Though Towson softball first baseman Kristin Toland was able to play in 31 games in 2024, her stats reveal just how much she was affected by an early-season elbow injury.
The former Eastern Tech standout hit .136 with three homers and 11 RBIs, playing in a platoon role as she battled to return back to full health.
“It was definitely challenging,” Toland said.
Success might have been hard to come by as a sophomore and junior, but Toland has grown into one of the best players in the Coastal Athletic Association as a senior in 2025.
The 5-foot-6 right-handed batter was hitting .352/.439/.676 with five homers, 11 doubles, 25 RBIs and 25 runs scored entering the Tigers’ series against Charleston from April 11-13.
“She’s one of the hardest-working kids that we have,” head coach Lisa Costello said. “… She’s a really grounded kid. She understands the game. She understands what being a student-athlete involves. She just gets it.”
Toland has already surpassed her offensive totals from the past two seasons combined, seemingly unlocking her power potential at the college level. That was her focus last offseason. She was looking to lift the ball more for gap-to-gap and over-the-fence power. Toland worked a lot with her father Chris on fine-tuning her swing mechanics, trying to go up and out as often as possible.
It has worked to perfection thus far, with 20 extra-base hits in her first 105 at-bats. She’s not just getting on base. She’s finding ways to consistently drive runners in.
“I shifted my mindset more and really drilled in the mechanics of my swing,” Toland said. “… I focused more on hard, solid contact, more line drives. That’s definitely helped me be more consistent at the plate this season.”
With success on the field comes added confidence, and as a newfound leader for the Tigers, that confidence has been key for herself and her teammates.
Taking on more of a leadership role has been a learning curve for Toland, but she’s taken to it and made the most of it so far.
“She’s just steady,” Costello said. “The way she plays is basically how she lives her life. She doesn’t get real high. You never see her get real low. … She’s always committed herself to being as strong as she can be, being prepared. It was super important for her to be able to take control out there and give these kids confidence.”
Above all, being able to perform at a high level and be available throughout the season for Towson has been a breath of fresh air for Toland.
Now, Towson is looking to make the CAA tournament. The top six teams in the 12-team league earn a spot, with the winner earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers have seven runner-up finishes in program history but no titles.
Towson was 18-20 overall and 7-8 in the CAA entering the Charleston series. Toland can permanently etch her name in program history with some well-deserved accolades by season’s end and a tournament run.
“It’s just awesome,” Toland said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that my coaches have given me. I’ve been putting in that work and it just feels really good to be back on the field again.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Towson Athletics
Originally published April 16, 2025