The University of Rhode Island softball team opened their season this weekend with a trip to Spartanburg, South Carolina, for the Wofford Invitational.
The six game series, over a span of three days, resulted in just one win for the Rams.
URI’s five losses on the weekend saw a familiar theme. Falling twice to Northern Kentucky University and Saint Francis University, before visiting Gardner-Webb University in a 7-4 loss. Rhode Island was outscored by a combined 20-0 in the first inning of their five losses, a key issue over the weekend.
“We’re going to hope that this is not going to be a season-long trend,” URI Head Coach Whitney Goldstein said.
The Rams’ first contest of the weekend vs. Northern Kentucky served as a preview for the rest of the Wofford Invitational.
Just one inning into the season, Rhode Island found themselves in a 6-0 deficit and Northern Kentucky’s lead would mount to 8-0 by the bottom of the fourth. URI’s offense found life at the top of the fifth.
A double steal saw fifth-year Sydney Yoder head home, and sparked a five-run rally, courtesy of Yoder, first-years Riley Frickleton and Zoe Rensel, second-year Mandi Hanewich and third-year Leilyn Alvarez.
However, It wasn’t enough, and Rhode Island would begin the year 0-1, falling to Northern Kentucky 8-5.
That same day, the Rams’ bout with Saint Francis would be the first of two that they would concede early, due to mercy rule. The contest was called in the fifth inning with URI down 16-2. The Rams, now 0-2, were allotted extra time and plenty of motivation, according to fifth-year Cassie Swenson, as Rhode Island would prepare to face Wofford College the following day.
“At the end of the day it is more mental than physical,” Swenson said. “If you’re not preparing yourself, if you’re not holding yourself accountable for little things… it can really trickle into your play”.
On the second day of the tournament against Wofford, Swenson’s preparation would indeed trickle into her play, for the better. Swenson saw herself go three for three at the plate, and also watched as she batted in fourth-year Maddie Melice for the Rams final run of the game in the fifth inning, making the score 4-0. Two prior runs by second-year Hannah Hernandez and another from Alvarez helped secure Rhode Island’s first win of the young season, besting Wofford by a score of 4-1.
“Once I get in the box it’s just, I’m locking in on the ball only,” Swenson said. “Just focusing on where she [The pitcher] releases it off the hip and the height of the ball… It’s a very mental game, you have to be very confident.”
The Rams 4-1 win against Wofford was the only game they saw a lead in this weekend. The subsequent games would cap off the weekend with three more losses.
“Really what it comes down to is we have to throw strikes, we have to be a little bit mentally tougher on the mound, and really just compete at the level in which I know our players can,” Goldstein said. “I think it’s going to continue to get better… but it requires a lot of work.”
Following their first win, Rhode Island saw another blowout loss against Saint Francis on Saturday, this time by a score of 11-0.
A day later, and now two days removed from their first matchup with Northern Kentucky, the rematch saw Rhody put together yet another late game rally.
The Rams seemed to develop a knack for last-minute offensive outbursts over the weekend. URI’s attempted comeback vs. Northern Kentucky churned out five runs in a single inning for the second time in two days, this time at the top of the sixth. URI would come up short vs Northern Kentucky once again, this time by a score of 9-7.
On Monday, a matchup with Gardner-Webb would put the stretch to rest for URI. Despite another rally, consisting of four runs at the top of the seventh, it wasn’t enough to avoid a 1-5 start to the season. The weekend was stamped with a 7-4 loss to Gardner-Webb.
Early game deficits proved to be too much to overcome in three different contests this weekend, despite late game efforts.
“The biggest thing that we said is, you know, it’s really hard as an offense to always have to feel like you have to come back if the pitchers don’t come out and at least hold it to what we call minimal damage,” Goldstein said. “Those are the things that we just did not accomplish well this weekend.”
In spite of the weekend’s results, the program’s expectations and the team’s mindset remain undeterred.
“We are more prepared for when we come back up north and play our regular season up here, in our conference,” Goldstein said. “Overall I think we showed life in multiple parts of the game and now it’s just really working towards becoming complete.”
Swenson, the second-year captain, attested to Goldstein’s vision.
“I think the biggest thing with us is that no matter what the outcome is we are still going to give 110% every single second of the game,” Swenson said. “We are gritty, we are competitors, we want to win… At the end of the day if you give 110% of yourself the game is only going to reward you.”
Rhode Island will continue to put their best foot forward as they look ahead to the Owl Classic in Boca Raton, Florida, next weekend, starting Feb. 23. The Rams will face off against Florida Atlantic University, Boston College, Florida Gulf Coast University and Columbia University during the classic.