This previous weekend our team traveled 10 hours down to Huntsville, Ala. to play three games against Indiana State, Alabama A&M and Maryland Eastern Shore.
Our team was very eager to get back on the field after a disappointing series last weekend at Georgia State that consisted of an abundance of errors and a lack of quality relief pitching. Last weeks practice consisted of a lot of team defense related drills and preparing our pitchers not only physically, but mentally as well. After a pretty good week of practice, I think we were all expecting to jump off the bus and be ready to go. We believed we could take all three games this weekend if we play as well as we can. That’s why after a 1-0 loss in the first game to Indiana State, we were all disappointed in our play and the effort we put forth. Senior pitcher Richie Mascheri threw 8 innings giving up only one unearned run. After the game, Richie called the team over and gave a little motivational speech to the team.
The motivational speech must have worked because we picked up the intensity in the next two games beating Alabama A&M 11-2 and then beating Maryland Eastern Shore 9-3. We showed a lot of improvement in some aspects of our game including our relief pitching, which went from very poor last weekend, to throwing six innings this weekend and only giving up one run. We know we have every tool to be a good team. We just have to put all those tools together now.
This upcoming weekend we have a tough three game series in Athens, Ga. against the eighth ranked Bulldogs of the University of Georgia. If we take these games one pitch at a time, and play the way we know we are capable of playing, we will definitely be in contention to take the series from these guys.
“To win without purple, is to triumph without glory.”
-Junior Pitcher Sam Welvaert
