The softball team split a doubleheader matchup against Christian Brothers University on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in Memphis, Tenn. The Lady Bisons won the first game 5-1, then were defeated 12-10 in the second game. The doubleheader was a non-conference game. Harding is now 10-5 overall for the season.
Junior outfielder Carolyn Clayton said it took the team a few innings to get warmed up, but they produced runs to get the win. She also said the team has things they could improve upon.
“We can still work on our mentality and mentally preparing ourselves for each game and play we face,” Clayton said.
According to Clayton, since this is the first season for the Harding softball program, the women have had to build team chemistry to be successful.
Head coach Phil Berry said the team has named four girls as captains: sophomore catcher Jessica Greene, junior pitcher Amber Rollins, sophomore utility player Emily Jones and Clayton. These girls have helped the team grow closer on and off the field.
“The team is very close, and it started with many of them working our summer camp last June,” Berry said. “They began to bond then, and it progressed from there. Most of our 12 freshmen are on the same hall in the dorm and support each other constantly.”
Another obstacle the Lady Bisons have faced so far is being called an underdog. According to freshman infielder/pitcher Brookelynn Moon, the team is trying to bring attention to the program by showing they belong.
“My team may be the underdog in this conference, but we will be a team who will never settle for being at the bottom or even middle or second,” Moon said. “We will be champions, because in the end we will have become and achieved the greatness everyone thought we never had.”
The team hopes the Harding community will continue to support them for the rest of their inaugural season. The Lady Bisons are set to play Southeastern Oklahoma State University today and tomorrow in Durant, Okla. Today the games begin at 1 and 3 p.m. Tomorrow the times are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Clayton said she hopes this will be a season for the team and fans to remember. The team loves to have fun during the games, and it helps to have fans there to be loud with them.
“We really appreciate all the support we have gotten so far, and we hope that the students and fans would want to be a part of it as much as we do,” Clayton said.
