Walking out to the Naimoli ball field, before you see the clay, the grass or the cleats, all that can be heard is the thwack of softballs as they make contact with gloves.
This past weekend was the softball team’s tournament against major SSC rival St. Leo University. With the team sitting at a 7-3 record at the time and second overall in the SSC standings, it was clear why the game would be a tough one.
Even though at one point there were three different warm up stations going on (pitching, infield and outfield), the entire team moved like clockwork. Each player knew where the other was, and the only communication on the field was encouragement and praise for each other. The players were all smiles, confidence and looking comfortable. If these ladies were nervous about playing the Lions, they didn’t let it show.
Even Assistant Coach Denise Rubio was getting her warm up in by jogging with her dog Gracie.
“You should be here for weekend games,” Rubio said. “Families come out with their dogs and their kids.”
And it’s clear that family and the community are very important for the lady Spartan team.
All the women even sported pink bows in their hair.
“It’s for cancer awareness,” Rubio said. “My mom was affected by it and some of our players have loved ones affected by it, so we do it for support. School, family. You don’t need anything more.”
Except for softball, maybe. Including the three games in the upcoming tournament, the Spartans face their next 10 games at home.
Junior sports management major and pitcher Julia Morrow thinks the schedule will work in the Spartans’ favor. “We were away last weekend and away last week so to be able to be home and focus on softball and not traveling and all that will definitely help us,” Morrow said.
Going into the tournament, she even had a few words for the visiting Lions. “We’re really pumped because last year, St. Leo won the conference even though we beat them head to head, so we’re excited to get out there and show them, ‘Hey, we’re here and we’re going to kick your butt!’,” Morrow said.
And kick butt they did. The Spartans managed a 2-0 win over St. Leo after the
Friday night game.
But the ladies know they’re far from perfect. “Sometimes we get a little bit too relaxed. So starting this last week, we’ve started focusing on winning every inning and not giving up until we’ve won every one. Because if you win every inning, you win the game,” Morrow said.
Out of the next games they host, the Spartans will have three games against SSC foe Rollins. The other games will be played against the Adelphi University Panthers and the Dominican College Chargers. All the games will be tournament style, spread over several days.
Layla Souchet can be reached at layla.souchet@spartans.ut.edu.