Just when it looked like the Clan were going to keep their strong play going, they began to falter. Coming into their four-game series against Saint Martin’s University, the Clan were hot, winning four straight against Northwest Nazarene and outscoring the Crusaders 24–3 in the process. The team crushed the SMU Saints in their first matchup 9–0, but the bats quickly dried up. Three consecutive losses dropped the team into third in the conference.
Last week, Clan ace Cara Lukawesky pitched her first career no-hitter and was named GNAC pitcher of the week for the second time this season. She continued her impressive run by pitching six shutout innings in the first match, helping the Clan mercy the Saints.
However, the Clan could do no right in game two of the first doubleheader, as the Saints rebounded with an 8–0, five-inning victory. Textbook double plays went awry, the team couldn’t hit the ball — it was an all around write-off for the Clan. Knowing that, Lukawesky and the Clan were ready to put it behind them and move on.
“We weren’t focused in the second game,” she said. “We need to rebound quickly and come back with a vengeance.” Unfortunately, they didn’t.
Looking to bounce back, they instead struggled in two straight losses. Just as they had in game two, the Clan struggled to put their bats to the ball in games three and four, losing the two by a combined 12–4 score. Lukawesky, normally a rock on the mound, also struggled, allowing seven runs (four earned) en route to an 8–2 loss. While it was only her third loss of the season — compared to nine wins — it was nonetheless an uncharacteristic performance from one of the best pitchers in the conference. However, if her performance from the week prior is any indication, she has a knack for bouncing back in a big way, and that will be key as the Clan figure out their batting problem.
The final game of the series started the same way game three ended, with the Saints’ bats hitting hard. They scored two runs in the opening inning, and while the Clan bounced back in the second, it took just until the third inning for the Saints to go up for good. Much like Lukawesky in the previous game, Hawkins struggled in the matchup, allowing three runs (all of which were earned), and lasted just three innings. The main concern, however, remains the batting issues.
“We had a lot of opportunities, but we couldn’t capitalize,” said junior infielder Lauren Mew. “We’re just not stringing together hits right now.” However, it’s not lost on the team that they need to play better in all facets of the game.
“We need to be good in all parts of the game to really be successful,” added Mew.
For the second time this season, the Clan dropped three out of four matchups in a single series. However, the last time they did, they rebounded with five straight victories. They have the experienced personnel and coaching staff to turn the ship around before it starts to sink. The team is still in third in the GNAC, so the iceberg is pretty far away, but it doesn’t hurt to change course before it hits.
