By Denise Sandoval

From the beginning of the softball season to now, our Southwestern Women Pirates are on a roll with wins. Currently, the team sits at 14-12 on the season. The whole team is working together and communicating with each other in order to defeat their opponents.

At first the team wasn’t hitting on all cylinders, causing a 1-9 slump to begin the month of March. However, since the trip to Arizona, the team was able to come together. The team faced Baldwin Wallace University in Tucson, AZ and the rest was history. The team was able to let loose, going on a ten-game win streak, which just recently ended at the hands of conference rival, University of Dallas.

So what makes the team successful? Sophomore Outfielder, Marrisa Irvin says it is all about accountability.

“We have the talent and have to hold each other accountable,” Marissa Irvin said. “When we do this, it keeps us working hard and expectations high.”

Though everyday practice is different, it seems very routine with them knowing what to do once they get to practice. According to Irvin, a typical practice consists of showing up, doing your armbands, T-drills, hitting, condition, and depending what else the coaches want, they call it off for the day. The team also participates in station drills that focus on different skills. Such skills include contact drills, hitting, and bunts.

“We do hitting the most,” Irvin said. “Without doing it correctly, you can’t score.”

It all seems to be part of Coach Angela Froboese’s plan of excellence. As the first ever softball coach for the Pirates, the success the program has been having has been the result of the foundation she helped build.

“Our goals for this year are the same as they are every year,” Coach Angela Froboese said. “We want to get back to the top of the conference and back to the regional tournament.”

Last year, the team ended their season in the conference tournament at the hands of Trinity University in an elimination game. The team ended up taking third place.

“Third place is nice, but we want to be one of the top programs in the nation,” Coach Froboese said.

Irvin’s personal goal is to have a consistently good batting average and to be on the starting lineup for the rest of the season and the next seasons to come, and of course to win!

“There is also competition for starting lineups, but with hard work and commitment, players can make it to the starting line,” Irvin said. “Every team player has to have trust. We all have to have a positive attitude and the will to win.”

Only five more weeks remain until the SCAC Conference Tournament. With it so close, the Pirates are still taking it week by week and one game at a time. Up next on their schedule is a double header against Austin College Friday and Saturday. The following week, they travel to Seguin to face Texas Lutheran University. Their next home game is against school rival, Trinity University, Saturday April 18th and Sunday April 19th.