The Virginia women’s softball team headed into this past weekend looking to bounce back from a rough start in the beginning of March. The Cavaliers (8-21, 0-6 ACC) took on Louisville at home, in Charlottesville for a three-game series. Virginia, though competitive, lost with scores of 2-0, 7-2 and 2-1, respectively, falling to the Cardinals (19-6, 5-1 ACC) in a series sweep.
The series was originally scheduled with a single game Friday and a doubleheader Saturday. However, the schedule changed due to inclement weather with the doubleheader played on Friday, and the series finale on Saturday morning.
Coach Blake Miller said the schedule changes had no effect on his team’s performance.
“That’s kind of what everything is always built on; making sure that you’re just ready to go when it’s time to go,” Miller said. “I mean schedule changes, that’s just part of that, and part of softball, because we have to adjust to these different times and work that.”
Although Virginia is now on a seven-game losing streak, and has lost 12 of its last 14 games, Miller believes there were positive signs, especially in the series finale, that show the Cavaliers are beginning to turn things around. Despite taking a loss in the game Saturday, he pointed out freshman pitcher Erika Osherow pitched a solid game.
“As far as pitching, Erika did a great job on the mound,” Miller said. “She didn’t have her best stuff today, I mean they put up eight hits on her, but she spread them out, she pitched out of jams.”
In addition to seeing improvements, the Cavaliers have not lost confidence in themselves and believe they are capable of playing at a high level. Junior catcher Katie Park said that despite Virginia’s losses, the team has played competitively in recent games.
“I mean our confidence never really wavers,” Park said. “We’re competing every game so we’re not really even discouraging about that every day.”
However, though there have been signs of improvement, the team knows there are still areas they need to improve upon. The team’s offense has struggled as of late, as they have not scored more than three runs in their last 11 games and in 16 of their last 17 contests.
Miller believes the offense needs to get back to the basics, and overcomplicating simple tasks has been detrimental.
“Really hitting wise we just got to get simpler,” he said. “We take ourselves out of the game by outthinking,”
Park emphasized the need to stay focused on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field, and getting back to doing the things that has made them successful in the past.
“Really get committed, keep our hands back and get back to what we do best with hitting; driving the ball the other way,” Park said. “Just playing clean defense behind Erika or whoever’s pitching.”
Despite the team’s recent struggles, the Cavaliers believe they are heading in the right direction and continue to have confidence in their abilities.
Virginia will make the short trip to Farmville, Va. this week to take on Longwood for a doubleheader Wednesday, before traveling to Pittsburgh to face off against the Panthers this weekend.
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