Sophomore Joni Russell earned three G-MAC Pitcher of the Week awards last season. Courtesy | Regan Monnin
The Charger softball team dropped two games as the fall season opened Sept. 16 against Valparaiso University and Bowling Green University.
The Chargers lost both games, with the final scores being 4-1 to Valparaiso University and 5-2 to Bowling Green University, both NCAA Division I schools.
The Chargers were originally scheduled to open Sept. 9 at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. Madonna, however, canceled the game the night before. They plan to play Madonna Sept. 30.
The Chargers were missing many players, and they were especially short-staffed in available pitchers.
“We had one pitcher that was out, another pitcher that was only available for one game, and another pitcher that was sick. So given all that, sophomore Mackenzi Maxson ended up throwing the most innings over the two games,” head coach Kyle Gross said. “Against two Division I programs she did very well.”
Gross said the first game against Valparaiso was shaky, but the day ended stronger against Bowling Green.
“That game against Valparaiso unfortunately seemed a little flat for being our first game out. We just didn’t overcome some of the mistakes in that game,” Gross said. “In the last six innings of the Bowling Green game we shut them out and played great defense.”
Senior catcher McKenna Eichholz said first-game nerves, on top of hitting struggles and playing together for the first time, contributed to the team’s play against Valparaiso University.
“I also think it was the first game jitters that everyone had,” Eicholz said. “Even though it says the fall season doesn’t count, people still get in their heads about it.”
Eichholz also noted the difference between playing in the G-MAC and playing DI schools. She said there are differences in pitchings and DI schools play at a slightly faster pace.
“We really emphasized this past weekend that some of our hits that were taken from us would have been hits in the G-MAC,” Eichholz said.
Gross tends to move players in the game more often in the fall season. This gives the opportunity for freshmen to find where they fit and for players to gain more experience without games going on the record.
“He has his starters in, we normally will start the game and then he will switch us out midway through the game to try to get our freshman and some of our underclassmen reps,” Eichholz said.
Saturday was freshman middle infielder Sydney Davis’ first competitive college softball experience. Starting her career against DI schools was exciting for her, and she got to observe the faster pace of the game. Davis said she believes Charger softball can meet the challenge of DI play.
“I was ready for the challenge,” Davis said. “Everyone on our team is at the level that we can compete with Division I schools.”
Gross said he is satisfied with the results of the weekend and they gave the team a starting point and a vision for practices.
“Our goal throughout the whole day was to learn from the experience,” Gross said.
