With 20 wins and nine losses, the women’s softball team season has been an exciting one.
The Lady Cards are undefeated at home with an eight-win sweep and have won five games on the road with seven losses. On neutral ground, they have a striking record with seven wins and three losses. In the conference, they have seven wins with five losses.
After Head Coach Christine Steines took a leave of absence for personal reasons, Graduate Assistant Liz Allum took her place for this season. Steines will return for the 2013 softball season.
Despite their coach’s leave of absence, the Lady Cards show no sign of defeat, as they are tied for second in the OAC standings.
“I think the team has answered any questions about how they’re handling the situation by the way they’re playing,” Allum said.
Allum expects the team to keep doing what it is doing now. She said she is not surprised with how successful the team has been. “They’re incredibly hard working and (a) talented group of young women, so I expected nothing less,” she said. “They’re driven, and I am so proud of the way they continue to simply keep enjoying every day and every game.”
Freshman Jordan Abbruzzese and senior Casey Clarridge echo Allum’s feelings. Abbruzzese said at first they were worried about what was going to happen with their coach gone and ultimately did not know what to expect.
Casey said that the team has been more consistent with its play this season and focusing on sweeping double-headers.
“We have all been working hard to continue the high expectations and success that Coach Steines has always held us to,” Clarridge said.
Abbruzzese said that the team as a whole is very proud of Allum.
The Lady Cards have done substantially better than their 2011 season. Last season around this time they had 12 wins with eight losses.
The team has big plans for the rest of the season, but are planning on taking it one game at a time.
“As long as we stick to our style of play and come out each game determined to win, I think we’ll definitely achieve our goals (of going to the OAC tournament and NCAAs),” Clarridge said.
