Last Wednesday, April 9, the Pellissippi State Panthers softball team (6-31) faced the Chattanooga State Tigers (37-6) in two back-to-back games, losing both despite giving it their best shot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first game ended in a 15-1 loss, and the second game ended in a 15-4 loss. The Tigers, a very rambunctious team in the dugout, played a mental game on top of just softball, while the Panthers remained stoic and kept their composure throughout the games, focusing on improving both individually and as a team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an interview following Game 2, center fielder Anna Burleson stated, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel like we definitely could have done better than what we did. We kind of came into the game not really ready to play. But I feel like we started playing together towards the end of the second game, so I think it definitely got better with our energy.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that was definitely the case. The Panthers scored three runs in quick succession in the third inning of the second game, showcasing their talent and giving a glimpse of what they could be capable of later this season and into the next. In the end, their efforts were simply not enough against Chattanooga\u2019s well-established softball program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With only a few games remaining in the season, the Panthers are looking to the future. Center fielder Anna Burleson later stated, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t had the best season, but every game our stats get better. We get better on defense and offense. Next game, I think we\u2019re just going to\u2026make less defensive errors. I would say we definitely have improved throughout the season. All of our stats have gotten better. Our defensive percentage has gotten better. We\u2019ve had less strikeouts, so I think we\u2019re definitely getting better as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Panthers head coach Meredith Smith added, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think this season has been very hard just being a first-year program, but we\u2019ve shown improvement consistently throughout the season and I think that we\u2019ve definitely gotten better over the course of the year. The expectation was really just not a win-loss, but more of an improvement and building a culture and a program.\u201d
The Panthers aren\u2019t necessarily looking to win, but rather playing the long game \u2014 improving and honing their skills with each passing day to build a powerful, competitive softball team at Pellissippi State. The Panthers have a bye week this week and are preparing themselves for their next opponent: Motlow State (at Motlow State) April 19 and 20. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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