Saints softball on recent slide

By Kenny Ray | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo courtesy John Jordan

PHOTO CAPTION: The softball team has posted a 12-15 record this year.

With a lot of individual talent, Flagler’s softball team is looking to put it all together and turn around a season that has fallen short of their expectations.

“You can always work harder, you can never be satisfied, and there is always room for improvement,” head coach Kristen Overton said.

This is the first season for the softball program, which has fallen to 12-15, but they are not seeing that as an excuse.

Pitching, hitting and defense are not the problem either. “Our mental toughness is our hardest thing,” Overton said.

The Saints are beating their opponents in batting average and fielding percentage. Junior’s Heather Hill and Brittney Hatem have taken control in the batter’s box. Hill is hitting .352 with six homeruns and maintaining a slugging percentage of .662. Hatem is hitting .333 and leading the team in extra base hits with 10.

Surprisingly, Hill, who transferred from Indian River Community College, has not always been a power hitter.

“[At IRCC] I was more of a single, line-drive hitter and the power hitters hit me in,” Hill said.

Hatem, a transfer from Wallace Community College Dothan, said that she has been more consistent and a lot of it has to do with the hard work she and her team mates have been putting in all season. Defensively, the Saint’s are being led by starting pitcher Sam Boatner.

Boatner has the team’s lowest ERA at 2.07, leads with 73 strikeouts, and her opponents have a combined batting average of only .192.

The Saints are still looking for a way to put things together and win more games.

“I think we are really good. We have a lot of potential and a lot of players that bring different things to the table,” Boatner said.

Talent isn’t the problem. But consisteny is. One game they hit, but lack in pitching. Other games they pitch and lack in hitting. But it will come around. “I think individually we are all improving and as a team we are growing together. I think every team has something to improve on after every game. Nobody is perfect,” Hatem said.