The Saint Louis University softball team traveled to Las Vegas last Friday to compete in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic, a five game, three day tournament. The Billikens managed only one win during the tournament and suffered some tough losses. The team took small consolation in the fact that most of the losses came against highly-ranked teams.
“It doesn’t feel good,” senior Rachel Heet said.
The Billikens started the tournament and season well with a 6-4 victory over the Southern Utah Thunderbirds.
But the Billikens did not fare as well in their second game against the Virginia Cavaliers, falling 11-0.
The second day of the tournament was no better for the team. The Billikens played the UNLV Rebels in their first game of the day and fell 18-3. The Billikens faced their toughest opponent of the weekend last when they faced the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday. They scored the first run, but Michigan quickly tied the score in the bottom of the first inning. The Billikens kept the game close until the third inning, when the Wolverines scored five runs to go up 6-1. Michigan added one run in the fifth and five in the sixth for a final score of 12-1.
While the team is only 1-4 on the season, team morale and confidence remains high.
“We competed for awhile and learned what we need to work on,” Jost said.
“We improved as the weekend went on,” senior Katie Johns added.
The Billikens hope to keep improving this weekend as they travel to Tulsa, Okla. for the Tulsa Select Festival. The Billikens again play stout competition but are hopeful for “closer games and a couple of wins,” according to Head Coach John Conway.
The Billikens will be traveling for several weeks to come-SLU does not have a home game until March 21 and has only two home stands during the season.
“It makes you tired,” Heet said. “It’s a huge relief to play at home.”
However, Conway says that his team historically has done this before and is optimistic about the amount of travel time.
“It doesn’t bother us,” Heet said.
With so many tough games away from home on the horizon, the softball team is hoping for continued improvement in preparation for their conference schedule. So, while the women may wish that “what happen[ed] in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” they hope that they can use the experience to their benefit in the games to come.
