by Hannah Grace O'Connell '14
SPORTS WRITER
While their season has only just begun, the Hamilton softball team stands at 1-9, a record which they hope to improve when conference games begin.
Particularly promising is the roster of first-year students who have been added to the team this year: Chelsea Merritt, Summer Bottini, Ashley Perritt, Jenn Rougeux and Sam Miller.
The size of the first year class is indicative of the team’s growth, which has shown a steady increase in recent years. This season the softball team boasts 16 players, the most it has had in a long time.
The large team is being held together and guided by the four members of the senior class, Amanda Nardi, Mandy Hyne, Liz Reid and Leigh Sherrow.
The team traveled to Cape Coral, Florida over spring break, playing several non-conference games. Their early games in Florida showed great promise, with Hamilton beating Mass College of Liberal Arts 4-3 in their first game.
Despite holding their own in the next games, Hamilton lost 6-11 to Franklin and Marshall, 6-7 to SUNY Fredonia and 2-3 to Washington College, all on March 16.
Despite high hopes, Hamilton was shut out in a number of games against schools such as the University of Wisconsin-Oshkos, Edgewood College, St. Lawrence University and the University of New England.
In their game against Wooster College on March, Hamilton lost the game but managed to score a few times thanks to Merritt, Melissa Kaknis ’13 and Lisa Faraci ’13. The final scores for the two games were 3-1 and 6-2 respectively.
The Hamilton women are hoping to replicate their success from last year, where they finished the season third in the NESCAC conference with a 0.952 fielding percentage.
In addition to a poor record, the optimism of the team is clouded, however, by the harsh and unseasonal weather which has descended on the campus. Trying to play schools facing the same cold conditions in New York State has posed a problem, and consequently games have been postponed.
Their doubleheader against Morrisville State College was scheduled for home on Tuesday, March 29, but had to be canceled. However, it was able to be rescheduled to Tuesday, April 12 at 3:30 p.m.
The Continental women were not so lucky when their March 27 home meet against Rochester Institute of Technology was cancelled. These games, also a doubleheader, were not able to be rescheduled.
The team travels next to Amherst College on April 2, and Utica College on April 5.