The SIU softball team took over Charlotte West Stadium last weekend as they continue to prepare themselves for the spring season.

Last year the Salukis completed their season with a home record of 14-8 and an overall seasonal record of 25-27. This year, the SIU women prepare themselves to become a force to be reckoned with.

Coach Kerri Blaylock said her biggest goal of the upcoming season is to finish the year better than it started.

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“I like to take it game by game and try to improve as much as we can,” she said. “The improvement as the season progresses is what I love to see the most.”

The Salukis added four new freshmen this year: two from Illinois, and two from Tennessee.

“The freshmen are doing a great job and they all looked really well this weekend,” Blaylock said. “They are a good group of kids to work with, and I think we will be seeing a lot of good things to come from them.”

Freshman infielder Brook Womack has been working to adjust to Blaylock’s way of coaching.

“Her style is different than what I am used to,” Womack said. “At the beginning I was getting frustrated, but it’s definitely getting easier.”

The Salukis went 2-1 over the weekend defeating John A. Logan College 10-2 and St. Louis University 4-3. Sunday the Salukis lacked momentum until late in the game, as they fell short to Southeast Missouri State 7-3.

Womack competed in the first college game of her career as her parents and grandparents cheered from the bleachers.

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“They all came down here to cheer me on,” she said. “After the first game they were telling me how good I played.”

“Although her parents were delighted with her performance, Womack showed that she is her biggest critic.

“I don’t think I played very well, and as a freshman I just don’t want to let the team down,” Womack said. “I just want to play good for them, but also for myself.”

Not only are the Saluki women preparing for the spring with a few newcomers, the women also welcome back five seniors who will play the last season of their college careers. Each of these women possesses her own personal goals.

Senior infielder Kelsea Ashton said she is looking forward to hitting well her final year of college. Last year, Ashton led SIU with eight sacrifice hits and ranked third on the team with 28 walks.

“Right now I am working on my offensive game because when I get up to bat, I am not necessarily the power hitter that’s going to hit a home run,” Ashton said. “But maybe moving a runner over or getting a base hit and just being more confident at the plate will help one of my teammates be more confident.”

Ashton thinks the new freshmen are a big addition, and are helping the team in a positive way.

“I love this class, I think they are all ready to play and play hard,” Ashton said. “They are very competitive and I think they’re pushing the upperclassman, and that is what will make the team better.”

Senior infielder Taylor Orsburn said she has been working on her hitting skills for the final season as well. Last year Orsburn ranked second on the team with 51 hits and scored 27 runs. She hopes to be a leader this year and become a role model for the younger athletes on the team.

“In practice I have been working on taking extra swings and making sure that I’m constantly talking,” she said. “I also make sure that I keep everyone organized and I try to keep their confidence up too.”

Orsburn, along with her senior teammates, are looking forward to a fantastic last season.

“I really want to come out and have a really good year,” Orsburn said. “I think everyone is on the same page and we’re ready to win as many games as we possibly can.”

The Saluki women will compete every Saturday and Sunday until the first weekend of October. Their next game will be held in Nashville, Tennessee where they will take on the Belmont Bruins.