Knights Battleground 2024-25 Season Finale

CCRI Softball was set for a first round matchup in the NJCAA Tournament as the #4 seed designated home team, playing host to the #5 seed Hudson Valley Vikings, after another historic season on the softball diamond. 

The Lady Knights would begin their title run with Sophomore Janina Mazzulla (Johnston, RI) in the circle against the Vikings. Mazzulla has posted a 16-3 career record on the mound for Rhode Island. In the early going of the game, she kept the Knights within striking distance, allowing just 1 run through the first 4 innings of the game. The Vikings would break through Mazzulla in the 5th, knocking in 3 runs to gain a 4-0 lead. The Knights could not get any offense going, as opposing pitcher Moira Collins went 7 full innings allowing just 2 hits, 1 to Brianna Grenier (Cumberland, RI) and 1 to Zoe Battersby (West Warwick, RI).  

Rhode Island would suffer a 5-0 first round loss to Hudson Valley, and would head into an elimination round game against the #8 seed Surry Community College on Friday.  

Sophia Chevian (Warwick, RI) would take the mound in the elimination game vs Surry. The Knights grabbed an early 3-2 lead after key RBI’s from Brianna Grenier (2-4) and Sophia Chevian (2-4, 3RBI). Surry would strike back in the fourth and grab 5 runs, to take a 7-3 lead. The Knights ended up trying to chip away at the lead for the remaining innings, but the lead ballooned to 11 in the 7th inning for Surry and they would get the win over Rhode Island, 20-9 in the elimination round.  

Rhode Island finishes the 2025 season with a 19-11 overall record. This team had multiple key players etch themselves into the CCRI record books, with Brianna Grenier ranking #3 all-time in home runs with 10, and #4 in RBI’s with 72. Teammate Zoe Battersby ranks #1 all-time in-home runs with 17, and #3 in RBI’s with 78. Both Pitchers Sophia Chevian (120) and Janina Mazzulla (128) each reached 100+ strikeouts, while Chevian also notched 80 RBI’s good for #2 all time. And finally left fielder Kathryn Motta notched 102 career hits, good for 3rd all time.  

Rhode Island loses an astounding 10 Sophomores, and will return 3 freshman in what will close a chapter in the history books and begin a new identity.