When the Weber State University women’s softball team took the field against Salt Lake Community College on Oct. 14, it was a brisk 38 degrees at the Wildcat softball field.
The temperature never wavered, remaining chilly throughout the game. While the weather was cold, the WSU bats were a different story. Weber State pounded out 23 runs on 22 hits, waltzing to a 23–5 victory over the Bruins.
“There are a lot of things we can learn from today,” Wildcats head coach Mary Kay Amicone said. “We can learn to control the controllables in terms of the cold. When we showed up to hit (before the game) it was about 32 degrees, and we play in those conditions.”
The ‘Cats set the tone early, using a seven-run fourth inning to give Weber State a 12–1 lead. Junior infielder Sadie Blacker had the biggest hit, a bases-clearing, three-run double. Blacker drove in four runs total on the afternoon.
“I think it was really important for us to improve the process,” Amicone said. “The approach needed to be to take what was given, move runners along, and I thought we definitely had the best offensive performance with trusting the process.”
While the Wildcats’ bats were on fire throughout, the pitching staff did an exceptional job of pounding the strike zone, walking only one SLCC batter in the game. Amicone and the coaching staff have used the fall season to refine their young pitchers and prepare the veterans for the upcoming spring.
“They are coming along,” Amicone said. “Coach Mattie is doing a wonderful job with them. They are trusting their defense, throwing well and working ahead. I am really loving what they are doing.”
Four hurlers took the hill for the Wildcats, led by senior starter Kirtlyn Bohling, who pitched three scoreless innings.
Weber State used a nine-run seventh inning to put the game completely out of reach. The 23 runs also set a new high for runs scored in the fall season. The previous scoring high was on Sept. 16 in their 20–2 win over USU-Eastern.
The game was called after eight innings, when it reached the designated three-hour time limit.
Once the fall season comes to a close, Weber State will not take the field again until February, but that does not mean their work will stop.
“We will be having a lot of skill work up until finals week,” Amicone said. “So we will continue to get better.”
