After a slow start to the season, the Oswego State softball team won nine games in a row and is 17-17, and 11-5 in conference. With that, the Lakers have clinched a SUNYAC playoff spot.
The streak was ended in the second game of a doubleheader against Alfred University on April 25.
The Lakers had high hopes coming into the season after making the SUNYAC playoffs with a record of 19-15, before losing in the first round, but they started the season very slow, going 8-16 overall and just 3-5 in SUNYAC play.
During the streak, however, they have flipped a switch, as they worked their way up to third in the SUNYAC and are going to the postseason. In those nine games, the Lakers scored an impressive 68 runs while their opponents only scored 20. That is good for 7.5 runs per game while the team’s ERA was 2.75. Head coach Abby Martin has seen the team’s mindset change during the winning streak.
“The mentality of that conference is everything,” Martin said. “Since we have started playing conference games in general … we have just been playing. That’s been our focus, starting conference games and having that different mentality of now we have to be at our best.”
Senior Angela Frampton said the Lakers are finally playing to their potential.
“In the beginning of the season, we were saying that we are a good enough team to do these things. Instead of saying those things, we finally just started doing them, literally just making the plays instead of just talking about making them,” Frampton said.
Senior shortstop Erin Sweeney said the team is not talking about the success; they are just playing softball.
“We are kind of keeping quiet, not talking much about anything, just playing softball the way we know how to play,” Sweeney said. “I think that’s been beneficial, just not thinking, just playing the game.”
As one would expect, the confidence level around the team has been great during these last eight games. Martin said it has been “positive” and “uplifting.”
“We have been believing in each other more,” Martin said. “This team is a little more result oriented, so now that we have been getting the results, there is just an overwhelming feeling. … We’re feeling good because we are playing good.”
Sweeney said players are finally doing what they are supposed to be doing.
“I feel like people are doing what they need to get done, and it’s working, so I think the confidence levels have definitely grown,” Sweeney said.
The Lakers have struggled with defense, as they are second in the SUNYAC in errors with 72. Before the eight-game winning streak the Lakers made a total of 58 errors, which is good for 2.5 errors a game. The Lakers have the third most unearned runs at 53, behind only SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Fredonia. However, over these past eight games, they have made eight errors, which is just one error per game. Martin said that has been a big part of this hot streak.
“We have played just better defense,” Martin said. “Our hitting has been pretty consistent. Up and down is normal in softball. It’s a pitching-dominate game, but really, the defense has really gotten so much sharper, and it really has made the difference. I think just attacking more defense in practice and keeping up what we have been doing offensively has really been a key for us.”
With the Lakers clinching a playoff spot, the team is ready for SUNYACs.
“We have to keep doing what we have been doing,” Martin said. “The three things we have been talking about, we have to have all three every time we take the field, and that’s pitching, defense, offense, and when we have all three going, we are really tough to beat.”
The players are focused on winning. Sweeney said the team is hoping for the best and that she hopes the team can keep the win streak going and potentially win SUNYACs. Frampton echoed that statement.
“We want to win and we want to do what we have to do to get there,” Frampton said.
Photo by Nicole Hube | The Oswegonian
