Coming off a 4-1 record in the Phyllis Rafter Memorial this past weekend, the Ball State softball team looks to continue momentum this weekend in the Under Armour Invitational in Tampa and Clearwater, Fla.
Scoring 36 runs in their four wins, Ball State hopes to continue to get offensive and make some noise in the upcoming tournament.
Ball State Head Coach Craig Nicholson said hitting is very important when competing with quality competition, but it is pitching that will ultimately be the difference in terms of wins and losses.
"The key to me is always going to be how well can we pitch," Nicholson said. "I think our offense is something that will be very consistent for us throughout the season. I think as long as we pitch well, we're going to have a chance of having success."
Senior third baseman Kate Wilczynski said playing the way Ball State knows how to play is the key to success not only in the Under Armour Invitational, but the rest of the season as well.
"I think we're pretty solid all the way around, especially after these past couple of weekends," Wilczynski said. "If we play our game and we come out and communicate as well as throw the ball and hit the ball, I think we'll be good to go."
One problem that stands in the way for Ball State is they play 12 games in 10 days, a stretch that can be tiring for any team.
"We work hard at practice and we're conditioned well, so that will definitely help the mental aspect of the game," freshman outfielder/pitcher Jennifer Gilbert said. "Coach Nicholson prepares us well for playing a lot in a short amount of time. So we're more than ready for it."
Gilbert also said she expects big things to happen for Ball State this weekend.
"We've worked on our fundamentals in practice and our hitting and overall defense," Gilbert said. "I think we're going to do extremely well this weekend and we just keep getting better and better as a team as the weeks go by."
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