Softball Takes Home Three Wins this Week
Exeter softball entered the week with a record of 0-2, but were able to finish with a record on the right side of .500. The key to the three wins over the past week: offense. Big Red outscored New Hampton, Tilton and Worcester by a total of 23 runs, including two games decided by the ten run rule. This was a stark change from the first two games of the season in which the team had a negative-21 run differential.
Against Worcester on Saturday, the team won 11-1 in just five innings. Prep Brittani Chapman had a “walk-off” single in the bottom of the fifth that scored senior captain Weilin Chan and forced the lead to ten runs. Exeter got off to a hot start in the first inning by retiring the first three Worcester hitters in order and then scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Senior captain Hannah Myers drove in two of the runs with a triple. “It set the team going,” Senior Paola Otero of Myers’ triple said of the triple. It certainly seemed to, as Big Red scored in every inning thereafter.
The pitching performance from senior captain Chloe Dubocq was tremendous. She allowed only one run to score, gave up only three hits (all singles), recorded four Ks, and issued only three free walks. “Chloe pitched a really solid game. She had great movement on her pitches,” Myers said. The defense also did their part to help out Dubocq by stepping up their play only committing three errors.
One reason for the big turnaround seems to be the growing camaraderie among the team. “Not everyone on the team was able to make it to Florida for preseason, but everyone seemed even closer [Saturday] than they did down there,” coach Amy MacLean said.
Due to the poor conditions of their field, the team had to travel to local public fields, although it was uncertain if they were allowed to practice there. “We were incognito as [Coach Thompson’s] seventeen children on a family outing or the Thompson family singers,” Myers said. This new team bonding experience appeared to help out Exeter over the past week, and might be encouraged if they continue getting the same results.
Confidence is at a high right now for Exeter softball. The recent wins have turned the team’s morale around, and they hope to keep it that high. “I think the [the confidence] will push people to keep working hard and get better each day,” Otero said. “But ultimately it comes down to limiting our errors and backing up our pitchers and putting the ball in play.” Scoring twenty-nine runs a week also would not hurt Big Red.
The team will face Northfield Mount Hermon on the road Saturday. Last season they lost at NMH 7-6, but with their morale and momentum continuing to grow, Exeter softball will look to come home this year with a W.