JV softball foiled again

by Amanda Lee

APRIL 28, BLAZER STADIUM –

Last afternoon, the JV softball team lost to the Springbrook Blue Devils in a 13-7 game. Despite the Blazers' strong play, defensive weaknesses kept Blair from defeating the only undefeated JV softball team in the county.

After being rescheduled on Tuesday after two innings due to rain, Blair resumed play with a two-run deficit. In the third inning, however, the Blazers began an outstanding batting performance that helped narrow the Blue Devils' lead, according to sophomore Stephanie Paul. "Their pitcher was the best we have faced so far, yet we were hitting amazing--probably the best we've ever hit," she said.

Coach Kristen Werdann concurred with Paul, citing freshmen Juliet Garlow and Maggie Sullivan's "great hits" as contributors to Blair's growing momentum in the middle innings. However, according to Werdann, the game's turning point was in the fourth inning, when Blair had a chance to tie the score at 4-4 and even take the lead. Their efforts, instead, were frustrated, when only two Blazers were able to score runs. In the field, small errors also hurt their chances for an effective comeback. "Our defense could have played better," she said.

Paul attributes the loss to the team's difficulty with maintaining enough concentration throughout their play. "Our team is in great physical condition," she said. We have the mechanics down to perfection, the skills are there, all we are missing is the mental toughness."

Despite the loss, Paul feels that the team's defeat was still a positive experience. "It was an awesome game," she said. "We almost won, and we have nothing to be ashamed about."