While most college students headed towards Orlando this weekend have tequila, tanning oil, and Mickey Mouse ears on their minds, it’s all business for the Cornell softball team.
The Red will face a variety of teams in a packed week of constant competition. The Florida trip will begin with a doubleheader against Stetson, followed by the Rebel Games in Kissamee.
Stetson is a team which has historically played the Red very close, and the doubleheader is sure to be a harbinger of the exciting week to come.
“Stetson is always tough, and we’re by no means looking past that series towards the [Rebel] Games. They’re always talented, and it should be a good test for us,” commented senior pitching ace Nicole Zitarelli.
The Red is particularly looking forward to this year’s Rebel Games because it comes into the week having ten more games under its belt than it normally has had in years past. The extra experience will hopefully lend itself to a sharper effort from the entire team.
“We’re very excited about the extra ten games we got to play before heading down [to Florida]. We are not as anxious going into the week and are looking to really use this experience as an opportunity to prepare for the Ivy League season,” commented Coach Dick Blood.
The week will feature daily doubleheaders against the likes of Stony Brook, Army, Vermont, Central Connecticut, Augustana, and Southampton. While not overlooking anyone, the Red sees its most highly anticipated games as against rival Army. The Black Knights won the Patriot league last year and figure to be the best competition Cornell will see in its week long stay in the sun.
“It’s always a pleasure playing Army, and we are all anxious to see what will happen in next week’s series,” Blood said.
The Red goes into the huge week with a 5-5 record, expecting to improve that mark before heading to Columbia on April 1 when it kicks off the Ivy League schedule.
The first ten games have seen some welcome surprises and not so surprising efforts for the Red. The highly touted recruiting class has stepped in and made an instant impact on the squad, particularly improving the team speed on the bases and in the field. The defense has been a strong constant for the Red. The offense, meanwhile, has been sluggish as senior Charlotte Brombach, who is currently batting .441 has been carrying it on her shoulders.
“We have only seen glimpses of how good we can be when it all comes together. And we are really expecting a lot more out of everyone this week,” said Brombach.
This highly anticipated trip is a key element for team bonding and will surely be a success if everyone is willing to answer Brombach’s call for a little more from everyone.
Cornell’s scheduled game with Bethune-Cookman on Saturday March 24 has been canceled, but the Red has tentative arrangements with a few other teams to fill its empty day with another series.
Archived article by Scott Jones