The Georgetown softball team has reached the halfway point in its season, fresh off a successful weekend in Wilmington, N.C., at the Lafayette Ford Lincoln of Fayetteville Showcase where the Hoyas finished 3-2 in their final preconference tournament.
Senior catcher Gabriela Elvina said the team viewed this past weekend as an opportunity to fine-tune crucial skills before facing its Big East opponents.
“We went in there thinking that we just wanted to get all the pieces – pitching, defense, fielding – to come together so that we’d be ready this weekend for Creighton,” Elvina said.
The Hoyas showed offensive prowess, averaging 9.2 runs over 5 games, including two wins over St. Bonaventure, a two-game split against UNC Wilmington and a loss to UMass Lowell. Elvina noted that the team has been consistent at getting runners on base, and the scores have reflected such developments.
Elvina, along with sophomore Mallory Belknap, stands out as the team’s strongest offensive threats for the Hoyas with batting averages of .339 and .422, respectively. Elvina commented on a strong emphasis on clutch hitting and executing the at-bats with runners on base. A strong offensive performance overall will help lead the team to victories.
“We definitely are prepared for [the] Big East right now,” Elvina said.
Although Georgetown sits at 7-17 nearing the middle of the season, the team does not believe its record is entirely indicative of its performance and abilities. In practices, the Hoyas have been focusing on the repetition of swings, ground and fly balls, and communication to improve its gameplay.
Georgetown boasts a pitching rotation consisting of entirely freshmen. As catcher, Elvina has a direct relationship with the pitchers and is excited about their recent development.
“Seeing them gain that experience and the confidence that they have this past weekend is what we need for them heading into the Big East. We know that there are a lot of veteran pitchers on other teams, but so long as we have their backs on defense, I think they’re going to do an awesome job,” Elvina said.
Head Coach Pat Conlan expressed her anticipation for the next half of the season, including conference play.
“The exciting part for the remainder of the season is that up to this point I don’t think we have even come close to playing our best softball. This team has a great deal of upside, and it is exciting every time we step on the field to see how much better we become,” Conlan said.
With the start of Big East matchups comes the eagerness for the conference competition. In Elvina’s past three years on the team, three different schools have won the Big East championship, intensifying the level of competition in the conference.
“Our focus continues to be one game at a time. We work hard not to look ahead or behind. Every game we play in conference will be a dog fight,” Conlan said.
The Hoyas are excited to start conference play with two consecutive weekends on their home field. Conlan also expressed her confidence in the student-athletes and enthusiasm for this upcoming weekend.
“The team is ready and excited to show teams what the Hoyas are capable of,” Conlan said.
The Hoyas host Creighton (9-16) in a three-game series starting this Saturday at 12 p.m. at Guy Mason Field.
