Former Souhegan baseball player Beth Greenwood of Amherst made the University of Rochester baseball roster, maiking her the first American born female catcher in NCAA history. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

It’s been a good couple of years for female baseball catchers in the area.

A year after Rivier University’s Marika Lyzsczyk, who is from just outside of Vancouver, became the first NCAA Division female baseball catcher ever, former Souhegan High School catcher Beth Greenwood of Amherst is now the first American-born female catcher in NCAA history.

Greenwood has made the Division III University of Rochester baseball roster as a junior catcher. Last year Greenwood, according to multiple reports, played on the Rochester practice squad and several inter-squad games before the season was canceled due to COVID-19.

It’s possible Greenwood might even see action as soon as today. Rochester opens up its season today at SUNY-Cortland with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Rochester’s next date to play after that is Saturday, March 27 at home vs. Ithica.

Greenwood recently tweeted “Hey look, Ma, I made it” referring to the UR roster of 20. Greenwood’s goal has always been to make the USA National Women’s team, and two years ago took part in USA Baseball’s 34-player 2019 Women’s National Team Development Program.

Remember, she played baseball, not softball, at Souhegan.

“Such a great kid,” former Souhegan legendary coach Bill Dod, who coached Greenwood throughout her Sabers varsity career, said two years ago. “She’s put in a lot of time. She wants to play at the highest level for women’s baseball and play on the national team.”

“I’m not finished yet,” Greenwood said in a WMUR-Ch. 9 report. “But it was exciting finding out that I was going to be fully rostered. It was definitely that next step and I’m ready to continue earning play time, competing and getting better.”

Lyzsczyk, meanwhile, isn’t able to play for the Raiders this year due to the pandemic-related travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada. She played last spring during the Raiders early March Florida trip before the season was cancelled due to the pandemic upon the team’s return.

Again, breaking the college baseball gender barrier is nothing new to the Nashua area. The now closed Daniel Webster College also made baseball gender history when Australia’s Christal Fitzgerald was said to have become the first international player to play NCAA baseball, and fourth female in NCAA history from 2007-2010.

She was a pitcher-infielder and a mainstay for the Eagles for four seasons.