Lopers struggle outside |
| Posted by Administrator on Feb 27 2008 |
Photo by Amanda Bell
The UNK women's softball team takes the time to pose for a quick picture.
Amanda Bell
Antelope Staff
The UNK Softball Team had a rough outing this past weekend in Amarillo, Texas. The Lopers finished the weekend 1-3, with their first game against Eastern New Mexico being their only win.
The Lopers suffered losses to Southeastern Oklahoma, Fort Hays State, and Southwestern Oklahoma State. Although the Lopes lost to Southeastern Oklahoma, they only allowed four runs against them by the reputable team.
Pitcher, Ashley Guyle, a junior from Mead, Neb., pitched the full game and battled until the end.
"They were a tough team with a tough reputation, but we rose to the competition. Our defense played very well but we couldn't get our sticks going," Guyle said.
This was the first time that the Lopers have been outdoors. From the first week in October, until last week, the Lopers have been stuck inside of the Health and Sports Center. The transition from the gym floor to dirt and grass was more difficult than the team anticipated.
"Playing in a gym is not playing on a field," Coach Holly Carnes said.
Carnes in entering her eighth season as the head softball coach.
"This may be one of the best teams that I have ever coached and our leadership is definitely one of our strengths."
The one win that the Lopers did have was a 1-0 defensive shutout. The only run was scored by freshman, Cassie Keck's solo shot home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Keck, from Blair, Neb., started all four games and is anticipated to play all season as a true freshman.
"It felt really good. At that point I was doing whatever I could do get my team going," Keck said.
The second day of the tournament brought 30 MPH winds which only added to the outdoor elements that the Lopers were not accustomed to.
"We had trouble adjusting to the wind and the way that the ball carries in the wind," Carnes said.
"It was tough for our outfielders I imagine. There was a lack of communication between the infield and the outfield at times," Molly Langerak, a senior from Erie, Colo. said. "As far as hitting goes, if you take away the wind, a lot of the fly balls we had would have been base hits, but that's still not an excuse."
Langerak was an all-conference player last year and was voted all-region catcher. She was nominated for all-American and was also voted pre-season catcher of the year by coaches in the RMAC for the upcoming season. She had a two run RBI when she hit a double in the third game. The two runs were not enough to pull off a win though.
Although the losses were tough, the Lopers must look ahead to this coming weekend. Conference play begins this Saturday with the ladies traveling to Durango, Colorado to play Fort Lewis College. UNK went 2-2 last year with Ft. Lewis as their season opener.
"We need to stay intense this upcoming weekend. If we get behind we can't give up," Langerak said.
"We need to get outside as much as possible between now and then and get in game-like situations. We need the pressure on so that we can toughen up," Carnes said.
The games were frustrating to the team but they seemed to keep a positive outlook.
"We know what we need to work on and we know that we can only get better from here," Michelle Gaunt, a senior from McCook, Neb. said.
"We got those first games out of the way, and it's all uphill from here," Gaunt said.
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