Softball: Del Re, Hampshire quiet Jacobs
Hampshire started talking a little more and the wins have followed.
Mired in a 6-game losing streak earlier this season, the Whip-Purs decided one thing that must improve is their communication. They had plenty to chatter about Tuesday when they hosted Jacobs.
First, Hampshire completed an 8-4 win in a suspended game from earlier this season. Junior Katie Del Re then tossed a gem in the regularly scheduled game, an 8-1 win that improves Hampshire to 12-8 overall, 4-4 in the Fox Valley Conference.
The Whips have won 9 of their last 11.
"We just sat down and focused on how to communicate better as a team," sophomore Miki Snider said. "The worst things we were doing was not communicating so we worked on that and improved on that."
Del Re, who held Jacobs (10-7, 5-4) to 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out six, agreed about the improved communications including with sophomore catcher Bridget Haefling.
"Bridget and I have been talking about framing and where to set up for certain spots so we get more calls," Del Re said. "I think that really helped a lot."
Alyssa Cork put Hampshire up 1-0 in the first with an opposite field RBI single on a rally started by singles from Shai-Ann Currie and Morgan Haefling.
Hampshire added a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings for a 5-0 lead as Jacobs hurt itself with 6 errors.
The Golden Eagles used both Delaney Garden and Sarah Lynch in the circle while Morgan Haefling (2-for-3, RBI), Snider (2-for-4, 2 runs) and Bridget Haefling (1-for-4, 2 RBI) led Hampshire's 9-hit attack.
The Whip-Purs also stole 10 bases led by Sarah Bowen with 3.
"We're not necessarily an overpowering team so it's going to be a lot of small ball, baserunning, that sort of thing," Hampshire coach Kelly Wasilewski said. "We do a lot of baserunning in practice. When we practice we make things competitive. They don't want the consequence for not winning, they work hard, and it transfers out here."
Garden provided the only run for Jacobs with a solo home run in the sixth.
The Golden Eagles were playing short-handed without three starters with a combined 10 years of varsity experience - Katie Armstrong (torn labrum), Savannah Svedman (arm) and catcher Emily Pena (neck).
"That didn't help us in any way, shape of form," Jacobs coach Katie O'Brien said. "It is what it is. It's tough when that happens.
"Their pitcher pitched great. We couldn't hit off her. And we gave them quite a few runs on errors. They played a better game. With it being shifted over here I think momentum switched too."
The game was originally scheduled at Jacobs but moved to Hampshire because of field conditions.
The teams held their ninth annual Pink Out. Players released pink balloons before the game and wore pink We Fight Together T-shirts.
"Switching over here was difficult," O'Brien said. "It's hard to run an event like this with an outdoor sport. It created a lot of stress for me today."