Four Players Collect NJAC All-Conference Honors
Baumgartner & Kerr Named to Academic All-District II Team
The Stockton softball team used a combination of veteran offense and young pitching to post a 24-14 record in 2007. Six of Stockton’s starting position players were either juniors or seniors, yet the pitching staff consisted of a sophomore and two freshmen. With a 9-9 league record, the Ospreys qualified for the NJAC tournament for the first time since 2000. They also fell just one game short of the school record of 25 wins.

Senior first baseman Melissa Kerr powered the offense, leading or tying for the team lead in batting (.382), triples (4), home runs (2), RBI (18), slugging percentage (.600) and walks (10). Junior Suzanne Gorczynski gave the Ospreys a boost with a .351 batting average, a team-high 12 doubles and 18 RBI. Sophomore shortstop Samantha Horner batted .292 and scored a team-high 23 runs. Freshman Kaitlyn Corica posted an 11-7 record, three shutouts, 77 strikeouts and a 1.57 ERA in 102.1 innings pitched as the ace of the staff.

After a sluggish 2-3 start, Stockton won its final five games in Fort Myers during spring break and its first four games upon returning home for a season-best nine-game winning streak. Although two losses to Montclair State ended the run, the Ospreys responded with five consecutive wins including a sweep of College of New Jersey. After splitting with NJAC playoff teams Rowan and William Paterson, Stockton dropped three straight games for its longest skid of the year.

A 5-1 win over 17th-ranked Ramapo in the nightcap of a doubleheader ended the brief losing streak and propelled the Ospreys to six wins in their final seven regular season games. At the end of a frenetic playoff race, Stockton qualified for the NJAC tournament as the fifth seed. The Ospreys were edged 3-2 by Ramapo and then were ousted from the double-elimination conference tournament by Rowan, 8-0.

Despite a strong 24-14 record, Stockton was curiously excluded from the ECAC South tournament, a disappointing conclusion that did not diminish the outstanding season for the Ospreys. Their 24 wins were the second-highest total in school history. Stockton showed a knack for winning close games with an 8-3 mark in one-run contests, including four wins on walk-off hits.

Seniors Melissa Kerr and Jessica Williams and junior Suzanne Gorczynski were named to the NJAC All-Conference Second Team, and senior Rianna Vanchure was an NJAC Honorable Mention selection. Sophomore Melissa Baumgartner was voted to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II Second Team and Kerr was selected to the Third Team. During the season, Kaitlyn Corica was chosen as the NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week three times and Ashley Jimenez collected NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week honors twice. Gorczynski also received one NJAC Player of the Week award.