Helen Bradley
Staff Writer
Spring marks the beginning of seasons for many ESU sports, including softball. For sophomore outfielder Ashley Spencer, her season started last week in Florida when the softball team headed to Miami to play eight games in four days.
It was a tough few days, with the team losing all eight games. However, this rocky start hasn’t stopped Spencer from remaining positive.
“I am excited to see the team in full swing and see what we are capable of doing. We had a couple of losses but we are a young, developing the team and we are all keen to bounce back. I think we have a very talented team so I have no doubt it’ll be a good season for us,” she said.
Spencer is a left fielder and had a successful debut season last year, playing in 25 games and started 16. She looks to build upon that success again this year and hopefully become an even more dominant player that can contribute to helping the team achieve as many wins as possible.
As an Early Childhood Education and Special Education major, Spencer values the influence softball has on her academic life.
“Being a student-athlete has really helped me manage my time wisely. If I don’t plan and prioritize, I will fall behind so softball forces me to put in the effort and get my work done when I can as I know I won’t have time later as I’ll have practice or a game,” she said.
In the future, Spencer wants to pursue a teaching career. However, in the short-term, she is working hard to make the Dean’s List this semester.
When asked about what brought her to softball and made her start playing, Spencer gets a grin on her face.
“Back in the day, my best friend played and I liked the uniforms she wore and I wanted one like hers so I joined. But the uniforms aren’t her favorite thing anymore. My favorite thing about softball is when you step up to the plate to bat and when you swing and make good contact, that feeling of a good hit off the bat is what I love,” she said.
The softball season continues on Friday, February 22 at Seton Hall, and their first home game will be March 14, a doubleheader against Chestnut Hill at 2 and 4 p.m. They will also be christening their brand-new home field at Creekview Park in Stroudsburg.
Email Helen at:
hbradley2@live.esu.edu
