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`After a two game sweep of Columbia Union College, the Millersville University softball team improved their solid regular season record to 22-19. While the team sits above .500 the record may be somewhat deceiving. With ten games remaining to close out the year, the Marauders really have their work cut out for them.
Millersville has a conference record of 1-9 and currently sits in last place of the PSAC East region. There are three divisions in the PSAC; the East, West and Central. The top three teams of each division reach the postseason, and Millersville three and a half games behind of third place West Chester.
The Marauders boast an impressive 21-10 non-conference schedule but have had their fair share of struggles against conference opponents going just 1-9 in such games.
The Marauders picked up two more non-conference victories on Monday as they swept a doubleheader.
The Marauders won the first game on the heels of a stellar complete game shutout thrown by sophomore pitcher Courtney Eckman. Eckman struck out seven, walked only two and spread out a paltry three hits throughout the game. Senior Janelle Mrakovich proved to be the offensive spark plug for Millersville as she tallied three of the teams 10 hits, scored twice, and drove in two of her own.
The Marauder bats went silent in the second game, but they provided just enough to help the team pull out with a 2-1 victory. Millersville benefited from another outstanding pitching performance.
Freshman Brittany Peterson did not allow any earned runs as she struck out seven, walked one and gave up only five hits for the Marauders’ second consecutive complete game from one of their pitchers. “Individually we have a strong team. Everyone contributes, it really is a good team effort,” Senior Shaina Briel said.
Senior Shaina Briel attempts to avoid a tag at home during a play at the plate in one of their two games against Columbia Union College. Millersville swept the doubleheader. Photo by Christian Shuts.
Lindsay Hosier was the one who contributed enough offense for the Marauders and picked up the teams only RBI. After Briel scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth, Hosier put up the insurance run with an RBI double in the fifth. The double was one of only two hits for the team during the game.
If Millersville wins out the rest of their conference games and receives a little help in the form of losses from the teams ahead of them, the Marauders could squeak into the playoffs. It is no doubt a tough task ahead of them but they remain confident that it is something that can be achieved. “We’ve been going back to the basics. We had a really long winning streak after Spring Break and we’re trying to get ourselves back to there,” Briel said
Hopefully, for Millersville that is not too far fetched of an idea. If it could be done once, there certainly is no reason it cannot happen again.
“We just have to be confident. Even though we’ve been losing we know that we still know how to play. We have to go into these games knowing we can win,” Briel said.
If their record says anything about this team, it is that they are winners. The team hopes that they can prove that to the rest of the PSAC as they finish out their regular season.