Through six innings on Sunday, the Quinnipiac softball team had a two-run lead over the top-seed Iona Gaels despite losing the first two games the day before.
For the Bobcats, they had five hits after six, while the Gaels had just four.
In the top of the sixth, it appeared like Iona would roar back and take its first lead of the game. Runners were able to get on base, but when it mattered most, junior pitcher Sydney Horan and her defense were able to slow down the Gaels’ attack.
“I know that behind me is a very good field,” Horan said. “Knowing that definitely helps.”
What’s better than putting the game in your defense’s hands once? Doing it twice just an inning later. After the Bobcats went down in a quick one-two-three fashion in the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats were back trying not to get swept on the weekend for the third straight matchup.
“I think we were just speeding up the game a little bit on some basic plays,” head coach Hillary Smith said. “We always talk about how the best players know how to make a really fast game slow.”
This inning was a lot harder of an inning for the Bobcats defensively, making three errors in the frame during a game when they previously had made just one in the second inning.
With runners on first and third base, what would be game-winning run was on first.
Horan, who allowed four hits in the fifth and six innings combined, knew it was time to forget everything that had happened over the previous two days.
On Saturday, Horan pitched in the first game of the double header against Iona. In just three innings, she allowed four runs on three hits. The Bobcats ended up losing that game 7-1.
“Kind of forgetting about it has helped me,” Horan said. “Knowing that today is a new day and we have to be stronger if we want to win.”
Iona scored its lone run with two outs, an unearned to Horan, and you could feel the energy leave the crowd as they thought Iona was ready to take the lead.
It is moments like this when Horan and the rest of the softball players rely on their clinical sports psychologist, Devin Markle, to get through the rough stretches of the season and reset.
“Taking some deep breaths and looking at our catcher Kennedy (Demot helped),” Horan said. “She kind of helped settle me down and I know that behind me is like a very good field.”
Horan pitched to Iona’s sophomore catcher Brooke Asher. The ball flies out to right field. Quinnipiac junior right fielder Brooke Hilliard turns and heads for the fence. She catches the fly out, and the Bobcats get the win.
This is the team’s first win in the conference in its first weekend back at home. After facing different types of weather conflicts, last-minute decisions and struggling with fatigued players, Smith says it was good to stay home for a weekend.
“It’s nice to finally be on your own terms, be able to wake up and do it on your own field,” Smith said.
Quinnipiac traveled almost 10,000 miles in the months of February and March to Florida, Texas and twice to Virginia.
It has been close to a month since the Bobcats first win, but the players in the locker room have been able to keep it light despite the losing streak.
“We talk a lot about being player driven and not coach driven,” Smith said. “Always bringing the energy. That’s something I don’t need to even coach on my team.”
With the rest of the games being in the northeast, there are plenty of opportunities to be relaxed and ready to go for the team’s MAAC play.
The Bobcats’ conference schedule continues on Tuesday, April 9 in Jersey City, New Jersey against Saint Peter’s, who is currently 2-4 in conference play.
