Sunday, March 30, 2014 – Rained Out

For the first time since the beginning of February, we Rams are spending a weekend at home in the Bronx without playing a single softball game. Our A10 championship game rematch against St. Joseph’s will have to wait, as the rain has wiped out our most anticipated conference series of the season.

This little hiatus from playing has given me a chance to reflect on the week that was, as well as the progress we have made over the last couple of weeks. We are currently riding a five-game winning streak, during which we have recorded run-rule victories in each of our last three games. Sweeping George Washington at their place last weekend was huge for us and our confidence. We entered that series with a swagger and a fire that translated into a great collective performance on the field, and left no doubt in the minds of anyone watching that we are a championship-caliber team. Those George Washington games were fun to play in, as there was a tangible playoff atmosphere present in D.C. last Saturday.

Rams celebrating Sydney’s monster bomb into the tennis courts at Bahoshy Field against Marist. (Courtesy of Tom Wasiczko)

The momentum we gained from the GW series carried over into our first home games of the season on Thursday against Marist. Despite a full day of classes before the double-header, as well as frigid temperatures, we recorded two more statement wins. With our new championship banners hanging high on the left field fence for the first time, we mercied Marist in both games and got out of there in ten innings. We had our first real offensive explosion of the season, as we outscored the reigning MAAC Champions 20-3 in two games.

At one point during the second Marist game while we were on defense, I took a look around the field and thought about how incredible it would be to win the A10 title on our home field in about five weeks. Not only do we have an opportunity this year to win the first back-to-back Atlantic 10 championships in program history, but we can do it at home! I know I’m getting a little ahead of myself, as we just started conference play, but a girl can dream, right?

My spirits are high right now. We are over .500 for the first time since the second week of the season, 2-0 in conference, and playing all-around good softball. The bats are really coming around, and our experience against top flight pitching is showing and starting to pay dividends against the teams we have been facing recently.

Our assistant coach Bob and I talked briefly before the start of last week’s GW games about the three different seasons that occur over the course of the journey; The first being the preseason (every game leading up to conference play), the second is the regular season (conference games), and the third is the postseason (the A10 tournament and beyond). At the start of the second “season” of our journey, I can clearly see a difference in the growth and development of our team now and our team at the start of the preseason. If this upward trajectory persists, and we continue to grow and improve as a team like we have done over the past month, I can see us hoisting the trophy on Bahoshy Field in May. Until then, I’m going to continue riding this wave with my spirits high and my sights set on that ultimate prize.