Mercer's softball team had a very successful 2010 season, culminating with a trip to the Division II World Series.  The Vikings were able to win four games in two days during the Region 19 Playoffs, including three wins over host Morris to capture the Region 19 title and advance to the World Series.  Under Head Coach Ryan Zegarski, the Vikings finished the year with a record of 32-14 and managed a 8-7 win in the World Series over Highland (KS).  The Vikings season came to a heartbreaking end in Ilinois when following two great defensive plays to put the Vikings one out away from a 5-4 victory, Hutchinson (KS) came back to score 5 runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead and hold on to a 9-4 win over MCCC.  The Vikings were led by sophomore pitcher Jenna Berger (Levittown, PA/Pennsbury HS), whose stellar pitching and hitting earned her First Team All-Region 19 and First Team All Garden State Athletic Conference Honors in addition to being named the Region 19 Tournament MVP.  Berger was also the recipient of the Female Iron Viking Award, given to the athlete who puts the most work into off-season and in-season strengthening and conditioning.  Former Pennsbury High School teammate Alyssa Becker (Yardley, PA) earned Second Team All Region 19 and GSAC Honors.  Sophomore Jessica Maciolek (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert HS), an All-Region and All-Conference selection from 2009, had another strong season offensively and defensively for the Vikings at shortstop.  The Vikings lose Maciolek and Berger, but return pitcher Beth Rochon (Croydon, PA/Bucks County Technical HS), who finished the year with a 14-5 record along with second baseman Kirsten Edinger (Ewing, NJ/Ewing HS), who batted .500 during the Region 19 Tournament and collected 7 RBIs in 3 games at the College World Series.  Other key returning players for the Vikings softball team include Jenna Comiski (Ewing, NJ/Ewing HS), Kelly Hancarik (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert HS), Amanda Myers-Morales (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West), Ryan Niatas (Levittown, PA/Conwell-Egan), Angela Parascando (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence HS), and Heather Canulli (Ewing, NJ/Ewing HS) along with All-Conference and All-Region performer Becker.  The Vikings also lose Kristine Funk (Bordentown/Northern Burlington) and Andrea Bethke (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West), who filled in nicely as utility players over the past two seasons.