2008 Woodie Awards
Warm weather greets softball
Jeff Newman
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Sports
Who needs a home-field advantage?
Two days after sweeping UMBC in the gusty cold in College Park, the Terrapin softball team will open the Altamonte Springs Tournament today against Villanova in the warm sunshine of Orlando, Fla.
"It's beautiful," said junior pitcher Meredith Nelles. "We got off the plane and it was so warm. It was just nice to be back in the heat again."
The weather isn't the only thing that's hot in Florida: The Terps (9-1) have won six straight games and are off to the best start in program history. They will face their toughest test of the season though, albeit in an exhibition game, against USA Softball.
The national team, comprising ex-college stars, has been playing various programs on its Bound 4 Beijing tour and is 6-0 so far, outscoring opponents by a combined total of 65-0.
Still, the Terps go into their game against the nation's best unintimidated, with no goal other than to have fun.
"Shoot, we grew up idolizing most of these girls and now we get to play against them?" senior catcher Brittany Bessho said. "No one's pressing too much. You can't go in expecting to beat them or anything, you just have to go out and have fun."
"It's an opportunity to play against players we've been watching our whole lives," Nelles said.
Before they play USA Softball under the lights tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., the team will face Villanova (12 p.m.) and Vermont (2 p.m.) today, and Florida A&M at noon tomorrow. The Terps are 4-0 all-time against Villanova, and 6-2 all-time against Florida A&M, with the Terps winning the last six contests against the Rattlers. The Terps will face Vermont this weekend for the first time in the team's history. The team will wrap up the weekend with a final game Sunday, with the opponent chosen based on tournament record, and then return for a home stand that lasts for more than two weeks.
Even though the Terps would naturally like to keep playing in warmer weather, the players say they aren't looking ahead of this weekend.
Two days after sweeping UMBC in the gusty cold in College Park, the Terrapin softball team will open the Altamonte Springs Tournament today against Villanova in the warm sunshine of Orlando, Fla.
"It's beautiful," said junior pitcher Meredith Nelles. "We got off the plane and it was so warm. It was just nice to be back in the heat again."
The weather isn't the only thing that's hot in Florida: The Terps (9-1) have won six straight games and are off to the best start in program history. They will face their toughest test of the season though, albeit in an exhibition game, against USA Softball.
The national team, comprising ex-college stars, has been playing various programs on its Bound 4 Beijing tour and is 6-0 so far, outscoring opponents by a combined total of 65-0.
Still, the Terps go into their game against the nation's best unintimidated, with no goal other than to have fun.
"Shoot, we grew up idolizing most of these girls and now we get to play against them?" senior catcher Brittany Bessho said. "No one's pressing too much. You can't go in expecting to beat them or anything, you just have to go out and have fun."
"It's an opportunity to play against players we've been watching our whole lives," Nelles said.
Before they play USA Softball under the lights tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., the team will face Villanova (12 p.m.) and Vermont (2 p.m.) today, and Florida A&M at noon tomorrow. The Terps are 4-0 all-time against Villanova, and 6-2 all-time against Florida A&M, with the Terps winning the last six contests against the Rattlers. The Terps will face Vermont this weekend for the first time in the team's history. The team will wrap up the weekend with a final game Sunday, with the opponent chosen based on tournament record, and then return for a home stand that lasts for more than two weeks.
Even though the Terps would naturally like to keep playing in warmer weather, the players say they aren't looking ahead of this weekend.
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