The Bluejay softball team wasn’t just excited to escape to Arizona for the weekend, they are excited that their Inaugural season in the Big East Conference is underway.
Captain senior outfielder Ellen Homan explained that this season may be different, but their practice has prepared them to be competitive for this spring season.
“Fall ball is about getting the techniques down, it’s about getting everybody on the same page, but spring time is game time,” Homan said. “Spring ball is when it really counts, it really matters.”
Freshman pitcher/utility player Kassidy Kingsley is looking forward to the start Big East Conference play
“It’s challenging, it really is, but I love being pushed to the limits and its nice to get done with practice and know that not only did I work really hard, but I’m a D-1 softball player,” Kingsley said.
eam got off to a rough start at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. They opened the tournament with two loses including one against No. 7 Arizona State. However, Homan loved having the tough game to help kick start this season.
“Its fun to play [Arizona State],” Homan said. “Sometimes it’s a little intimidating but when you rise above that its just playing a game of softball.”
Although they lost 0-3, she said she was proud of their first day of spring ball.
“I felt that we stayed composed,” Homan said. “We held each other accountable to do the best that we could. I know that we wish we could have produced more offensively [Friday].”
The team bounced back from the two loses earning back-to-back wins against Western Michigan and Boise State. They closed the tournament with a double play to earn a thrilling win against No. 24 Cal.
“When that last out happened I think that every muscle in my body clenched and then we all sprinted out on the field for a giant team hug,” Homan said.
Head coach Brent Vigness said he is impressed by the improvements made over the weekend by his team.
“We played 4 games in 24 hours and the growth was just amazing … We showed great improvement just from being outside and hitting against live pitching,” Vigness said.
The team is energized for the season and excited for to take on their new conference foes. Vigness believes their style of play will hold up against the teams in the Big East.
“It really comes down to us making sure that we can master that routine play defensively and have good pitching in the circle,” Vigness said. “I think those are the things that stay true regardless of what league you’re going to play in.”
Vigness believes in his team and their talent will cause some problems for their new opponents. He is specifically excited for what senior pitcher and team captain Becca Changstrom can do for her team this season.
“I am hopeful that moving to a new league with a pitcher like Becca will help us,” Vigness said. “She is a really talented player and may be a handful for some of those teams the first go around.”
Just like their coach, the players on the softball team have confidence in their game and have lofty goals for their first season in the Big East.
“It is important to come together as a team and to support each other … make it to post season and be conference champs, those are our goals,” Homan said.
The team has shaken off the cobwebs and is prepared to take on this inaugural Big East Season. Their improvements in Arizona show that this is well within the realm of possibility.