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Home > Blogs > Wright State University sports > Archives > 2010 > April > 29
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wiffle Ball during dreaded practice turns around WSU softball season
The Wright State softball players were no doubt dreading their practice on April 15.
The Raiders had just lost six consecutive games, including a sweep by Horizon League leader Cleveland State during which WSU lost by 2, 1 and 1 runs. Then the team blew two leads against Marshall in another pair of defeats and … well, there was plenty of conditioning expected.
Instead, first-year coach Linda Garza pulled out the Wiffle Balls.
“We just had to lighten it up,” Garza said.
After that playful practice, the Raiders have flourished. Boosted by a sweep of visiting Valparaiso this week, WSU (23-24-1, 14-7) has won nine of its past 11 games and jumped into second place in the Horizon League behind Cleveland State (16-2).
With three league games remaining — a road series against Illinois-Chicago on May 8 and 9 — Wright State seems set to take the No. 2 seed in the league tournament, which begins May 13. That would give the Raiders a bye into the semifinals.
WSU will play its final home game on Friday, April 30, against Urbana and close a weeklong homestand during which it has so far gone 5-1. For that streak, the Raiders can thank Garza’s past playing Wiffle Ball in the streets of Fresno, Calif., growing up.
“It was the thin yellow bat and baseball-sized balls,” Garza said of the defining practice. “No runners, just hit it past this line and it’s a single, past this line it’s a double, up to a home run. I think everyone really had fun.”
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