The grand slam, the first in her collegiate career, brought the score from 4-0 to 8-0 in the second game of the day.,Junior shortstop Catie McDonough stepped up to the plate in the second inning of Saturday’s game against Mount Ida College and sent the ball soaring past her opponents toward center field, bringing three of her teammates home.
The grand slam, the first in her collegiate career, brought the score from 4-0 to 8-0 in the second game of the day.
“It was a great hit that got the momentum going for the team,” said McDonough, a print journalism major. “It was exciting to contribute to the team since we didn’t score as many runs as we wanted in the first game.”
McDonough has been playing softball since she was a 10-year-old. She played third base at Drury High School in North Adams, Mass.
“She has a knack of getting on base and getting the game started right away,” said Coach Phil McElroy. “She displays great leadership and has established that again in the beginning of the season.”
Last year, McDonough was a second team Great Northeast Athletic Conference All-Conference selection and was named to the GNAC All-Tournament team. In 2007, she ended the season with a .396 batting average and had 42 hits.
“As a senior leader, you want the younger kids to excel and do well,” said centerfielder Mallory Moretti, a senior broadcast journalism major. “She is a great inspiration and is the voice of the infield.”
McDonough said her goals for the season are to improve on her hitting and see the team reach the NCAA regionals.
“I would love to win this year and have our team noticed as an established program that is respected around the country,” McDonough said. “I also hope to earn best shortstop in the conference.”
Emerson went to the NCAA regionals for the first time last year, but lost to Wellesley College in the semifinals.
Off the field, McDonough has worked in the Emerson College Athletic Department, collecting game statistics for three years and also works at City Sports in Downtown Crossing.
McDonough wants to attend graduate school after Emerson and hopes to pursue a career in media relations.
“I would love to work for a major college’s athletic program or a professional team,” McDonough said. “Ideally I would love to work for the Red Sox, but that is every Boston sports fan’s dream.”
Last summer McDonough was a media relations intern with the Chicago Sky WNBA Team. She will spend this summer overseas in Beijing with the Emerson Olympics News Service Program covering track and field events and soccer games.
“People look at her and notice that she works hard in practice and has a strong presence on field with her glove and bat,” McElroy said. “But I think the team looks at her and sees how seriously she takes the game and that speaks volumes as far as leadership goes.”