The BG softball team prepares conference play away games after its three-game winning streak, including two shutouts and a mercy rule win.
The Falcons will play two games apiece against the University of Akron Friday and Ohio University Saturday and Sunday.
Both teams are in the MAC east division with the Falcons. Ohio University is sitting in the first spot with a conference record of 4-2 and Akron is currently in the fourth spot with a record of 2-2.
The Falcons have a conference of 3-3 following a 1-1 split against Miami University last weekend, and currently hold the third spot.
They will look to continue their recent solid performance to take advantage of their opponents, who are both coming off recent losses.
Both of the Falcons regular rotation pitchers, junior Jamie Kertes and sophomore Braiden Dillow, played a complete game in their last appearances with one win apiece. Both pitchers also allowed zero runs in their respective games and are both in regular rotation next weekend.
Head coach Shannon Salsburg has stayed true to her past statements about focusing on each game separately and looking at the team as a whole. That will not change this weekend against the division leaders.
“We make pitching changes based off of match-ups and how those match-ups have worked so far in the game and what is best for the team,” Salsburg said. “If somebody can throw all seven that just takes stress off of our staff. It’s something that happens in softball but if that doesn’t happen, we are able to make changes based on what is happening in the game.”
The same will apply to the offensive side. Coming off the last few games the team has seen offensive production from a number of different spots on the roster. In a game against Miami, the Falcons recorded 11 hits coming from six players and in the last game against North Dakota they were able to see 10 hits coming from eight players in only five innings.
“We’re built to play as a team and to win as a team. We don’t have that one superstar who’s going to carry us and I think that’s a strength for us,” Salsburg said. “We talk all year about processes and our processes are getting better and now we’re starting to get better results.”
The Falcons will begin their double-header in Akron at 1 p.m. Friday and then play two games in Athens, the first at 5 p.m. Saturday and the second at 1 p.m. Sunday.
