Feb. 16, 2018
By Brian McLaughlin, Student Staff Writer GoPSUsports.com
UNIVERSTIY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State softball team opened its 2018 campaign last week on a trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Though they dropped the two games they played, one to the Alabama Crimson Tide and the other to the Virginia Tech Hokies, and the remaining three games of the road trip were cancelled due to inclement weather, the team still took away positives from the trip.
The team returned to State College following the road trip and had their preseason media day, here are some takeaways.
1. Coach Amanda Lehotak was pleased with first two games
"Opening weekend was disappointing only in the fact that they had more rain in three days than they've had in 32 years according to their local news," Lehotak said.
The Lions were scheduled to play Ole Miss, Georgia Tech and Lipscomb after their first two games, but had all three rained out.
"In the softball we did play I really liked what I saw, loved the attitude and the energy from our team. The attitude we brought was great and makes me really excited for this year," Lehotak said. "We still have 54 games left, it's about getting better every weekend and not about winning a national championship opening weekend."
2. Solid pitching kept it close against Virginia Tech
Jessica Cummings started both games for the Nittany Lions and went seven and a third innings total surrendering five earned runs and eight total on the weekend. The Virginia Tech game saw her hold the Hokies scoreless in six of the game's seven innings.
"Jess Cummings was stellar for us against Virginia Tech. She got really big for us at a few different moments," Lehotak said. "She had a great weekend overall and really kept Alabama off balance. For her mental stability to stay calm and to come back after the tough loss to Alabama and pitch well against Virginia tech shows where she is at mentally."
3. Dr. Ohlson making an impact with the team
This August Penn State athletics welcomed Dr. Carl Ohlson as its assistant athletic director for performance psychology services. Ohlson has been especially instrumental for the softball program, while also working with all the other teams within the athletic department. His main objective with the program is developing and executing innovative strategies to maximize the athletic performance and general well-being of Penn State's 800 student-athletes.
"Dr. Ohlson does a great job at doing team work and individual work. Right before we left he actually asked all of us what our greatest fear was going into the first game." sophomore Destiny Weber said. "By recognizing and addressing our fear we realized it really wasn't a fear and we could go forward confidently and try to get a W."
Ohlson has not only helped the players, but works with the coaching staff as well, and has given some new perspective for Lehotak.
"His ability to touch the coaching staff and bring everyone together on the same language and the same page is huge," Lehotak said. "His ability to give us a common language has been instrumental for us and other teams as well."
4. Preparing for Big Ten/ACC Challenge
"We had a really good fight against Virginia Tech in the second game and are excited to play them again this weekend," Lehotak said.
Outside of a Virginia Tech rematch, the Nittany Lions will also take on the Duke Blue Devils in their program's inaugural season, in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Blue Devils finished 2-3 in their first weekend of play, while Virginia Tech is 3-2 on the young season.
5. Doesn't matter, get better
Penn State is coming into this year with the attitude that no matter what happens on the field the goal is to improve every time they are on the diamond. They feel this is the best way to have success and the best attitude throughout the long season.
"It is a lot of fun to play for Penn State and we take a lot of pride wearing Penn State across our chest. When you put on the blue and white uniform, it is easy to focus in on what we need to do because we know what we are playing for," Weber said. "We focus on getting better each day and each game, which will come with taking things one pitch at a time."
The Nittany Lions will look to use that attitude for not only success this weekend, but in weeks to come.