Softball set to challenge 2 top-20 teams at ASU
The South Carolina softball team hits the road this weekend to escape Columbia’s gloomy forecast in favor of somewhere sunny and 75 down in the badlands of Tempe, Ariz., for the Arizona State Louisville Slugger Invitational.
The team is riding a nine-game winning streak, so confidence in the locker room is sky high right now. The pitching staff has been lights out, and the two impact freshman, Nickie Blue and Kaylea Snaer, have been on a tear.
However, while the Gamecocks have played some very formidable opponents, this weekend could serve as a rude awakening for the team if it’s not careful.
South Carolina’s first matchups are against No. 4 Arizona State, which has a 17-0 record, and No. 20 Minnesota, which has a 12-1 record. The Gophers’ only loss came at the hands of No. 1 Florida.
With SEC play right around the corner, this weekend could be an excellent indicator as to how the team will fare in conference play this year and could end up serving as a platform for success, or it could end up a total nightmare.
Each game presents a different challenge. As Arizona State has invoked the mercy rule in nine of their 17 games, and Minnesota has allowed, on average, less than one run per game, excluding the Florida loss.
Blue, a freshman pitcher, said she thinks the team is hitting its stride at just the right time and should be up for the challenge.
“I think we’ve definitely honed in on the mentality that we really want to succeed,” Blue said. “So I think we are close to where we want to be, but there’s always room to grow, and in the weeks leading up to the season and even during, we’re always looking to get better.”
While coach Beverly Smith was pleased with her team’s weekend sweep over Gardner-Webb, UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina, she seemed to disagree with Blue, saying she feels the team could play even better than they already have.
“That’s kind of what February’s all about,” Smith said. “Just putting people in different positions and rotating the lineup and seeing what works best. But I still don’t think they’ve even scratched the surface of their potential, so I think we have a long way to go, but I’m liking the direction they’re headed in.”
The Gamecocks’ two other games at the invitational, which look to be less competitive than the first two, are against Ball State and Detroit.
Despite the success the team found last weekend, winning all four of its games, senior Chelsea Hawkins said she won’t be satisfied with anything less than a repeat.
“I expect four wins,” Hawkins said. “Nothing less.”