Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: John Franklin
As the final put-out was made in the first game of a sun drenched double header between the Quinnipiac Bobcats and the Niagara Purple Eagles, the Quinnipiac University softball team found itself etched into the record books.
In that final out the Bobcats became the first softball team in program history to make the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) playoffs.
“Pure excitement,” was the only way head coach Jill Karowski could describe the feeling.“These girls all along have believed that they can do it, and that they can make the tournament. We know our ultimate goal is to make the NCAA Tournament.”
Senior pitcher Sydney Robey started game one for the Bobcats, and was masterful. Robey dazzled as she let up only three hits on the day as she went the distance to notch a complete game shutout, her seventh compete game of the season. While she shined in the circle, her biggest moment was in the box.
Heading into the bottom of the third inning Quinnipiac held a 2-0 lead over Niagara. After catcher Dani Edmands drove a single into right field, Robey stepped up to the plate hoping to give herself some insurance. She laced a homerun down the left field line to give the Bobcats a 4-0 lead.
“I was honestly just looking for a single,” Robey giggled as she described the at-bat.“It just happened to fall my way.”
The Bobcats finished eighth the past two years in the MAAC. Last year left the Bobcats yearning for a chance to prove why they deserved to be in the playoffs.
“I know for all of the seniors it has been something we have been working towards for all four years,” Robey remarked. “Last year we were so close and then it didn’t happen. It’s just overwhelming joy and excitement overall.”
After the game Coach Karowski’s team surrounded her. They were yelling and screaming in pure elation as they were ready to celebrate with her and get ready to head to Poughkeepsie, NY on Wednesday for the MAAC Tournament.
“I think we are going to do really well,” Karowski said with a smile on her face. “We just won the last five of six and we’ve been clearly excited. This weekend we had the mindset of winning every single pitch. If we can win every pitch come Wednesday, I think we can continue that win streak.”
After five straight days of rain in Hamden, the sky finally opened up for the sun to come out. With that sun came the light of a new era of softball here at Quinnipiac. One that would be nothing without the likes of Sydney Robey, who has embraced this program, and brought it to where it is today. She will take the mound at Marist College, with the ball in her hands, making sure this team’s successful season does not come to an end.
