Softball opens season with 2-3 record at Tampa tournament

The Northwestern softball team opened its 2002 season this weekend at the Louisville Slugger Tournament in Tampa, Fla., winning two of five games.

NU’s three losses all came by a single run. The Wildcats fell twice to Florida Atlantic and once, in eight innings, to Tennessee.

Both of NU’s wins were blowouts by comparison: 6-2 over highly touted South Florida on Friday and 5-2 over Tennessee in the nightcap Saturday.

“We did a really good job of applying the things we’ve worked on in practice,” senior outfielder Erin Jancic said. “Some of (our problems) were because we haven’t been outside yet this year.”

The tournament marked the beginning of Kate Drohan’s tenure as NU’s head softball coach.

Drohan spent four years as an assistant under former coach Sharon Drysdale, so Jancic and the Cats were comfortable playing under the new boss.

“We kind of knew what to expect since she’s been here for so long,” Jancic said. “It was a different style that we’ve been working on in practice, and it was fun to see it in the game.

“Overall it went really well.”