“Nothing drops, nothing by.”
That’s the saying Maryland softball outfielder Kassidy Cross follows when she’s in the field. The freshman will put her body on the line in order to make a play, which she’s done plenty of this season. Her 41 put outs is the most of any Terps outfielder.
She’s made mistakes, such as when she misjudged a line drive in center field — a two-base error — against No. 12 James Madison on March 19. But after two games on the bench, Cross returned to the starting lineup for Maryland’s second Big Ten game. She’s since racked up four diving catches amid 13 put outs.
“The JMU mistake was big on my part,” Cross said. “It was unacceptable for me, and I just wanted to come out and show not only [my teammates], but also the opponent what I can do. Like, you’re not going to hit a ball that’s going to drop in front of me.”
[Read more: Infielder Juli Strange has emerged as a leadoff hitter for Maryland softball]
The confidence from Cross in center field has also translated to her teammates. Behind the freshman’s performance and improved outfield communication, the Terps committed one error against Michigan State last weekend, their cleanest defensive series of the year.
“Especially from a pitcher’s standpoint, they feel like no matter where they throw the ball, no matter where it’s hit, it’s going to be caught,” infielder Juli Strange said. “It sends a message.”
Entering Big Ten play, the Terps switched their defensive positioning. They moved three infielders to new positions while continuing to fine-tune their outfield combination.
Maryland still committed six errors in a three-game set versus Ohio State but made one miscue a week later against Michigan State. The Terps focused on retrieving balls in the gaps, handling short hops and “seeing the ball off the bat” before facing the Spartans, the nation’s fourth-best team in slugging percentage (.542).
Cross, meanwhile met with Wright to work on more specific skills, such as her reach to the ball when it’s over her head or to her side.
The practice appeared warranted, as Michigan State roped six doubles in the series.
Before Maryland plays Northwestern this weekend, it’s still focused on making the routine play. As players settle into new roles, Strange feels their efforts will continued to improve.
Cross said the outfield group has grown close throughout the season, so she expects that chemistry to make fielding a more fluid process going forward.
“We go into the game knowing balls are going to get hit to us,” Cross said. “We like to make the routine plays, obviously, and then we’re always getting each other’s backs.”
