During Waynesburg University’s spring break, the Yellow Jacket softball team began a new era under first-year head coach Brett Shimek. After traveling to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Waynesburg played eight games in three days, including two triple headers which were highlighted with one win in each extending the Jackets record to the two-win plateau early in the season.

The wins came in gritty fashion with the first a 4-2 victory against Hilbert College and the second against Centenary, 3-2. Aside from the first game, a 12-1 loss to Penn State Abington, the Yellow Jackets were in each game with three of the first eight games being decided by one run.

“I think coming away with a couple wins was good for us,” said Shimek. “We were in every game down there except for the first one. Hindsight for us, next year when we go, we are going to go and practice for a day before we see the field because we quite honestly didn’t have them ready.”

With an offense led by junior infielder Ashley Dubovich, the Jackets manufactured 19 runs and 35 hits, numbers Shimek would like to see increase as the schedule shifts into Presidents’ Athletic Conference play later this month.

“Hitting is contagious,” said Shimek. “When we were hitting, everybody up and down the lineup was, and I think when we were struggling everybody up and down the lineup was. It’s one of those things where we have to be more consistent as a team.”

Pitching will be limited for the Yellow Jackets, according to Shimek, because after returning from the beach Shimek and his staff discovered that senior Courtney Messenger and sophomore Emma Kubalak will be the two primary girls set to pitch the majority of games for Waynesburg. Each of them picked up a victory in South Carolina.

“We have [Emma] and [Courtney] who will be our two main pitchers this year,” said Shimek. “I thought the pitching was outstanding in Myrtle Beach. Going into the season I wasn’t sure where our pitching was compared to others, but I felt good about it coming out of Myrtle Beach. We’ll go with those two the remainder of the season.”

Shimek and his staff have the benefit of having most of the team return from last season, and even if they aren’t getting it done on the diamond, Shimek wants his staff to have an impact on the athletes as people.

“They’re familiar with each other, most of them were here last year,” said Shimek. “I believe we have four freshman that joined the team and overall they are a great group of young ladies and fantastic people. We’re trying to take all the great stuff they do off the field and just refine some of the stuff on the field.”

Despite the team dropping six of the first eight games of the season, Shimek saw a few bright spots from the team’s trip to South Carolina.

“Overall as a team we competed well,” said Shimek. “I think we’re learning how to play together as a team and learning how to win and that comes with experience. Those were our first eight games together as a coaching staff and as a team and I think we get back up here things will begin to gel and progress forward.”