CHAMPAIGN — It's been pretty wet around the area for the past couple days, and the rain Monday and Tuesday morning made the holiday and spring breaks for the Rockets and Spartans a little longer than they expected.
The Unity baseball and softball teams haven't had a game since last Thursday while the Spartans haven't played since Saturday. Now if this was mid-May, I think that would be a serious disadvantage, but since it's still April and the season is still young, I don't think missing games it that big of a deal.
All four teams need practice time.
The Rockets' baseball team spent last week in Tennessee taking on some great competition. The team didn't fare very well in the win-loss department, but head coach Dan Cunningham was glad to see his team get some swings in against such great competitors. Playing those games in Tennessee put Unity against quality opponents they could never see here in Illinois, let alone play on a regular basis. Now when the team gets back on the field this week, they'll have a better understanding of what they need to do against great opponents and how to handle playoff-type situations. The Rockets are 5-5 against Illinois competition, so they still know how to play.
The Unity softball team is also 5-5, and has competed very well since starting the season 0-4. The Rockets got a one-hitter from Ana Deters in their last win April 9 at Oakwood, and hung right with Tuscola in a 3-1 loss the night before. The Warriors have been to back-to-back Elite Eights and were 25-3 in 2008, so for Unity to play them so tough is a definite positive entering the Okaw Valley Conference portion of their season.
Over in St. Joe, the No. 4-ranked Spartans' softball team isn't having any trouble scoring runs (they've reached double digits in 11 of 13 games and are averaging 14.2 runs per game) but they've yet to hit their stride defensively and on the mound. Head coach Randy Wolken would like to see his team pick up its defensive intensity and start holding more teams down with shutouts. At some point the Spartans (13-0) are going to face good pitching, Wolken knows his team will have to be able to execute in a close game when that day comes.
As for the Spartans' baseball team, they just need some time to recuperate. The SJ-O boys have been one of the area's busiest teams to this point, playing 16 games and having a handful more rained out. The Spartans are a young team with talent and desire, but they lack experience and have been hampered by minimal pitching depth. Having some time off should give the Spartans the opportunity to rest all of their young arms and get their rotation back in the position they want it for the stretch drive.
It should be a busy — and exciting — next six weeks.
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