The Pilgrim softball team has become one of the top teams in the state over the course of the past four or five years, becoming a playoff mainstay and making annual postseason runs.

Five Patriots have recently made their college commitments official, once again proving how special this unit is on the diamond.

Dyonna Rodas, Pilgrim’s catcher, will be playing for the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs.

Rodas was recruited as a catcher, but also has experience in the outfield, and is ready to hit the field wherever the club sees fit.

“Truthfully, I am very confident. The last couple of years at both Pilgrim and on my summer team we have faced some of the best players and I think I have always held my own. I know I have to prove myself again but I can't wait,” said Rodas, who hopes to be able to get back on the field and take one more swing at a high school state championship. “Hopefully we get a chance to put the jerseys on one more time, as our class goal was to hang a Division 1 State Championship for the school. We have been close and I know we can.”

First baseman Hailey Mackinnon will be staying close by, as she committed to playing for Rhode Island College, where she plans on staying at the same position.

Mackinnon was excited to make the decision official, and felt right at home on the RIC campus. She also was impressed with the school’s criminal justice program.

“It makes me feel relieved that all of my hard work has finally paid off,” said Mackinnon. “What led me to choose Rhode Island College was their criminal justice program and how I connected with the coaches and teammates, and when I went to the overnight the team made me feel like one of them.”

Pitcher Emily Carter will continue to toe the rubber as she heads north to compete for Salem State University.

Like Mackinnon, Carter felt a connection with her team at Salem State and was excited with the strength of the university’s psychology major.

“It feels amazing, to finally have that stress of having to choose gone and feel like years of hard work has paid off,” said Carter. “What led me to choose Salem State University was the great psychology program, my connection with the coach and the beautiful sports facilities. At the college level I’m expecting to be pushed out of my comfort zone and experience a new level of competitiveness.”

Outfielder Sydni Bigelli will be traveling a bit further than her teammates, as she will be heading south to Hialeah, Florida, to compete for Florida National University.

FNU was not originally on Bigelli’s list of prospects, but after meeting the head coach at a clinic late in the game, she fell in love with the school and is excited to get down there.

“Florida National was never initially on my radar for schools until I met the head coach at a clinic,” said Bigelli. “I went through an interview with him and he immediately made me feel like I was one of his own players. The school is also different from many other colleges, it is a small campus, I will be living in an apartment with other softball players, and half of the classes are taken online. I liked how different it was, I loved the coach, and as soon as I visited the school I knew this was where I wanted to be for the next four years.”

Bigelli is excited to get to work in Florida, but will miss her friends and teammates back home in the Ocean State.

“I’m going to miss the players because I have been playing with most of them for my whole life even outside of high school softball. We have made such a close bond with each other that it is going to be a big change not seeing them on the field with me anymore,” said Bigelli.

Infiedler Taylor Suffoletto will be taking her talents to Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

She is looking forward to completing her dream of playing collegiate softball, and will be manning her usual position.

“It feels amazing to make my commitment official. I always wanted to play softball at the next level and thanks to everyone that helped me I am able to continue the game I love. I will be playing either third base or shortstop. My coach has not yet decided, but he knows that I will be playing somewhere on the left side,” said Suffoletto, who will also miss playing for the Warwick community. “I will miss playing with my best friends that I have been playing softball with since I was 7 years old. I will also miss all of the teammates that I have developed amazing connections with and the coaches that have pushed me to be the player I am today.”