With the season underway for the Elon University softball team, the Phoenix has undergone a tough schedule against nonconference teams after starting the season with two non-conference tournaments at Hunt Softball Park. They have a 7-10 record, as of March 3, but head coach Kathy Bocock believes there is still room for growth.
Bocock said Elon’s scheduled matchups against tough teams are meant to get the team ready for when they play conference opponents.
“Our conference goal is to chase a championship,” Bocock said. “When we’re playing the non-conference games, we’re trying to get better against great competition so that we are ready for conference play.”
Elon kicked off the season with the Elon Softball Classic, where they went 1-4 to start the season. Its early season tournaments have included some tough competition as Elon’s opponents throughout the first 17 games involve teams such as Ohio State and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, whose records are 13-4-1 and 18-3.
Bocock said those types of games will help prepare them and translate to wins as long as the team remains focused.
“We play a very tough non-conference schedule,” Bocock said. “Even in some of our losses, we played very well. I think the girls know to keep working hard and trying to get better every game.”
To keep improving, everyone must continue progressing, Bocock said. She voiced the importance of the team not becoming stagnant or taking a step backward.
Bocock said hitting is one particular area where Elon needs to grow going forward. Elon’s 12 home runs ranks second in the Coastal Athletic Association; it has had a boom or bust style as the team is sixth in RBIs and second in strikeouts. Senior Kaitlyn Wells leads the team in both home runs with 5 and RBIs with 15.
“Our hitting is going to have to get more consistent,” Bocock said. “A lot of times you can hit, but you might not have another for a little bit. We need back-to-back hits and things to fall in place that way.”
Elon’s pitching has been one positive this season. The team is fifth in ERA and fourth in runs among all CAA teams. Senior McKenna McCard and sophomore Lia Miller have been responsible for the production with each of them having a 1.91 and 2.33 earned run average, respectively. The duo has a combined 32 strikeouts so far.
Bocock credited her assistant coaches Carley Davis and Jonathan Lynch for working well together. Davis in her first year has already established a strong rapport with Lynch which is worked in favor of their pitching unit, Bocock said.
Going forward, March will be a key month for the team to prove itself and bounce back from the early season losses as conference play begins in the coming weeks. Bocock said the team’s mentality is to continue competing and moving forward during each game.
“They just go get it and they work together,” Bocock said. “Whoever’s called upon, they’re like, next man up, and they’re ready to roll."