Softball breaks 11-game losing streak
Kat Timpf
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Sports
The Hillsdale College softball team broke their 11-game losing streak last weekend but slipped to Wayne State University in both games yesterday. They came home 4-16 overall and 2-4 in the GLIAC.
The Chargers returned to campus last night after losing 10-2 in game one and 8-2 in the second. Team members said they felt their losses were related to untimely hitting.
"We've been hitting better than we have been but we stranded runners when we needed to hit them in," outfielder Dana Gould, a junior, said.
Gould said she also felt Wayne State proved tough competition overall.
"Wayne State is just a really good hitting team and just came ready to play today," Gould said. "They're a really good defensive team as well."
This past weekend, the softball team finished 2-2 in their games against Ashland University and University of Findlay. Their win against Ashland Saturday broke their 11-game losing streak. They lost the first game 9-1 but came back strong in game two, winning 4-0.
Sunday the team traveled to Findlay where they again lost their first game 6-5 but won game two 10-0.
"We played a lot better this weekend," head coach Jamie Meyers said. "After the first Ashland game, we flipped a switch and became the kind of team we know we're capable of being and that we should be."
Meyers said the whole team showed an improvement from Florida, especially in hitting.
"We had timely hitting, which we haven't had since we went to Florida," Meyers said.
Meyers also attributed success to "solid pitching," particularly by freshman Kellie Hirst, who pitched the first two shutouts of her college career.
"It was really exciting, especially against Ashland, because it was the first game we'd won in awhile," Hirst said.
Hirst said confidence in her teammates kept her nerves under control.
"I knew I had really good defense who would back me up," Hirst said. "[Also,] after we scored a few runs it helped take some of the pressure off."
The Chargers play two home games this weekend. Friday they face University of Michigan-Dearborn at 3:30 p.m. Saturday they match up with conference opponent Lake Superior State University at 1 p.m. The team then hits the road for three away games.
The Chargers returned to campus last night after losing 10-2 in game one and 8-2 in the second. Team members said they felt their losses were related to untimely hitting.
"We've been hitting better than we have been but we stranded runners when we needed to hit them in," outfielder Dana Gould, a junior, said.
Gould said she also felt Wayne State proved tough competition overall.
"Wayne State is just a really good hitting team and just came ready to play today," Gould said. "They're a really good defensive team as well."
This past weekend, the softball team finished 2-2 in their games against Ashland University and University of Findlay. Their win against Ashland Saturday broke their 11-game losing streak. They lost the first game 9-1 but came back strong in game two, winning 4-0.
Sunday the team traveled to Findlay where they again lost their first game 6-5 but won game two 10-0.
"We played a lot better this weekend," head coach Jamie Meyers said. "After the first Ashland game, we flipped a switch and became the kind of team we know we're capable of being and that we should be."
Meyers said the whole team showed an improvement from Florida, especially in hitting.
"We had timely hitting, which we haven't had since we went to Florida," Meyers said.
Meyers also attributed success to "solid pitching," particularly by freshman Kellie Hirst, who pitched the first two shutouts of her college career.
"It was really exciting, especially against Ashland, because it was the first game we'd won in awhile," Hirst said.
Hirst said confidence in her teammates kept her nerves under control.
"I knew I had really good defense who would back me up," Hirst said. "[Also,] after we scored a few runs it helped take some of the pressure off."
The Chargers play two home games this weekend. Friday they face University of Michigan-Dearborn at 3:30 p.m. Saturday they match up with conference opponent Lake Superior State University at 1 p.m. The team then hits the road for three away games.
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