Softball: More rain holds Irish back
By JUSTIN SCHUVER
Sports Writer
As the Notre Dame softball team enters a new month of play, the last thing they want to hear is that old saying, "April showers bring May flowers." They have seen enough showers already this season.
The Irish were scheduled to play two games in Providence Saturday, but that doubleheader had to be cancelled because of rain and snow in the Rhode Island area.
In a season that just gets stranger every day, the Irish missed their 11th game due to inclement weather. Six of those games have been Big East conference matchups.
"It's definitely not something we've been used to," said senior Andrea Loman. "It's never happened like this the past three years I've been a member of the team. It's just one of those things where Mother Nature decides to take its course and you can't do anything about it."
The cancelled doubleheader versus the Friars is the third such Big East series that has been postponed the season.
Earlier in the year at the USF/Wilson Tournament in Tampa, Fla., the team's scheduled games were pushed back a day after rain. The Irish were easily beating Rhode Island 12-0 in the fourth inning, but the game had to be cancelled so the team could catch its flight back to South Bend.
At the NFCA Leadoff Classic, the Irish lost at least two games due to heavy rain in Columbus, Ga. Notre Dame also lost at least two games to rainy weather at the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif.
"[Losing these games] could just make us that much stronger," Irish sophomore pitcher Steffany Stenglein said. "Those teams that have been playing all year have a slight advantage, so we'll have to keep up our competitiveness even more."
The Irish have been on a tear as of late, winning four straight against Purdue and Loyola (Chicago) while outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 24-5 in the four contests.
"I think it just took us a while for us to straighten everything out," Loman said. "All three aspects of our game started clicking — hitting, defense, and pitching. I think we'll still play fine whenever we get back on the field."
That is still the main question for this year's Irish — when exactly they will get back on the field. With fewer weeks in the school year remaining, rescheduling the missed games could grow more difficult.
"The most difficult thing is that a lot of us will have to miss classes because of rescheduling," Loman said. "A lot of us have projects due, so it puts a little more pressure on us."
The Irish's next scheduled matchup is Wednesday in Pittsburgh, where they will attempt to make up the doubleheader against the Panthers that was originally scheduled for March 29.
Of course, that series is weather permitting.
All Sports Stories for Monday, April 7, 2003
