Softball rebounds back to manage 3-5 record in tourney

The women’s softball team played eight games in a University Athletic Association tournament against four teams, and took home three wins and five losses. The games were held in Florida from March 9 through March 13. In the first two games, the softball team took two heavy losses against Case Western Reserve University and Emory University, with scores of 10-1 and 7-1 respectively. Sophomore Jen Moshier scored in the first game and senior Allison Rossi scored in the second.They then defeated Brandeis University 6-5 and lost to Washington University 4-1. During the Brandeis game, senior Tracy Simon tied the score in the bottom of the seventh and made the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Senior Becky Ryszkiewicz scored two runs, senior Sarah Dial scored three and freshman Nicole DiBello had one RBI. Freshman Nina Long pitched the first six innings and struck out six batters and scattered five hits, while freshman Sam Carr pitched the remainder and struck out two batters. Simon scored the run in the Washington game.The softball team then played each of the four teams again with better results the second time around. They went back to defeat Case Western 8-0 and Brandeis 3-2, but lost again to Emory and Washington, 1-4 and 0-3, respectively. Against Case Western, Simon scored three runs, and freshmen Jena Robertson and Sara Lynch took home one each. On the mound, Long was able to scatter four hits and strike out two in four and third innings. In the Brandeis rematch, Robertson hit a double that brought in sophomore Bridget Baran and Carr. Baran also brought in the third run for the Yellowjackets. Against Emory, Robertson was the lone scorer. This season’s team is composed of nine returning players and nine freshmen. Senior co-captains are Dial and Simon. Michelle Andre is currently the interim head coach for the women’s softball team this season. She started four years in a row for the Rowan University softball team, was a three-time First Team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference choice, and was a three-time First Team All-Region choice. She also was a Second Team All-American in 1996.The next game will be against Western Connecticut at the College of New Jersey on March 20.Keller can be reached at rkeller@campustimes.org.