Despite the loss to Saint Louis during the weekend, the softball team has remains optimistic about its talent and looks to prove one loss can’t hurt them.
Sophomore catcher Stephanie Pasquale and senior outfielder Samantha Schoell are both members of the softball team who are nationally ranked and enjoy the exposure it is bringing the team.
“It’s good actually because when new classes come in we always look for big players,” Pasquale said. “So getting our name out there on the boards helps a lot.”
Pasquale is ranked No. 5 in the nation as toughest to strike out.
“To be honest, I don’t really pay attention [to the ranking],” Pasquale said. “If I did then it gets in your head and it causes you to not do as good as you should.”
That was not the case on Saturday, April 28’s game against the Billikens. Pasquale went 2-for-4 at bat with two RBIs. On top of that Pasquale had a three-run home run.
“[Pasquale] is still one of the most feared hitters in this league and you can see what she can do,” coach Joe DiPietro said. “Today she had a three run home run that was a bomb.”
Pasquale is batting .310, second best on the team. Her coach believes she can do even better and bring more success to the team.
“She’s having a good year, you know she got off to a really show start and now she has her average up over .300 so she’s doing really well,” DiPietro said.
Schoell is currently ranked No. 4 in sacrifice hits per game.
“There isn’t any real pressure when I bunt so I like doing it,” Schoell said. “I kind of go through the same routine when I bat.”
“We actually practice bunts and stuff so I make sure I get my bunts down in practice before I start each game,” Schoell added.
In the game Saturday, Schoell played a key role in many infield plays to keep Saint Louis off the base.
“Defensively I’m confident with my game,” Schoell said. “If I can keep the ball in the infield so runners don’t get on, it’s always a good thing.”
The Lansdale, Pa. native is also sentimental of her time remaining with the Owls.
“I’m just trying to play each game one pitch at a time, I’m trying to cherish all my moments because it’s my last season I have,” Schoell said. “I’m just trying to make memories out of it all and have a good time.”
DiPietro also agrees that Schoell is a key player to the team’s overall success.
“It’s easy for me to do it with her [sacrifice hit] because I know with her, 9 out of 10 times she’s going to get the bunt down,” DiPietro said. “I wouldn’t trade her for anybody.”
It is to be hoped that the national exposure helps the Owls further when they switch conferences and move to the Big East.
“When I go out to recruit people are going to know by looking at stuff like that [the stats], that you know who Temple is and that’s only going to continue to help bring good players here to our program,” DiPietro said. “The more success we have, the more our name gets out there.”
Coeli Danella can be reached at coeli.danella@temple.edu.
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