Chris Jennings ~ Assistant Copy Editor
When thinking about the sport of softball most people would presume that in order to win a game the team must score runs. This statement itself is true but the question then becomes how to score runs? The answer to scoring runs is to get on base. The OBP, on-base percentage, statistic is one of the most valuable statistics in sports because it can be a direct causation to winning games. If you have a higher percentage of getting on base then your team has a higher chance of winning the game.
The University of Lynchburg’s Softball Team has experienced some very good games so far this year including multiple wins over ranked opponents as well as disappointing losses to conference foes.
Freshman Pitcher Kailey Dorcsis says, “So far this year when we are the most successful is when we score lots of runs and our bats are making good contact.”
With that being said the teams OBP in wins this year .416 while in losses it is .297. Over the course of 38 games so far this year it has given enough statistical data that when a team gets on base it is going to help them win games.
Freshman Kinnice Turner said, “When I step into the batter’s box my goal is to get on base. It can be a walk, hit by pitch, or a hit. As long as I am getting on base I know that it is going to help the team.”
In order to raise an OBP for a team it takes discipline and looking for the right pitch. Drawing walks raises a team’s OBP without even hitting the ball. This year the Lynchburg softball team has drawn 64 walks in games that they have won while only 36 in games that they have lost. That comes out to just over three walks a game in win and just only about two walk a game in losses. For a team that has lost nine times this year by a run differential of one, that extra base runner could be the difference between a 21-17 record and a 30-8 record.
If one is looking to win softball games it comes down to getting on base.
Sources:
Kailey Dorcsis: dorcsik266@lynchburg.edu
Kinnice Turner: turnerk327@lynchburg.edu
Lynchburg Sports: https://www.lynchburgsports.com/sports/sball/index
