FSC softball second in Sunshine Conference

By: Patrick Gocklin

Posted: 3/27/09

Patrick Gocklin

Staff Writer

Florida Southern College's softball team endured a Spring Break different from most of the students on the Florida Southern Campus.

Instead of being at the beach and getting a tan, these ladies played 14 games in a nine day span, which included a road trip up north to Georgia for seven of those games.

The Lady Mocs went 10-4 for the break, and then they started off conference play by taking two out of three games from Rollins College.

Natalie Lang, Lady Mocs senior left fielder, said that the long stretch of games was difficult but rewarding.

"We had a lot of ups and downs over the last couple of days," Lang said

"But, no matter what the outcomes of the games were, we had success nonetheless, whether it was success from winning the games or success from knowing what we need to work on for future games down the road," she said.

Many teams struggle to concentrate during long road trips. It becomes increasingly difficult to win games during road trips when the team is on the bus all day and then has to play a double header.

This grueling experience is followed by a short night in a hotel and starting all over again, and this combination may have contributed to their four losses.

"By the end of the break it did feel as though our energy level was much lower than the beginning. However, knowing that we traveled far and had much less sleep than normal, this is to be expected I think," senior shortstop Sara Lovestrand said.

The Mocs found a way to get through the monotony of playing game after game, day after day.

"And as far as playing so many games in a short period of time... I feel as though we got into a rhythm and became more comfortable instead of refocusing for each game," Lovestrand said.

"When you know mentally that you have to play three games in one day and two the next, for some reason it seems you tend to play more conservative... with your energy level for example," she said.

The players continue to step up this season and help the team to win games.

"We are working together as a team and really analyzing ourselves as a whole," Lang said.

"Obviously there are individuals like Sara Lovestrand, junior first baseman Elli Howell, and senior outfielder Angela Williams who are hitting the ball extremely well, but everyone is completing their role for the team in order to create success," she added.

At the time of printing, the Lady Mocs had won seven of their first 11 games since their long road trip over Spring Break, showing that they are learning from their experiences.

They now stand at 24-9 overall with a 4-2 conference record. FSC is now second overall in the Sunshine State Conference standings. Their next games will be home against St. Leo on March 31 and April 1.