With their recent rough patch that resulted in back-to-back league losses, softball head coach Alexis Berg-Townsend isn’t ready to hit the panic button.

She knows they’re going to be OK. They have a roster full of talented players and that will ultimately get them back on track.

“We have a good team, and they fight, and we’re going to find a way,” said Berg-Townsend. “So we just keep talking about plugging away, finding that pitch and having confidence, and most important, having fun when we get in that batter’s box.”

They lost 3-2 to Allentown Central Catholic last Wednesday, and then dropped a home game this week against Emmaus, 2-0.

That slight blip drops them to 12-5 overall and 9-5 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.

Berg-Townsend said that her team may be pressing right now.

“It’s more about a weight issue on the shoulders that they have to score runs, that they have to put the ball in play, and they have to do this, instead of just going in there and trusting the process and trust in themselves,” said Berg-Townsend.

In their game against the Vikettes, they had their opportunities, but couldn’t push runs across when they needed them. They left runners on base throughout the game, including two ducks on the pond in the bottom of the third when they scored their only two runs.

Kay Solderitch got things going with a single, and advanced to third on some passed balls. Rachel Arner’s infield hit plated Solderitch, and then Ashlee Brosky reached on an error. That brought Mackenzie Guzy to the plate who delivered an RBI single to right-center, scoring Arner. That would be it as they collected eight hits but only managed those two runs.

The Zephs only allowed three hits, but ACC’s three first-inning runs held up for the win.

Against Emmaus, a game which they lost 2-0, they were handcuffed by Green Hornet pitcher Hannah Palinkas who only allowed two hits and was never really in trouble all afternoon. Palinkas was also in the circle when they defeated the Zephs earlier this season, surrendering just two hits in their 6-1 win.

Berg-Townsend said that Palinkas uses the entire strike zone to her advantage.

“She actually moves the ball all around,” said Berg-Townsend. “There’s a lot of pitchers in this conference who can pitch well, but they’re usually in the same spot, so you can start placing where that ball’s going to be. What makes her a better pitcher is that she’s not overpowering speed, but she can go in, out, up and down, and really works it so your eye zone’s not the same.”

The Zephs pitched well in both those losses. Brosky was humming the ball all game, she just got tagged with a double that bounced against the left field fence, scoring Emmaus’ two runs. One of those runs was unearned, too as the Zephs committed an error to put runners on first and second when Megan Purinton delivered the two-bagger.

The Zephs will play a rare doubleheader on Wednesday, a scheduling necessity due to Catasauqua’s desire to get the game in this week because there’s no postseason for the Roughies this year, which means next week is not an option. That game is early at their home field, and then they’ll pack up their things and take the short jaunt to Coplay to play Parkland under the lights.

Berg-Townsend said that they just need to go about playing the game of softball. She said that they have batters who can hit the ball, they just need to believe in themselves.

“It’s just getting that spark again,” said Berg-Townsend. “We just need that one spark to go, and this entire team will follow.”