“It took us 25 games to get five wins,” said sophomore infielder and catcher Katie Campbell about last season’s stats.
Most recently, the Bulldogs played #3 ranked Alabama at home, where the Crimson Tide came out on top 9-2. After the UNA tournament and Ole Miss Tournament, the Bulldogs now stand 18-12 on the season.
This spring season was uncharted territory for Samford’s softball team. With a new head coach and a difficult last season, the team had much to adjust to.
However, this period of rebuilding and uncertainty was no match for the Bulldogs. The team had their opening day at the Trojan invitational, where they split games on both days.
The season heated up when the team hosted UAB. On day one, the Bulldogs beat the Blazers with a walk-off in the eighth inning and continued the momentum by sweeping them in the three-day tournament.
The Bulldogs had a perfect weekend, defeating Indiana State. The team kicked off the season on a five-game winning streak.
While the stats speak for the team’s skills and ultimate success, the chemistry between the players is the ultimate win for them.
“I was a really anxious player last year, but I feel like my teammates have really helped me settle in,” said sophomore infielder and catcher Katie Campbell.
This season, the team has gelled and created an atmosphere of both healthy competition and support to keep control of the game.
“We try our best to keep the energy as high as we can in the dugout and just have fun,” Campbell said. “Having control of the game makes it fun, and we just keep winning and beating teams we shouldn’t be beating.”
It was a goal of new Head Coach Megan Curry to get the team to be connected both on and off the field to build that bond.
“The team has done a great job of stepping into a role that they’re either not familiar with or being very supportive and loving on your teammates and excited for their success,” Curry said.
The team had a great start at the beginning of the season and worked to maintain that momentum. Coming off the high of their perfect weekend, the Bulldogs were set to face #17 Mississippi State.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs fell to Mississippi State 6-1, and their winning streak was broken. The team geared up to play the Gold and Green Classic at UAB to hopefully put some more wins under their belt.
Facing off against ranked schools like Mississippi State can be nerve-wracking and discouraging at times, but coach Curry urges the team to be consistent in their style of play.
“If we’re hitting the ball well, then we want to maintain that through seven innings, not just kind of show up in one inning,” Curry said.
At their next series, the team split games, losing to Purdue and once again sweeping UAB. The Bulldogs run-ruled the Blazers 10-0 in the sixth inning.
“Once we can show we deserve to be there and those teams should respect us, that’s when the energy really flows back,” Campbell said.
The team regained its confidence and went on to collect victories over West Georgia and Troy.
The Bulldogs are committed to having a season that far overshadows their previous. The team has been working hard to improve in skillset and mindset.
“From day one, they have been hungry and excited and ready to win, and so I think we’re all on board with how much it takes to actually be winners and what a championship program actually looks like,” Curry said.
As the season went on, the Bulldogs traveled down to Florida, where they suffered a loss to the #3 ranked Gators, but bounced back shutting down Western Michigan and Florida A&M, putting them far ahead of where they were last season.
The game is so much more than technique to these young women. It’s about the family they’ve created in each other.
“We have a lot of seniors on our team, and to play for them is my biggest thing this year because they all mean the world to me, so I really think this is going to be the year we take it all away,” Campbell said.
Sports Editor
