Georgetown’s softball team experienced a turbulent weekend, crushing University of South Dakota (1-3) 8-0 before dropping consecutive games to University of Missouri-Kansas City (2-2) and Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (2-2). The weekend’s results pushed the team’s overall record to 2-2.

Georgetown did not let its erratic results affect its confidence.

“My biggest personal takeaway [from this past weekend] is that, despite being small in numbers, our squad is going to be great this year,” sophomore first baseman Sophia Gargicevich-Almeida said. “Even better than I think we all anticipated — we knew we’d be good, but we have the right group of people all working towards the same vision. I get excited just thinking about how amazing this season will be and all that is in store.”

Georgetown had a tremendous performance against South Dakota, winning by a final score of 8-0. Senior pitcher Lauren O’Leary started for the Hoyas and contributed significantly to the win, going 4 1/3 innings without allowing any earned runs and only two hits.

“We played very well against South Dakota,” Head Coach Pat Conlan said to GUHoyas.com. “We got a great pitching effort from Lauren and [relief pitcher Megan Hyson] and we handled the bats well throughout the order. A win against a solid team like USD gives the team a great deal of confidence.”

After a rather slow start in which the Hoyas found themselves up 2-0 after five innings, the team’s bats roared to life. Gargicevich-Almeida started the rally by blasting a solo home run to put Georgetown up 3-0. The home run marked Gargicevich-Almeida’s second in the past three games.

After junior shortstop Samantha Giovanniello scored sophomore catcher Gabriela Elvina to give the Hoyas a 4-0 advantage, Hyson stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. The Second-Team all-Big East and First-Team NFCA All-Mideast team member delivered a grand slam, putting the Hoyas up 8-0. In the bottom half of the inning, South Dakota was held without a run before the game was called.

The Hoyas didn’t fare quite as well in their next two games.

Despite finding themselves down 10-4 in the fourth inning against UMKC, Georgetown battled back to cut the deficit to three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, the comeback effort fell just short, and the Hoyas lost by a final score of 11-8.

“UMKC put the ball in play and took advantage of quite a few errors and the inexperience of our freshman pitcher,” Conlan said to GUHoyas.com. “I loved the fight we had in us, we made a game of it until the last out.”

In its game against IUPUI, Georgetown got off to a quick start, going up 3-0 by the second inning. The Jaguars, however, fought back, scoring five runs over the subsequent two innings, ultimately defeating the Hoyas 5-3.

Despite the losses, Gargicevich-Almeida points to the team’s chemistry as an area of strength.

“This is the first year I can honestly say that every single person on our team, whether on the field or in the dugout, is on the same page,” Gargicevich-Almeida said. “Not many teams will achieve this. The fact that we do that so well speaks volumes to the quality of our team. When everyone is on board and picking each other up, maintaining the team as their first priority and themselves second, there isn’t a single opposing factor that can stand in our way. Our camaraderie is by far our greatest asset and the biggest standout to me.”

Conlan echoed Gargicevich-Almeida’s sentiments.

“Overall it was a good opening weekend,” Conlan said. “We will get back to practice on Tuesday and work on some things to prepare for next weekend.”

Next weekend, the Hoyas will take on University of Maryland Baltimore County, UNC-Wilmington and Saint Joseph’s at the UNC Wilmington invitational.

“As a senior, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of teammates to get to play my last season with,” said Gargicevich-Almeida. “It’s going to be a hell of a ride. I can’t wait to see what is in store.”