After enduring a nine-game losing streak which stretched from mid-March to early April, the Shepherd University softball team looks to have put that slump behind them. The team has rebounded by winning six out of their last seven games.
Despite sitting in second-to-last place in the Mountain East Conference softball rankings with a 15–19 overall record, the Rams appear to have captured momentum and confidence that they have not had all season. Shepherd has salvaged their campaign just in time as the end of the regular season is fast approaching and the team must collectively improve their play to have any chance of success in the postseason.
The Rams began their hot streak on April 6 when they swept MEC member Notre Dame College in doubleheader action by the score of 7–1 in game one and 3–2 in the nightcap.
Shepherd took a 2–0 lead in the third inning of game one and never relinquished it after sophomore third baseman Kass Taylor led off with a single and junior first Savannah Snyder followed that up with a two-run homer that flew over the left field fence. Notre Dame scored their only run of game one in the fourth inning when Jessica Cavellero reached base on a fielder’s choice and later scored off a single by Nataly Ciocca. Nonetheless, the Rams added five more runs in the fifth to seal the victory.
Notre Dame College jumped out to any early 1–0 lead in the first inning of game two in the third frame. Junior second baseman Elisa Orlandi led off the inning with a single and later scored courtesy of a single from sophomore third baseman Kass Taylor which tied the contest.
The Falcons then retook the lead in the fifth when Christine Camp scored off an infield single by the Rams, but they once again tied the game in the bottom of the inning when freshman third baseman Alexandra Witt singled and later scored off a double.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Rams took the lead for good in the most exciting of ways. Witt led off with a single and then moved to second on a sac-fly by senior shortstop Jess Mason. She advanced to third on a passed ball and then came in to score on a wild pitch.
The Rams continued their impressive play on April 8 when they swept non-conference opponent Bowie State in doubleheader action. The Rams gained a 5–1 win in game one and a dominating 12–0 shutout win in the nightcap.
The victories extended their winning streak to five games at the time. The Bulldogs scored their only run of the day in the bottom of the first inning of game one when Adria Lewis had a RBI-single to tie the game.
On Saturday, April 12, the Ram’s winning streak came to an end and they split with West Virginia State in doubleheader action. In game one, the Rams scored first when they took a 2–0 lead in the third after an RBI single from Witt and an RBI-double off the bat of Snyder. In the fourth inning, Shepherd added four more runs to extend their lead. The rally was highlighted by a two-run single from Alexandra Witt. The Yellow Jackets answered back by scoring runs in the fifth and seventh innings. However, it was not enough as the Rams held on for the 6–3 victory.