As the Colgate University women’s softball season comes to a close, the team is gearing up for a match against Army to qualify for the Patriot League Championships.
Junior infielder Amanda DeSantis spoke on the overall morale and resilience of the team.
“So far, this season has definitely been a grind, but collectively, the team has shown some serious grit,” DeSantis said. “We have held on and fought back when teams thought we were down and out, and I think one of our greatest strengths as a team is our ability to stay in when things aren’t going our way.”
Senior infielder Kara Fusco echoed this sentiment, referencing the team’s April 7 performance against Boston University.
“Our lineup has been consistent and reliable one through nine,” Fusco said. “I think this was most apparent in our game against Boston, where we rallied back in the bottom of the seventh to tie them. Our energy is unmatchable in tense moments like that and we all have so much trust in each other.”
To ensure that they qualify for the Patriot League Championships on May 9, the team needs to beat the United States Military Academy West Point (Army) in all three games that they play against them this coming weekend. They have been working toward this goal since the fall season and have shown improvement. After losing to Binghamton University in a 10-inning game last semester, the team bounced back to win two games against them in a double-header last Wednesday.
As the season comes to a close at a time during the year when academics start to ramp up, DeSantis commented on the increasing challenge of balancing athletics with academics.
“I think for athletes who have always known the grind it takes to get everything done, [the balance] just becomes natural,” DeSantis said. “Personally, I am more likely to get my school work done on a busy schedule because I have a bad habit of procrastinating when I have time to.”
Sophomore Alexa Acker, a pitcher on the team, spoke to how the team navigates this challenge.
“It does get difficult balancing academics and athletics at this time of the year, especially with finals coming up and the Patriot League Tournament being during finals week, but our whole team is extremely motivated and we always find time to get our work done, whether it be on the buses to games or late at night in the hotels after game day,” Acker said.
While looking back on the highlights of the season, DeSantis also reflected on her decision to transfer to Colgate.
“A highlight of the past season for me has been all of the friendships that have really flourished across the team this year,” DeSantis said. “We have a variety of personalities and we really check all of the boxes.”
DeSantis expressed her gratitude toward the friends that she has made over the course of the year.
“It’s crazy to think that some of my best friends for the rest of my life are just people that the coaches also recruited,” DeSantis said. “I love Colgate, and the best decision I have ever made was transferring here.”
Fusco, who will be graduating this spring, reflected on the moments that stood out in her Colgate softball career, including a game agains the University of South Florida (USF).
“A highlight from this season so far was my go ahead home-run against USF,” Fusco said. “This came late in the game and was one of the most memorable at bats of my career. Looking back, I will definitely miss moments like those, but ultimately I will mostly miss time with my teammates, both on and off the field.”
The team will have to pull through this weekend to see their season continue. DeSantis emphasized how the team is working together and keeping a positive mindset ahead of their upcoming game.
“We are taking things one day at a time because every little bit matters,” DeSantis said.
