By: Gwen Varley

The Holy Family Baseball and Softball teams are gearing up for action this spring season. These Tigers have worked tirelessly this preseason and are ready to make waves in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). Both teams open their season the second week of February. 

The softball team ended its 2025 season with an overall record of 19-22, finishing 12-10 in its conference. Our Holy Family Tigers are currently sitting in the 4th seed in the CACC preseason coaches poll. Katie McHale, Mathematics Secondary Education, 28, stated that,“We have used the CACC predictions ranking us at 4th seed to motivate us because we hold ourselves to a higher standard and want to prove them wrong.”

The Softball team opens its season, away, with a doubleheader, on Saturday, February 21st, in Flushing, New York. Our Tigers take on the Queens College Knights for an out-of-conference matchup. “We have been hard at work perfecting our craft and honing in on the mechanics so that when game time comes, it is all muscle memory and no amount of pressure can sway that.” McHale commented on how the team has been preparing to continue the momentum from last season.

With a mix of a few new faces and returning players, the softball team has worked hard over the preseason to build chemistry and confidence. They are eager to play and pick up right where they left off. McHale says that the freshmen have been welcomed with open arms, and the team has been able to evolve its team dynamic and bond over this preseason to gear up for competition. 

Switching gears to the baseball team, in their inaugural season in 2024, the Tigers had an overall record of 20-27. In 2025, their second year as a program, they ended with a 23-27 overall record. In only two years of competition, these records prove this team already has all the right tools to be successful. For the 2026 season, they currently stand 8th in the CACC preseason coaches poll and are ready to fight and compete for postseason play. 

The Baseball team travels all the way down to Fairfax, Virginia, on Saturday, February 14th, for their first game of the season. They play a doubleheader against the Shepherd University Rams.

In preparation for the season, Alex Ortiz, Pre-Physical Therapy, 28, said, “Throughout preseason we have been working day in and day out from 6am live at bats (ABs) all weekend to multiple practices every day. The guys have been grinding all year, which has put us in a great spot for the upcoming season.” 

Now headed into their third year as a program, the baseball team is ready to start making its mark in the CACC. “The most exciting part, as we have grown as a program and team, is the opportunity to grow our team culture from the ground up. Every practice, workout, and game gives us the chance to set the standard for the program in the future.” Ortiz commented on the growth of the program.

As the preseason is concluding, these teams are presented with the opportunity to make waves in the CACC. They are excited to get back out on the field, and with them, they carry confidence, resilience, and determination. They are guided by their hard work and preparation! 

Both teams’ schedules can be found on the Holy Family Athletics website, along with ways to stream each game! Good luck to the Holy Family Baseball and Softball teams this season! 

Gwen Varley is a sophomore student majoring in English. She is a part of the Women’s Lacrosse team, the Honors Program, and a contributing sports editor for Tri-Lite. She is expected to graduate in the spring of 2028.