The NIC softball program has a strong ritual that has been going on for years. Alumni who used to play softball for the Lady Cards returned for the annual Alumni Match held on Sept. 17. Testing this year’s batch of student athletes, the NIC team proved that the torch of knowledge has been passed from the alumni, posting a 6-2 victory in the first game followed by 7-1 win in game two.
“I think for the first outing it was not bad,” said head coach Don Don Williams. “They came out and executed defense and our pitching was good for the first game. I think that we can probably produce a few more runs but not bad for the first game.”
NIC’s defense held its ground throughout both games. In the second game, the only score from the alumni team was posted in the first inning. This year’s team said they noticed a change in behavior from their teammates as the games progressed.
“When we started to begin, it was a lot of nerves,” said sophomore infielder Ashley Moon, 19, graphic design. “Afterward you could start to feel everybody loosen up and start to get into the feel of it. It was nice.”
Nine sophomores and 16 freshmen fill out this year’s roster. Moon said that team cohesiveness, comfort and unfamiliarity are a few hurdles the ladies must overcome as the season rolls on.
For many of the alumni, they said this game is a chance to reconnect with times now past.
“I feel like the alumni games are kind of like a reunion every year for us just to see each other, because playing softball here you become such a tight knit family,” said alumnus Jessica Hyatt, 21. “You do everything together and then after people start to leave, you kind of grow apart. So being here kind of brings you back to that same feeling.”
With this nonchalant game out of the way, this year’s Lady Cards are preparing for the next nine sets that lie down the road. They host two opponents, the Spokane Mudhens on Sept. 24 and Big Bend C.C. on Oct. 1.
“[Our team] has never worked together before, so we are switching the line up quite a bit,” said coach Williams. “We just have to find the right combination of what works and get them working together on the field as well.”
