Traveling is nothing new for the Terrapin softball team. Three weeks ago, its destination was Athens, Ga. This weekend, it's Orlando, Fla. Next weekend, it will be Tampa, Fla.
And while the team's trips to warmer weather will take them from the fickle weather of College Park, coach Laura Watten knows these trips are strictly business.
"We're going to Disney World, but we're not going to Disney World," Watten said. "We're playing, and we're not going to ride rides and be entertained by Mickey. We're going to play ball, and that's how it is."
The Terps (6-4) open a five-game set today in the Citrus Classic at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex with a rematch against Illinois State (9-5) and a matchup with Illinois (5-5).
Watten said this weekend, the Terps' third on the road in the past four weeks, is an early-season necessity for a developing team. But she also understands the consequences of life away from College Park.
"I think that definitely traveling takes a toll on you physically and emotionally and mentally," Watten said. "It's a challenge having to travel, but we have to in order to get our games in and get games played. It's part of the process, part of what we have to do."
Her players, however, don't necessarily see things the same way.
"There's a little [fatigue], but once you get down there in the [warm] weather, you forget about it," pitcher Kendra Knight said.
"I think it's more fun for us," infielder Bree Hanafin added. "We like traveling because all our ACC games are home, so we're just taking advantage of being on the road and having fun together and also enjoying the warm weather."
The warm weather last weekend in Boca Raton helped the Terps' bats heat up en route to a Strike Out Cancer Tournament championship. And with a three-game winning streak in tow, the Terps know they might just be getting started.
"We just want to keep the momentum going," Hanafin said. "Things came together this weekend and we played as a team. We're more settled. We just need to feed off of that."
Watten sees a larger picture beyond the action on the field. Even though the Terps are far from home, Watten said she has assumed a maternal role on the team, ensuring her team is eating right, sleeping well and just getting along.
A bit of revenge today would certainly help. The Terps' opening game this afternoon pits them against Illinois State, a team they fell to Feb. 12 at the Red & Black Showcase in Athens, 5-0. In the loss, the Terps out-hit the Redbirds 7-3 but were unable to convert their chances, stranding 12 runners on base.
"We are familiar with them, and the last time we played them we had some things happen that we could have prevented, so hopefully we'll give them a better game this time and the outcome will be different," Watten said.
Tomorrow, the Terps will take on Notre Dame (9-0), a 2010 NCAA Tournament that has received votes in the NFCA Top 25 this season, and then Longwood (8-0) before finishing up on Sunday against Temple (3-2).
"We're just looking to come home with five wins, going down there and playing how we know how and coming out on top," Knight said.
dgallen@umdbk.com
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