While the Ball State University softball team is suffering from a lack of consistency, it's not strike outs or errors that worry coach Craig Nicholson the most. His greatest concern is the lack of emotional consistency.
The Cardinals (7-14) will look to gain more consistency at this weekend's Iowa Tournament. Ball State's inconsistency was a factor in some close losses, Nicholson said.
"It's just some days we come out and really, really play and are fired up and ready to go," Nicholson said. "And some days we're just a little flat. I'd just like the kids, emotionally, to be a little bit more consistent and come with a little bit more of a businesslike attitude and just do our job on a daily basis."
This year's team, with five sophomores and four freshmen, is still growing and learning how to remain emotionally consistent, senior Taylor Yancey said. The third baseman said the team feeds off one another and looks to the upperclassmen and assistant coach Stephanie DeFeo for stability.
"Softball is such a game of ups and downs," Yancey said. "It can be hard to stay fired up throughout a game. Sometimes it's a roller coaster."
Ball State experienced a lack of consistency last weekend at the Speedline Tournament, Nicholson said. He said the team did not come out with enthusiasm for Sunday's 7-0 loss against Florida International University.
"I'd like to go see us play a little bit more consistently than we've played the last couple times out and be able to sustain some intensity over a period of four games," Nicholson said. "That's our short- term goal for this weekend."
In an effort to become more consistent, he said the team set short-term goals. He said the goals are oriented toward emotional consistency and are not statistically driven.
One of the Cardinals' goals is to play seven full innings, he said.
"We are really trying to focus on making sure that we play 21 outs on each side of the ball," Nicholson said.
He said he wants the Cardinals to take advantage of all 21 outs offensively and not give the opponent more than 21 outs.
"We just need to do a little bit better job of being prepared from the first pitch of the ballgame and then playing through to the last pitch of the ballgame," Nicholson said.
Nicholson said he wants the players to be on an emotional level and level of execution for the entire game.
Freshman Elizabeth Milian said she controls her emotional level by not letting the game affect her emotions.
"The last pitch doesn't matter, the next pitch doesn't matter, this pitch matters," she said.
The players not only have to control their emotions, they have to get themselves motivated, Nicholson said.
"A lot of that motivation has to kind of be intrinsic, and you have to get yourself ready to play," he said.
Ball State used its early season tournaments to prepare for the upcoming Mid-American Conference play. This weekend's invitational is the final regular season tournament for the Cardinals.
The tournaments are similar to conference play because of the amount of games during a short period of time, Nicholson said. The Cardinals have been playing two or three games a day during each tournament.
"It's good for us to go play these [tournaments] early so that we are used to playing two games every day," Nicholson said.
This weekend's tournament features a solid field, Nicholson said. He said he expects the University of Iowa and North Dakota State University to be Ball State's biggest competition. Ball State will also play South Dakota State University and conference opponent Northern Illinois University.
There is little difference in the preparation for tournament style games compared to single games, Nicholson said. He said he does not have a preference between tournament style games or single games.
"I'd just as soon play single games every day, but I think it's good for us to get out there and have to play in that tournament-type setting," Nicholson said.
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