(Photo by Marissa Vazquez)
Tech’s softball team competed against Georgia Highlands College in the preseason exhibition Oct. 5.
Although the score and stats are not recorded in preseason exhibitions, the Golden Eagles started strong in the first game but struggled to come back after they fell behind in the second game.
“I think we did well,” sophomore pitcher Alyssa Arden said. “The first game we got ahead, we stayed ahead and stayed up the whole game. The second game we did get behind and we weren’t used to it, so we didn’t really know how to come back from it.”
This season the team is comprised of seven newcomers including freshman and transfers as well as a new coach. Last season, the Golden Eagles finished 18-27. Regular season begins in February, but the 2020 schedule has not been released.
Michelle Depolo was named the fifth head coach of Tech’s softball program in August. Before coming to Tech, Depolo came from Army West Point, where she finished her tenure with 280 wins in nine seasons.
“The big focus is the adjustments from week to week. You have a new coach, new players and a new system going into place and we are not going to have all that ready for every single week of fall game,” Depolo said. “The biggest thing we can do is take things one step at a time and anything that happens on the ball field is a good thing even if we get our weaknesses exposed.”
Preseason exhibitions are crucial for the team because they help the team prepare for the season, Depolo said.
“We are really focusing a lot more on the process than the product right now, so really exposing ourselves to situations that we will see in the spring,” Depolo said.
The team wore green ribbons in support of Mental Illness Awareness Week during the game against Georgia Highlands.
Senior outfielder Jessie Lowery said she is excited for the direction Depolo is taking the team and believes mental health awareness is important especially for student athletes.
“Being a student athlete is a very big demand and having that support gives us the opportunity to actually be OK with talking about things and feeling OK about being stressed out,” Lowery said.
The Golden Eagles take on Cleveland State Community College in their next preseason exhibition at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Tech Softball field.
