With only four regular season matchups left, the Truman State softball team has experienced a streak of success. The Bulldogs won 15 of their last 20 games in conference play. Players attribute this continued success to aggression at the plate, a strong pitching staff and contributions from all players in the lineup.
Cate Simon, a redshirt senior third baseman, says the team is playing so well because her teammates all are on the same page.
“We finally found our groove,” Simon says. “It took some time, but everyone is on the same page, and everyone is competing. We trust each other and support our teammates no matter the situation.”
Simon says she is impressed with how well the entire batting order is performing this season. She says the Bulldogs have the ability to rely on any player to come through with defensive plays and big hits when the team needs them.
Heading into the final stretch of the season, Simon says the team could improve before heading into the GLVC tournament. She says each team member needs to focus on the details— sometimes in games, the players have a tendency to get caught up in the moment and forget to do the little things right. Simon says once the team perfects these details, less mistakes will happen when the postseason arrives.
Senior pitcher Kelsea Dorsey says pitching and hitting have contributed to the Bulldogs’ recent success. Dorsey, who has a current earned run average of 2.39, says she is confident when she is on the mound because she can rely on her defense to make key plays.
The Truman pitchers have held their opponents to under a .250 batting average this season, with all three pitchers working with an ERA under 2.5. Bulldog pitchers senior Kindra Henze and freshman Lauren Dale also have pitched in significant innings for the Bulldogs. Henze, who has a 2.01 ERA, has pitched 94 innings despite a torn ACL earlier this season. Dale has pitched 34 innings for the ‘Dogs and has posted a 2.45 ERA thus far this season.
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