The Tribune

THE University of The Bahamas women’s softball team practiced ahead of the team’s first set of international games set for this week.

The UB Mingoes softball team is expected to play two games Thursday in Miami Gardens against the St Thomas University Bobcats and then one game Friday at Flamingo Park in Pembroke Pines against the Florida Memorial University Lions.

This tour will be the first for the UB Mingoes softball team.

“I’m looking forward to some good competition in Florida,” head coach Shane Albury said. “This is the first time internationally and the first time in two seasons that the team has played. I think we have a good stock of players on the team right now.”

Coach Albury said his team is going into the tour full steam and hoping to come back with three wins. The FMU Bobcats have just started the women’s softball programme and this will be one of the first games the team will play.

“I’m not taking any of the games lightly,” he said. “I had a conversation with the team and told them we are going to win and this is not vacation. We will compete and we are going to win.”

Albury added that the path to a win starts with pitching.

“I wish we were stronger in that aspect of the game as we recently lost two players,” he said.

“Defence will also be important. We have some speed and we have some sluggers. If our pitching holds up our defence and we can put the bat on the ball we can be quite competitive.”

Infield specialist and senior Cyntese Cooper said she’s excited to get the experience and to represent UB.

“I’m excited to see our team come together as a cohesive unit and play these games,” she said. “We have worked hard to get here and we are going to put it all on the field.”

Utility player Kenisha Kelly said the team has been working on communication heading into the games this week.

“I feel we have a good chance to pick up the wins,” she said. “We just have to hit the ball, field the ball and reduce the errors out there.

The team plays St Thomas University in a double-header at 4pm and 6pm Thursday in Miami Gardens and then plays Florida Memorial University noon on Friday at Flamingo Park in Pembroke Pines.