When the Ball State softball team travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., to begin conference play, it will be doing so with the best offense in the conference. That's even with one of their best hitters struggling to find the swing that was so dominant last year.
Sophomore Jennifer Gilbert, who last year broke Ball State's softball single-season record for home runs with 15, has had an inconsistent season so far at the top of the order compared to her outstanding freshman campaign when she hit in the middle of the order. She said the struggles have mostly been about trying to change her approach at the plate.
"It's a little different because I'm batting in the one-hole, so I'm not always trying to hack away," Gilbert said. "I'm trying to get on base, get walked a few times."
Coach Craig Nicholson said that the lineup adjustment is something that will only help her as a hitter with time, and the results are already showing to him.
"A huge part of her success is getting good pitches to hit because she is a little bit of a free swinger," Nicholson said. "That's not always necessarily what you look for in a leadoff hitter, but I think right now, she's our best option in that spot and she has become more patient at the plate.
"The walks are part of it, but I think the bigger part of it is what are you swinging at and what are you hitting and I think she's starting to do a better job at that."
Ball State begins conference play Friday with a double header at Western Michigan (11-10), the Mid-American Conference Preseason Softball Poll's favorite to win the West Division. The game start at 1 p.m., and then Ball State travels to Northern Illinois on Saturday and Sunday with game times at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
The key for Ball State in conference play is consistency and keeping calm, even though the stakes are higher, Nicholson said.
Ball State's preparation for the weekend came with another sweep of the MAC West Division player and pitcher of the week awards for the third time this year. Senior catcher Amanda Montalto and senior right-hander Kim Mazzapica took the two honors.
Montalto leads the MAC in slugging percentage and is second in on base percentage. Nicholson said her hard work is really paying off.
"She's as smoothly as anybody takes her swing from batting practice into a game, and it's the same swing and it's the same approach," Nicholson said.
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