Talbots tired of close calls

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, April 20, 2018 | 12:33 AM

“They were in awe”

That was the feeling coach Ron Fedell had from the outset of Hampton's early-season game with West Allegheny, the defending WPIAL softball champions.

Having seven players with a year or less of experience, it's easy to see why. But after a tight 2-1 loss, Fedell thinks the team was likely more in awe of what they can do.

“After the game, we had our little meeting. And I said, ‘who thinks we should have lost that game?' Not many hands went up,” he said. “If I said before the game, ‘Who thinks we can win this game?' I don't think many hands would have went up.”

Just like last year, the Talbots are off to a slow start. But a few things are different that suggest this team can flip the script and get in the playoffs.

“It's encouraging because we see we're almost equal to them,” senior captain Emily Morris said of the West Allegheny loss. “But it's frustrating that we're coming so close. We know we can beat them.”

Despite the team being off to a winless start, including 0-3 in the section as of last week, Fedell is focusing on the positives.

“I've told the team we've played a lot better defensively than last year,” he said. “I'll take some of the blame. We have a lot of players with only a year or less of experience.”

The Talbots showed up this year with a talented team, fielding three freshmen and four sophomores in the starting lineup. Now, it's up to Fedell and the senior leadership to keep spirits up as the team tries to turn it around. The Talbots last season started 1-5, only to come within one game of the playoffs.

“I think just tell them to keep pushing forward,” senior captain Emily Morris said. “It's frustrating that we've come so close the last few games and keep losing. But we have to keep giving the same amount of effort that we have so far.”

They also dropped a 5-2 decision to WPIAL runner-up Moon and lost 2-1 to Mars. Both games, a win was within reach.

“The gap between winning and losing is very small in 5A,” Fedell said. “We can eliminate some of these youthful mistakes. We still have a lot of games to play, and have played some of the top teams in the section.”

Aside from the mistakes, chief among the issues has been the bats. The team has had a tough times scoring runs, though Morris believes it's more of a case of timely hitting than futility at the plate.

Against Mars, the Talbots stranded nine runners the first three innings.

“We just need to finish off,” she said. “We've been struggling to get those runs in. They're on base, they're just not getting home.”

The inclement weather hasn't helped, as the team has been forced to cancel seven games. Many of the nonsection matchups won't be made up. Practicing in the gym hasn't given the younger players the best kind of experience, but the team is powering through.

“I think they're getting some confidence,” Fedell said. “But we're not hitting the way we should be. Maybe not being in the gym and being outside to face the pitching you'd normally face, and not just hitting off the machine.”

Tags: Hampton