With experience, deep bench, softball sets sights on championship

By Kate Delenick

“One Focus ? One Goal ? One Team,” is a motto that the McDaniel Softball team takes to heart. With a full fall season and a trip to Florida already under their belts this year’s team is pushing forward to tough conference play.

With four senior captains and a “very versatile” freshman class, coach Phil Smith believes the team is well prepared for their upcoming opponents.

“We have a deep bench, which is something new,” Smith said. With a conference that has improved exceptionally over the past three years the team finds themselves in the middle of some of the best competition in the region.

“Three years ago we would have beat Swarthmore 16-2, but now they’re making conference playoffs,” Smith said. With three conference games in four days coming up for the Green Terror injury updates are on the minds of the coaches and players.

Like most teams on the Hill, softball finds themselves bruised but certainly not broken. Sophomore short-stop Lauren Toomey injured her ankle in an early season game against Mary Baldwin and senior captain Karyn Curley is playing with an injured shoulder that by seasons end may require surgery.

Injuries aside, the team finds themselves motivated and determined to reach their goals this year. In the classroom the team found themselves last year among the top 75 Division III schools nationally for highest GPA’s and this year would like to break into the top 50. On the field, beating current conference champs, Gettysburg is in the minds of each player. On April 27, the Terror will get their chance to take the Bullets at home.

Captain Diana Rosemier, junior Kelli Workmeister, and sophomore Lauren Toomey have come through clutch for Lady Terror before and this season will be no different.

With their experience as well as with new-comers like freshmen Megan Elfert and Lauren Wildasin the team is stacked with talent and with each swing of the bat they will be one step closer to a conference championship.