‘Team Time’ helps fuel Lehigh softball’s mentality for 2016 season

After winning the Patriot League last year and taking the championship trophy home, the Lehigh softball team is looking forward to continuing its success heading into the spring season.

The Mountain Hawks finished their 2015 season with an impressive 40-9 record and are now seeking to excel even further in their level of play for this upcoming season.

“We have a lot of different players who bring a lot to the table,” coach Fran Troyan said. “I’m excited to see what this group of girls will bring this year. I think we have some phenomenal leaders on this team as well as some underclassmen who are capable of stepping up and being strong forces.”

Although the team said goodbye to a successful senior class — consisting of Emily Bausher, Brandi Hawkins, Cassie Waggy and Emily Capetz — the team has significant returning players who, according to Troyan, are expected to step up and carry the team.

Senior captains Morgan Decker, Jess Calivini and Carissa Zito are three of the five senior leaders who can help lead the team to win another championship. Junior pitcher Christine Campbell has been ranked in the 2016 Preseason Top 50 NCAA Softball Pitchers and was named the league’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

During the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, Campbell offered major contributions, throwing 6.2 scoreless innings in the Mountain Hawk’s win over University of Central Arkansas. Additionally, Campbell was an All-Patriot League first-team selection in 2015.

“It was an honor to be selected for all of those awards,” Campbell said. “We are coming together as a team really well, and it’s cool to see how strong our team chemistry is and how everyone is buying into what we are doing. We are looking forward to playing other teams, we have our first scrimmage this weekend against East Stroudsburg (University), so I am pumped to see how we play against them.”

Sophomore outfielder Nicole Yozzo also has high expectations of the team this season. She said she’s excited for the spring and is interested in seeing how the team will come together on the field. Troyan describes Yozzo as a solid, consistent player who is also a strong leader on the field, bringing a unique type of energetic personality to her game.

Yozzo explained how the Mountain Hawks’ ‘Team Time’ has significantly benefited their team as a whole over this preseason for the last four weeks. She said from 6:30-7:30 each morning, the team talks about “What drives winning?” and how softball isn’t just who they are, but what they do.

“We will break off into groups and talk with each other about whatever topic we are discussing that morning,” Yozzo said. “One of the topics was, ‘What is your biggest worry?’ and for me I talked about how mine was letting the team down. Each person talked about their own worry and it was cool because you get to know your teammates on a much deeper level.”

Campbell said how significant the preseason is leading into out-of-conference play, which starts on Feb. 26, against Youngstown State University.

“We have had a pretty good preseason so far,” Campbell said. “Our practices lately have been upbeat. I think we all are just ready to go. Our freshmen have also been adapting extremely well on this team.”

Campbell expects that freshman pitcher Emily Sorem is going to be a big help for the team, especially after having graduated a crucial pitcher in Bausher. Campbell said she’s confident in the Hawks’ defense because a lot of core infield and outfield players are returning.

With a competitive upcoming schedule, the Mountain Hawks will be facing the University of Kentucky (32-26 in 2015) and Northwestern University (28-23 in 2015).

“These are some great teams we will be facing, and it will be interesting to see how we play against some of these teams, seeing how and where we stand,” Troyan said.

Lehigh will face Youngstown State and Iona College in a doubleheader to start the season on Feb. 26 in Greensboro, North Carolina.