Softball stays strong as season gets underway

Jared Speckman
2/17/12

After one game, it appears there will be no hangover for the softball team after the most successful campaign in school history in 2011.
The women traveled to Oklahoma City last weekend for two games. The first game, which ended up being their only game because of a weather cancellation, was a blowout win over Central Christian College, from McPherson, Kan.
Maria Buckingham, senior, starting pitcher and team captain, pitched all five innings for the Lady Cardinals, giving up three hits and no earned runs.
The Lady Cardinals offense did their part, driving in 16 runs. Third basewoman Taylor Brown, senior, catcher Ashlee Nation, sophomore, and designated hitter Kelsey Teneycke, sophomore, drove in three runs each.
Fourteen of the women’s 16 runs came in the first inning of the game which forced a pitching change by Central Christian before they received their second out in the game.
“We played pretty well for our first game of the season. Our focus and intensity was really good. Maria threw really well, and we made plays defensively behind her. Offensively we got on base up and down the lineup. However, we definitely know we still have a long way to go both offensively and defensively to compete at a high level,” Dustin Combs, head softball coach, said.
The weather was not ideal for the game. The women played in wind chills of around 20 degrees and 20 miles an-hour winds, according to Combs. Their game scheduled against Hillsdale Baptist College was cancelled.
The Lady Cardinals are heading back to Weatherford, Okla. this weekend for four scheduled games. In all likelihood, these games will be much tougher.
The Lady Cardinals will face off against Southwest Oklahoma State in their first matchup. Southwest Oklahoma is the host school and comes in with a 2-1 record on the season. Jewell will also play Northwest Missouri State who will be playing their first game of the season after two games were postponed last week. Jewell will then take on both teams again.
“We still don’t know exactly where we are at this point as a team. We have a lot of competition and depth at every position and we’re still trying to put the best lineup on the field. We will have to play really well this weekend and maintain our great chemistry to have a successful weekend,” Combs said.
The weather may play a factor in this weekend’s games as well, as the forecast calls for rain during game time.
After this week’s trip to Oklahoma the Lady Cardinals will travel to Arkansas for the CBC Meltdown and their last non-conference games before entering conference play with two home games.
“Our non-conference schedule is very important for our preparation for GLVC competition. It will allow us to find out where we are as a program and what we need to improve on as a team. The next eight games on our schedule will be very competitive and critical for our development going into conference play,” Combs said.