Brett Butler was busier than usual Wednesday morning.
But he didn’t mind.
Finally, after 11 days and four postponements, his University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team was going to get to play again.
Butler was rushing around UPB’s Sport and Fitness Center yesterday in preparation for the Panthers’ trip to Buffalo to face Medaille in what would be their Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opener.
It would also be the team’s first game since March 21 when it won at Houghton — the Panthers’ only outing since returning from a 12-game southern swing that ended a week earlier.
In all, that’s one game in 17 days … and what has made this spring even more difficult for the 16th year coach, is that since the team’s return home it has been able to get outdoors to practice just once — that coming just this past Tuesday.
“IT’S BEEN TOUGH, but you have to keep in mind, players and coaches alike, is that everyone else is in the same situation,” Butler said. “Still, it gets frustrating. There’s only so much you can do indoors.”
Since returning from a spring trip that took them to Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, the Panthers have had games postponed with Houghton, Baldwin Wallace, Behrend and Mt. Aloysius. With make-ups, its going to make for a busy next couple of weeks.
After Wednesday’s doubleheader, UPB has today off, then plays five games over the next three days against Allegheny, Fredonia and Mt. Aloysius.
“One thing we try to do is get the kids to understand this is a mental hurdle we have to get through,” Butler said. “We have to persevere. There’s nothing we can do about the weather, everyone’s in the same boat, we just have to stay positive and the team that perseveres the best will be on top.”
PITT-BRADFORD softball coach Tina Phillips agreed.
Her team also has played just once, March 22 at Westminster, since returning March 15 from a 10-game southern trip to Ft. Myers, Fla. It has had conference doubleheaders postponed against Behrend and Mt. Aloysius before finally getting to host Medaille Wednesday.
“You have to work at staying up after being indoors so long,” Phillips admitted. “There’s only so much you can do. You’re indoors the whole time leading up to your spring trip, then down there you play outdoors for the first time, then return and you’re back indoors for the next two or three weeks.
“It gets old, but there’s nothing you can really do about it.”
BUTLER, meanwhile, has been pleased with his team’s start. At 9-4, he feels the Panthers had a shot at being even better at this point.
“We split some doubleheaders I would love to play again, but you have to chalk it up to being outside for the first time,” he said. “But we’re pleased … and we’re anxious to keep it going.”
The Panthers, coming off a fourth-place AMCC finish at 9-7 (16-19 overall) were picked to finish fourth again behind LaRoche, Mt. Aloysius and Behrend.
The softball team was picked second in the pre-season conference coaches poll behind Penn State-Altoona. The Panthers, 22-16, 13-5 a year ago, lost to Altoona in last year’s playoff finals.