The College’s softball team played five games this week against Rutgers University–Camden, Haverford College and Montclair State University. The team had mixed results, winning two games and losing three.
The team began the week by playing a doubleheader against Rutgers-Camden. The Lions lost by a score of 1-0 in the first game but bounced back to win the second game by a score of 5-0.
“What we lacked in the first game against Rutgers-Camden was being able to manufacture runs,” junior Crystal Lee said. “You can’t win games if you don’t score any runs regardless of how well the defense plays.”
The Lions’ bats came to life after game one to score five runs in the second game.
Sophomores Kelly Hommen and Liz Huttner led the Lions’ offense as both had a pair of hits. Hommen hit her first home run of the season, while Huttner finished the game with two doubles.
Freshman Alex Carisone was dominant on the mound, yet again. Carisone threw her second straight one-hitter, while finishing with six strike outs. The win garnered her five wins for the season, tying junior teammate Lauren Fitzsimmons for the team lead.
Prior to the game against Haverford College, the team had a meeting. What came out of the meeting was simple: Play as a team.
“Basically we said that we have to come out with much more intensity for the rest of the games in our season,” Lee said. “And most of all we stated we have to play for each other.”
The meeting seemed to work as the Lions put a beating on Haverford College 13-1. Freshman pitcher Austin Leigh received great run support to pick up her third win of the season.
The Lions had runs batted in from six different players. Leading the attack was Hommen who went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in. Senior Colleen Cawley also had a productive game with two hits and three runs knocked in.
The bats slowed down when the College went into its doubleheader with Montclair State University though.
The Lions were only able to score one run in both games, losing by scores of 4-1 and 7-0.
Carisone was back on the hill for the Lions in the first game, yielding three earned runs in the loss.
The Lions were only able to score one run and muster a total of six hits. Four of the six hits came from Hommen and sophomore Casale.
The second game had similar results, as the Lions were not able to make the proper adjustments. The Red Hawks led the scoring barrage with six runs in the second inning. The Red Hawks never looked back, as the Lions were not able to put a run on the scoreboard.
“Hitting is one of the toughest aspects of the game because it involves as much mental control as it does physical control,” Lee said. “It takes a lot of practice.”
The Lions hope to stay in the win column, as they continue conference play against Richard Stockton College on April 12.
