Off to a slow start

John C. Longton III
Sports Editor

After starting the season with back-to-back wins, the softball team lost three out of four games to Monroe and Onondaga this week.
On Saturday the Vikings hosted the Onondaga Lazers for a two game set. In the first game the the Vikings lost by a run 9-8 and had a late rally but could not take the lead.
Troy native Shelby Fenton hit a homerun in the loss. Shannon Johnson, Hannah Hoffman and Courtney McDonnell each had two hits and a double in the game.
In the second game the Vikings squandered a four run lead after five innings. They surrendered eight runs late and lost 11-7. Mercedes Martel went four for four at the plate in the loss and Shelby Fenton added three hits.
On Sunday, Hudson Valley hosted Monroe for another two game set, making it four games in two days. The team won the first contest 9-8. Hannah Mochrie hit a homerun in the fifth inning as the Vikings scored over half of their runs in the fifth.
In the second game the Vikings lost 8-1 and surrendered all of Monroe’s runs without an answer. Monroe blew the game wide open in the third inning as they scored six runs and didn’t look back.
“We have all the talent in the world. The difference is we just have to come together as a team,” said head coach Chris Mazzeo. “Last year we gelled very well. It just didn’t happen overnight.”
The team from last year won their first 14 games of the season and finished third in the nation. This year’s team has seven returning starters and have high aspirations.
“We’re trying to find our identity as a team. It’s proving to be a little more difficult than last year,” said Mazzeo.
“On paper we’re a better team than we were last year,” said Mazzeo.
“We need to work together as a whole and as a team and back each other up in every aspect of the game,” said Shannon Johnson when asked what the team needs to do to get out of their slump.
The team will take to the road this week and try to get back on track as they travel to play at Mohawk Valley for a two game set on Thursday and then travel to Binghamton for another two game set with Broome this Saturday. Their next home game won’t come until 4/21 when the ladies play host to Fulton-Montgomery for a double-header that starts at 3 p.m.