VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Wesleyan University’s softball team isn’t new to the spotlight of the ODAC or national stage.
Fourteen conference titles, three national titles and a whole lot of wins for this Marlins program, and this current team wants to add to that legacy. A 33-7 team — one that went 20-2 in ODAC play — sounds like it’s whole on paper, but Virginia Wesleyan has had to battle through its fair share of injuries this season.
Get this, only six players on the roster have played in at least 75% of this season’s games. This team has been injury-riddled, and yet has still found a way to get the job done, finding themselves in another ODAC championship series, this one against No. 3 seed Roanoke College (29-12, 16-6 ODAC).
Regardless, head coach Brandon Elliot said it doesn’t matter who goes onto the field for the Marlins. As long as they play their game, they know they’ll lift another trophy this weekend.
“We have to come out and be ourselves. We come out and do what Virginia Wesleyan does, we’re really tough to beat,” Elliot said.
The Marlins look to add to the trophy case, but they don’t feel the added pressure from the previous teams that have built this program.
“You come in here with an expectation to win,” said sophomore pitcher Emma Adams. “We come in here knowing that, so you kind of already have that in here. There’s no added pressure.”
Game 1 of the three-game ODAC championship series at Broyles Field starts at 11 a.m. Friday. Game 2 is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Game 3, if necessary, will be at 4 p.m. Saturday.