BCC In Hunt For Softball Playoff Berth

By  //  April 9, 2013

Titans Now Sport 28-23 Record

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Heading into March Brevard Community College’s softball team was seeking its identity.

BCC sophomore first baseman Kat Ammons has been a leader in the team’s push to reach the postseason playoffs. (Image courtesy of BCC)

BCC was 13-16 with a rugged Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference schedule — which would determine its postseason fate — lying in wait.

And the month didn’t exactly start on a high note as BCC lost a doubleheader to Lake-Sumter State College to fall to 13-18.

But since, the Lady Titans have gone 15-5 raising their overall record to 28-23. More importantly they are 7-5 in the conference and hold the third and final postseason qualifying spot.

BCC has four conference games remaining. It travels to Fort Pierce on Tuesday for a 2 and 4 p.m. doubleheader against conference second-place Indian River State (9-3 and 35-8 overall) and hosts fourth-place Palm Beach State (2-9 and 5-36) at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday to complete the regular season.

Beyond is the NJCAA Division I Region 8A/FCSAA Atlantic District tournament May 2-5 in Pensacola in which BCC has competed in eight of the last nine seasons.

BCC’s turnaround can be tied to its pitching being solidified and its offensive production. It leads the nation in hits (549), is second in runs batted in (342), fourth in runs (350) and fourth in total bases (700). Also, BCC’s younger players are adjusting to the demands of top-level NJCAA Division I softball.

“The Lake-Sumter doubleheader was a wake-up call,” BCC assistant coach Bob Yanczewski said. “They realized they needed to come to play every inning, every out of every game.”

As for the reasons for the resurgence: “Hitting has been our biggest thing,” Yanzcewski said. “It’s one-through-nine. Also, our pitchers are keeping us in games now with the runs we are scoring. They are giving us a chance to win.”

That could be said for the entire team.

“It takes them a while to get used to the system, get used to college, get used to living facilities,” Yanczewski said. “There is a lot that goes into it. It’s just not showing up and saying I am a softball player.”