TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball will travel to Rochester for the 2016 Liberty League Tournament, after qualifying as the second seed. The Engineers, who will face third seed Skidmore College in the opening round, look to win their first conference title since 2013. 

Led by fifth-year head coach Amber Maisonet, RPI has posted a 27-9 overall record, including a 9-3 mark in Liberty League play. The team is batting .317 as a team and has scored 178 runs in 36 games. In the circle, Rensselaer pitchers have a 2.41 earned run average in 247.0 innings, striking out 178 batters and walking 87. The club is fielding at a .947 clip.

Individually, junior Stephanie Caudle (Gainesville, FL/Gainesville) has led the way, batting a team-best .452 (52 for 115) with 11 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 12 runs scored and 41 runs batted in. She is slugging .670, with a .515 on-base percentage. Sophomore Devan Puhl (Frederick, MD/Linganore) is right behind her at .420 (50 for 119) with four doubles, two triples, 28 runs and 25 RBI. She carries a .487 slugging percentage and a .466 on-base percentage. Junior Morgan Kollmeier (Kennett Square, PA/Kennett) rounds out the top three hitters at .341 (42 for 123) with seven doubles, three triples, 33 runs and 18 RBI. She is slugging .447, with a .427 on-base percentage.

From the circle, Caudle is 13-4 with a 1.91 earned run average in 23 appearances (16 starts). She has allowed only 96 hits in 121.0 innings, striking out 114, while walking 39. Opponents are hitting .215 off of the righthander. Senior Victoria Hepworth (Chester, MA/Holyoke) has an 8-3 record and a 2.35 ERA in 21 appearances (19 starts). She has surrendered 90 hits in 80.1 innings, while striking out 42 batters.

RPI's 27 wins are tied for fourth-most in school history. The team is making its seventh straight appearance in the Liberty League Tournament, having qualified in every year of its existence. The Engineers won the 2013 title in Rochester, but there was no automatic NCAA Tournament bid at the time. The team's last trip to the national tournament came in 2006.

Action begins on Thursday against the Thoroughbreds at 4:30pm.

For schedules, results and live statistics, visit the tournament page.