Infielder Sammi Woods’ offensive performance was a bright spot in Maryland softball’s 5-4 loss to Queens on Sunday.
The junior had her best showing of the season at the plate, notching two hits, two runs and an RBI in three plate appearances.
After falling into a self-described “sophomore slump” last year, Woods’ .320 batting average is the best on the Terps’ roster.
“I feel like I am on the right track,” Woods said. “I’ve been putting a lot of effort, energy and focus into my offense and I feel like it’s finally paying off.”
The California native batted .255 in a standout freshman season. But her average dropped to just .196 her sophomore year, the worst of any Terp on the roster who averaged at least two plate appearances a game.
“My confidence very much tanked,” Woods said. “It was a really rough hitting year for me.”
[Maryland softball can’t climb out of early hole in 5-4 loss to Queens]
That doubt carried into to the early portion of her junior season, when she went 0-for-3 in Maryland’s season-opener against Arizona State and was left out of the batting order the next day against No. 21 California.
When coach Lauren Karn pulled her from the lineup completely against Miami (Ohio) in the third game of the season, it hit Woods that she had to make a change.
“It really made me lock in and focus up and remember that I can’t take anything for granted,” Woods said. “I have to prove myself every second.”
Woods has turned her season around. After putting up zero hits in Maryland’s first four games, she has delivered eight hits in the last nine contests.
Most of her growth has come from increased confidence at the plate. Woods has made an effort to focus less on her mechanics and more on her mindset when she’s at bat.
[Maryland softball focuses on mechanics to overcome early pitching struggles]
“I’ve been way more confident in my hitting,“ Woods said. “I have changed it from questioning if I have the ability, to knowing I have the ability,” Woods said”
In addition to the mental aspect, Woods has focused on hitting her ground balls to the right side of the field and keeping her front shoulder tucked. Swinging that shoulder out has caused a lot of foul balls and pop-ups in some of her weaker at-bats, Woods said.
Woods has only gotten 25 at-bats so far this season, ranking seventh on the team. But her impressive performance against Queens on Sunday could help her solidify a more consistent spot in the lineup.
“The difference between my outcomes the first and this past weekend have [meant] a lot to me,” Woods said. “I feel like I’m definitely on the right path with getting to more and more of my full potential as a player, specifically as an offensive player.”
