Olivia Mittak
Sports Editor
The Fighting Scots softball team took away four wins in a row this past weekend against the Allegheny Gators. Playing on an away field can certainly be daunting, but the Fighting Scots didn’t let their emotions get the better of them. Their first two games against the Gators, played in the latter’s hometown of Meadville, Pa., were great successes. Throughout the entire first game, the Gators were only able to score a single run while the Fighting Scots ran away with ten. The Gators proved to be a slightly more formidable foe in game two for a final score of five runs. The Fighting Scots couldn’t be stopped, however, and walked away from their second and final away game against the Gators with a score of 13 runs.
Returning to their home pitch, the Fighting Scots were ready and hungry for their next two games against the Gators. Allegheny’s team was not willing to let the Scots run away with another game. Keeping their foes on their toes, the Gators managed to hold the Fighting Scots within a reachable range throughout the game. Game three ended with a final score of seven runs for the Scots and three for the Gators.
The final game against the Allegheny team saw the Fighting Scots take off once again, proving that no amount of resistance could stop them from controlling the scoreboard. As if to prove one final point to the Gators, the Fighting Scots finished their last game this weekend with their highest score yet this entire season, 15 runs against the Gators’ four.
This is the first time in the 2021 season that Wooster’s softball team has been able to succeed at defeating their opposing team this many times in a row. Previously, teams such as the Case Western Reserve Spartans and the Hiram College Terriers have successfully kept the Scots on their toes. This weekend’s four victories are an impressive dash of light on the team’s record, a surefire way to give them confidence and hope moving forward into the rest of the season.
Olivia Johnson ’21, a pitcher for the Scots, said that she felt her team “found our groove again” amidst a difficult season, and that this weekend’s games were “a lot of fun.” Johnson also reflected on continuing to play softball during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that her team has “adjusted to wearing masks” and is ultimately just trying to make “the best of our season.” After the 2020 season was cancelled due to lockdown measures, Johnson said that she and her team are just “so grateful to be able to play again.”
Marissa Norgrove ’21, another pitcher for the team, shared similar feelings about this weekend’s performance. She commented on how her team was “loud and energetic,” surely feeling the energy of such great successes on the field. Like Johnson, Norgrove felt that her team was handling COVID-19 well. “[We’re] not letting it stop how we as a team play our game,” she said. “We still come into each game with the same intensity and fight.”
Another bonus for Norgrove was the decrease in restrictions for spectators. “Now that two visitors for each player can come to the games, it has really lifted our spirits and fueled us even more. We are so happy our friends and family can still watch us play even in the times of COVID-19,” she explained. These four games were played right after President Sarah Bolton announced that The College of Wooster has moved from a “green” level up to a “yellow” level amidst growing concerns about a potential outbreak on campus. It remains to be seen whether or not this change will eventually lead to a shift in policy regarding spectatorship at games.
Regardless of the way that their situation and environment might change in coming weeks, the Fighting Scots’ softball team will surely walk away from this extraordinary weekend with high spirits — and they deserve to do so. They’ve got a strong roster of players for this season, and we wish them the best of luck as they move forward with their next games.
The Fighting Scots will play their next two games at Kenyon College on Saturday, April 17.