It was an exciting way for the team to return to the Boston Common field this season. The ladies swept the double header against Johnson and Wales University

on Saturday 8-0 and 9-1, and they split the double header with Emmanuel College on Sunday, winning 8-0 and losing 5-3.,It’s beginning to look a lot like spring as the Lions softball team held its home opener last weekend.

It was an exciting way for the team to return to the Boston Common field this season. The ladies swept the double header against Johnson and Wales University

on Saturday 8-0 and 9-1, and they split the double header with Emmanuel College on Sunday, winning 8-0 and losing 5-3.

Senior Co-Captain Jodie Jordan said Saturday’s victory was expected because of how well they had been playing.

“Johnson and Wales always gives us a run for our money,” she said, “but we have definitely come up a level this season, and I think they may have gone down a level.”

Although excited about their win, Jordan also looks at where the team has room for improvement.

“Some moments we just didn’t capitalize,” she said. “We left some players on base when we didn’t have to.”

Jordan also said they can’t expect to win all games as easily as the ones against Johnson and Wales. Because of games played like the ones against Emmanuel on Sunday, Jordan said she and the other players are not getting ahead of themselves.

“Since the fall, we said that we can’t be thinking that far ahead,” she said. “We have to take it day by day, practice by practice, game by game, inning by inning.”

Coach Phil McElroy has a solid starting lineup but is confident with his entire team.

“We have 20 capable players, and I am not afraid to play any of them at any time,” he said.

Both returning and new players have been doing their part in helping out the team.

Starting centerfielder Bridget Farago is a freshman. Then there is Nikki Battaglia, who is also a freshman and who has seen a lot of time as a designated hitter. Battaglia has started nine out of the 14 games.

Senior catcher Jennifer Boyden was named Player of the Week last week by GNAC.

McElroy said Boyden was key in helping them win the three out of four games played this weekend.

“She was the best hitter all weekend,” McElroy said. “She had a couple of triples, couple of doubles, couple of RBIs.”

As a transfer student, this is sophomore pitcher Angela Jorgensen’s first season as a Lion. She was another dominant player this weekend, winning two out of the four games for the team. Jorgensen only gave up one run in the two games she pitched, and she struck out 13 batters.

Junior third baseman Lindsay DeStefano also added to the score sheet with two home runs against Johnson and Wales.

McElroy said it will be a challenge

because there are a lot of evenly matched teams, but their goal which is to win the GNAC tournament and go to the NCAA.

Last year’s record of 34-8 overall and 22-2 in the GNAC tournament was the most successful season Emerson softball has seen.

McElroy said the outcome

of last season was the last step for letting the league know Emerson has arrived.

“Now I am just getting the team ready for what we need to do to win championships,” McElroy said, “and I know if we can get to the tournament we can go far.”