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05/14/2014 12:00 AMOld Saybrook junior shortstop Lauren Pascoe doesn't get wrapped up in stats, but she has been tearing the cover off the ball to help the Rams stay strong as a Shoreline Conference upstart this spring.
As the Rams have gotten out to a 5-3 start, Lauren has played a big role in those five victories. While she has a fielding percentage above .900 at short, Lauren is also doing damage at the dish-including a two-game stretch on April 21 and 23 that saw her hit .750 with three triples, three RBI, seven runs scored, and three stolen bases.
"I practiced a lot with my travel team in the winter, so things are just starting to click, plus I'm just excited to be playing with my teammates," says Lauren, who is hitting .591 overall. "Whenever I'm up there with base runners on, I always want to bring people home."
Lauren's desire to drive her fellow Rams home is no shock to Head Coach Laura Westner, who feels Lauren is a great all-around player and consummate teammate.
"She is having a great start to the season and has really been a huge reason for our success so far. Not only has she been a major asset to our offensive line up, she has also done a great job defensively at shortstop," says Westner. "She has made a lot of tough plays in the field and is a great leader out there. She is a great kid who works hard and acts like a team player."
The numbers were the last thing on Lauren's mind when she saw the two-day personal offensive outburst, as she says she just clears her head and tries to perform for her squad that she holds dearly.
"I had no idea about those two games, because I try not to focus on stats. I just try to make contact, get on base, and get people home every time I get up," Lauren says. "I'm just in it to win it, whether it's me with the hit or someone else. I love my teammates and we are all really close, and I'm so happy when one of them gets the key hit for us."
Lauren reports that she locks in her head mentally when it is her turn for an at-bat, yet on defense, she doesn't overstep her boundaries while going all out for any outs in the field.
"Coach Westner is intent on offensive things, so I focused on my timing with hitting, going from fast to slow pitches in practice. I found out that my weakness is when I think too much up there," says Lauren, who's played the No. 6 position since freshman year. "At shortstop, I try to get a lot of grounders, pop-flys, and take charge. But I try not to overplay my position; I go for whatever I can within my range and dive for balls. I always think it's an extra out for us with a play I could make. It's all just practice and hard work."
Lauren feels that a consistent optimism is as crucial as steady hitting, and she and the rest of the Rams are prepared to be resilient against any obstacles in their way during the second half of the campaign.
"I just want the team to win and do well. Softball is a mental sport, so you have to always stay positive and up," says Lauren, who thanks her team, parents Suzanne and Gary, brother Victor, plus her travel and high school coaches. "We can do well and go far this year; we just have to string together some hits, work together, and fight out of any holes we get into."
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