AACC Softball and Baseball players are preparing for the second half of their spring season.

Riverhawks Baseball has an 11-29 overall record and a 6-17 conference record as of April 24. Still, head Baseball coach Chris Jenkins said he remains optimistic for playoffs.

“We’ve had an up and down season as our record indicates,” Jenkins said. “However if you look at it divisionally, which is what counts for playoffs, we’re not so bad off.”

Jenkins said the Riverhawks play three to six games per week. He explained the team’s biggest obstacle is a shortage of pitchers and players in general.

“Guys start getting tired but I can’t give them a break,” Jenkins added. “Now I’m asking guys to pitch who aren’t pitchers.”

Drew Ehrlich, a first-year transfer studies student who plays center field, agreed Riverhawks Baseball has had its fair share of ups and downs this season. He said the team has given up a lot of close games, but has united in the face of struggles.

“We’re just kind of trying to clear up the little things,” Ehrlich said. “We’ve made some little mistakes in the games that have cost us some games. But besides that, I think we’re just sticking to routine and pushing through the end of the season.”

On the other hand, AACC Softball has an overall record of 12-17 and a conference record of 6-7 as of April 24.

Head Softball coach Guy Klingensmith said the team is focusing on fundamentals at practice this season. Assistant coach Brittany Nunez, who graduated from AACC in 2014, said the team is also cracking down on errors during games.

“I think we’ve had our ups and downs so far, even this early [in the season],” Nunez said. “We’re … figuring out our strengths and weaknesses and building those weaknesses into strengths.”
Pitcher and second-year nursing student Katie Rosati said her teammates have worked on hitting at practice because it’s key to winning games.

“You can have a great outfield but if you can’t put anything on the board, then it doesn’t really matter,” Rosati said.

Nunez and first-year outfielder Sylvia Frye agreed the team has improved greatly with hitting since the beginning of the season.

However, Klingensmith also said the team’s “defense has played really well. We’ve really cut down on the errors and we’re playing better as a group, both offensively and defensively.”

Rosati said the team makes sure the players are on the same page during games.
“When we’re out on the field we’re constantly talking to each other and backing each other up,” Rosati said.

Riverhawks Softball plays its Division II Region Tournament play-in game on May 4. Riverhawks Baseball plays its Division II Region Tournament play-in game on May 2 against the Community College of Baltimore County Essex at home on “Skip” Brown Baseball Field.