By John Niswander
Senior Writer
The Washington College softball team traveled to Kissimmee, Fla. last week for spring break and played a total of 10 games over five days.
WC finished the trip with an overall record of 3-7, but gained game play and experience which will help the team with conference competition.
“All of us on the team were very excited to play and we all maintained a high level of energy. I think we have a lot of depth in various positions, which is a good thing going into conference play,” said junior pitcher and first baseman Maddie Bennett.
The Shorewomen began the trip with three straight losses by a combined six runs before cruising to a 16-1 victory over Beloit College in a game that ended in five innings due to the eight run rule.
“This season I want to make every inning I pitch count, and also be a leader as an upperclassman to help us get to the Centennial Conference championship game,” said senior pitcher Milly Kawabata.
In the win over Beloit, Kawabata pitched two innings and did not surrender a hit or run and recorded two strikeouts along with a walk.
Sophomore Rachel Butler notched the win, improving to 4-3 on the season. She pitched three innings and surrendered just one run on three hits and two walks. She recorded six strikeouts as well.
The Shorewomen collected 10 hits in the win and drew 12 walks.
On the Shorewomen’s last day in Florida, the team was able to win both games and end the trip on a two-game winning streak.
Both victories were by one run, and WC overcame a 10-0 deficit to defeat Cortland University in the first of the two games played Friday, March 16.
“I think this trip was eye opening for us as a team in the sense that we worked through a lot of issues in our games that helped us become a better team. This will also help us when we begin conference play in the coming week,” Kawabata said.
In WC’s comeback victory against Cortland, freshman catcher Chrissy Segrest went 2-3 at the plate with a double, walk, and career high four runs batted in.
“When I am at the plate, I cannot think of anything. I am not someone who can think when there are two outs, based loaded, I need to knock in these runs. Or when I am hitting leadoff and there are no outs that I need to get on base. I just need to approach the plate going up there thinking absolutely nothing,” she said.
Segrest went 2-4 at the plate in the final game of the trip against Eastern Connecticut State University.
“I know that my productiveness is not going to be changed by taking extra swings or working on mechanics while up to bat, which is why I think I was able to be so productive this week,” she said.
The Shorewomen open conference play Saturday, March 24 at Muhlenberg for a double-header at 1p.m.