The Whitehall softball team pocketed two wins last week, capturing their first league victory of the year.

They emerged from a three-game losing streak to defeat Emmaus 2-1 last week behind the strong performance of Kay Solderitch on the mound.

Head coach Berg-Townsend said it was important to shake off those losses and begin with a clear mindset that had them breaking back into the win column.

"It was real important to come out there and play to win," said Berg-Townsend.

To get to that point, Berg-Townsend gave each player a little exercise, a mental exercise. She asked them to establish a routine to get them mentally prepared to play. Whether it was visualizing the ball hitting the sweet part of the bat, or going through their game preparations so that it becomes almost instinctive, she wanted them to get acclimated to a "routine."

It definitely worked as Solderitch fanned 15 and Karly Klein went 3-3, including the game-winning RBI.

"They were up and ready to play that game," said Berg-Townsend."

She said they'll incorporate that routine the rest of the way, helping them get into the right frame of mind to play each time they take the field. They'll need that approach as they get into the heart of their schedule with their eye on making the playoffs. They're now 3-3 on the season.

"We want to be mentally prepared to push through the tight, close games," she said.

The Zephs had another close game when they faced Freedom High School as part of the Don Hunt Memorial Lehigh Valley Conference "Play Day Challenge" at Pates Park. It was another 2-1 win for the Zephs, and while it won't count in the standings, it further established Solderitch's adjustment to life on the hill in the Lehigh Valley Conference. The freshman southpaw struck out nine en route to the win.

Berg-Townsend said the key to Solderitch's success was her ability to "minimize the walks." Berg-Townsend feels that's controlling your walks is one of the most important aspects of being a pitcher.

"When you do that, you're always going to give yourself the advantage as a pitcher, overall," said Berg-Townsend.

With each passing start, Berg-Townsend said that Solderitch is gaining confidence and feeling more relaxed.

The win was also fueled by the bat of Abigail Nguyen who had two hits, including a triple that led to a run after Gabrielle Molitoris doubled in the fifth.

Berg-Townsend said that the junior leads by example and is a prime time performer in clutch situations, a role she has embraced.

"Every time she comes into the batter's box, she has confidence that she's going to get a hit," said Berg-Townsend.

In turn, that confidence spreads to the rest of the team who learn from Nguyen's approach at the plate.

As they continue this season, Berg-Townsend will continue to emphasize "baby steps" as they come out to play the game and win.