The Bonnies softball team has gone winless so far this season, but hopes to gain some momentum as it heads to Florida to play nine games over break. The team dropped all five games it played in Macon, Georgia, starting off with a 0-5 record.
The Bonnies played the games at the Mercer Invitational. The competition included Mercer, Pittsburgh and Central Michigan. Pitt beat the Bonnies twice in lopsided games by a score of 10-0 in the first game and 9-1 in the second. Central Michigan also defeated the Bonnies 10-0.
The two games against Mercer were closer, with the first ending 7-3. The second game ended in a score of 5-3, with sophomore left fielder Hailey Blencowe hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
“I don’t look at it as we struggled at all,” said senior first baseman Katie Sinclair in regards to the losses. “We were outside on a dirt field for the first time, and we came out a little slow. There are a lot of games left and we are just getting started.”
Senior center fielder Emily Belfield said she attributes the early losses to anxiousness to perform well and believes the team just needs to get back to basics and have fun.
“In my four years, this is the most talented I’ve ever seen this team from top to bottom,” Belfield said. “If we play the way we can and usually do, then we could easily finish 4-0 in Jacksonville.”
The women will take on Harvard and Albany on Friday, Feb. 26 and Presbyterian and Jacksonville on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Both Belfield and Sinclair targeted Albany as a prime opportunity for the Bonnies to land their first win.
“We play Albany, which is practically in our backyard, which has the same struggles as a northern team like us,” said Belfield. “It will be good to see how we match up against them.”
Both players also said that the team’s pitching needs to be good in Florida.
“We need to pitch well, play solid defensively and start to swing our bats,” said Sinclair. “When we can put balls in play and start getting the other team on their heels, that’s when we can take advantage and win some games.”
Belfield picked sophomore pitcher Josie Borysevicz and senior short stop Emily McDonough to have big showings this weekend. She said that in Georgia, the teams were very good. Because of this, Borysevicz said she didn’t get a chance to show how good she really is, and she said this weekend she will have great success.
About McDonough, Belfield said that she had some bad luck in the games in Georgia, but she expects her to perform better in Florida.
“She put the ball in play a lot, but the other team’s defense was always just right there,” Belfield said. “If she continues to put the ball in play like she always has, this coming trip will be a different outcome for her.”
After the four games this weekend in Jacksonville, the team has five more games in Florida coming up next week in Clearwater.
signorra15@bonaventure.edu
