The Trevian softball team had a tough trip to Normal, Illinois this spring, dropping two games to Lincoln-West while the rest of the scheduled games were rained out.

Despite their losses, the team is proud of their performance and anticipates a strong season. “We faced the fastest pitching we’ve seen thus far but our bats were still strong in the first game,” said senior captain and pitcher Alicia Bagan. In the shortened second game, ten out of eighteen batters struck out.

Softball season started only a few weeks ago, and the team is still working on communication and building trust.“We’re playing some of the top teams in the state and we’re still trying to figure out who we are as a team,” said head coach John Cadwell.

The first game showed strong defensive play and powerful pitching. Junior pitcher Eloise Trout pitched a strong game and Lincoln-Way East “struggled hitting off her,” said Bagan.

During the fourth inning, down 0-3, Bagan doubled, resulting in senior captain and shortstop Gillian Gossard taking third base. Bagan’s hit gave the offense a boost, leading to two runs later that inning, said Trout.

Although they scored two runs, the team lost the game with a final score of 4-2 after Lincoln-Way East scored a run during the seventh inning.

However, the team is pleased with their performance. “In the first game, we had some excellent defensive play, both our outfielders and our infielders,” said Cadwell.

The team got off to a promising start in the first inning of the second game, sending five batters to the plate, but they only scored one run. Freshman Kayla Okininski drew a walk, stole second, and scored later that inning by an error by the third baseman.

Senior captain Caroline Kelly dove through a mud puddle and still managed to catch a ball hit to right field. Although this daring play gave the team momentum, it wasn’t enough in the 11-1 loss.

Before the trip, the team had won one game against Lane Tech and lost two to Whitney Young and Fremd. Although the trip puts them at a record of 1-4, Bagan emphasized that the team is still young and gaining experience playing together. There is one freshman and three sophomores, so for some, it is their first year playing on the varsity team.

“We’re still getting used to playing with each other and don’t judge the success on the tournament based on wins and loses,” said Bagan.

Although the weather caused four games to be cancelled, it left the team with plenty of free time. Sophomore Abby Carpenter said, “We used the downtime that we had at the hotel to do some team bonding activities and get to know each other better.”

The team believes that the relationships built off the field will translate onto the field, causing the team to have stronger trust and communication.

Many players emphasized this year’s team’s strong motivation and high energy. However, the temperature tends to have an affect on the team’s performance, said Carpenter. “Our energy tends to go down when the cold gets to us, which is what damages our momentum.”

With the weather getting warmer, the team hopes to have more opportunities to practice. Cadwell noted the need for further practice for situational hitting and an overall need for greater confidence during games. Pitching, he noted, will also improve with this additional practice time.

Bagan believes that this team, with a little more time and practice, has great potential. “People may not see us as a threat right now, but we’ll prove them wrong.”