Softball team opens season in Auburn
The CMU softball team begins its season this weekend in Auburn, Ala., to play in the Tiger Invitational.
The Chippewas play Nebraska twice Friday, Auburn on Saturday and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on Sunday.
“This week was a whole lot of anxiousness and nervousness but, at the same time, we’re really excited to play,” said sophomore shortstop Molly Coldren. “We’re pumped and ready to show we’re a whole new team this year.”
Nebraska and Auburn qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year, while SIU-Edwardsville went 40-10.
Coach Margo Jonker said she wants to see who translates the abilities from offseason practice to actual games.
“It is a matter of putting the whole game together to see who goes where, who works well in competition, who is competitive, who plays better under pressure and who does not, and all of that,” she said.
Returning for Central this season is junior pitcher Kari Seddon, a first-team All-Mid-American Conference player in 2008 who missed all of last season with an injury. Jonker said Seddon is practicing as well as she was in 2008, but she wants to see how Seddon will compete against opposition instead of teammates.
CMU does not return a lot of pitching experience and Jonker said it will be key for the pitchers to come out ready to pitch.
“I think it is important that the pitchers come out strong, but none of them have had much Division-I experience in the last year, so we have to give them some time to get back in,” she said.
Sophomore Courtney King is the only pitcher returning who pitched last season, going 0-3 with a 4.20 ERA in five appearances.
Junior Brittini Merchant said the team wants to be aggressive in the batter’s box.
“I think, right now, we are focusing on being aggressive in the box,” she said. “Having a good at-bat and not getting frustrated by remembering that it is just the beginning of the season and we have a long road ahead of us.”
Coldren said she is expecting herself to move into a leadership role as the season starts.
“I’m just focused on being a leader and making sure my team is always up and positive the whole time,” she said.
After the Tiger Invitational, CMU is off until the USF Tournament starting March 5.
