It wasn’t an ideal situation for the Massachusetts softball team last weekend as it lost its first three games of the season in the Charlotte First Pitch Classic, but there were certainly glimpses of what the Minutewomen are capable of this season, according to senior outfielder Taylor Carbone.

“We weren’t really able to finish things off this weekend. But I think it was telling in how many balls we were able to put into play,” Carbone said.

UMass coach Kristi Stefanoni specifically referenced Carbone as a player whose offseason work has stood out entering 2016. After pitching in high school, Carbone has played exclusively at first base, second base and outfield over her first three years with the Minutewomen, but Stefanoni approached her this offseason about going back to pitching.

“I was actually kind of sad when I got here freshman year and found out I wasn’t going to pitch,” Carbone said.

Carbone welcomed the change with open arms, and while the statistics might not immediately show it, Stefanoni thought Carbone had a successful collegiate pitching debut this past weekend.

Carbone allowed five earned runs in five innings pitched in a non-decision start in a 9-8 loss against Youngstown State in the final game of the tournament Sunday.

To prepare for the transition back to pitching, Carbone designed her offseason workouts around command charts, practicing hitting certain spots across the plate and marking down on charts whether she hit or missed her targets.

“My goal this season is to be effective and efficient,” Carbone said.

She also refined her repertoire of pitches, which will include a fastball, changeup and riseball. She said she especially likes throwing her changeup, mentioning that it has a “funky movement” that she hopes will give opposing hitters problems this season.

Carbone also did cardio workouts, including sprints and lunges, all of which she hopes will keep her prepared for the long grind of the season.

Carbone said a primary goal for improvement as a team coming into this season is glove work and getting rid of the ball as quickly as possible on defense.

Defense matters

One player who prioritized glove work this past offseason was reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week Kaitlyn Stavinoha. The middle infielder said her fielding skills and quick hands are some of her greatest assets as a player.

“I want to have a really good fielding percentage,” said Stavinoha, who set a goal of a .980 fielding percentage this season.

According to Stefanoni, one thing that stands out about Stavinoha is the grit and competitiveness she plays with every time she steps onto the field.

“If you’re on the other side, you’re not my friend,” Stavinoha said.

But that competitive nature didn’t start when she arrived at UMass via The Woodlands, Texas. She said she’s had that fire ever since she was young, in just about everything she’s even done.

“Board games, anything, I’ve always played to win in everything I do,” Stavinoha said.

Another key asset for Stavinoha that has gotten her teammates attention is her speed, which was on full display this weekend, as Stavinoha logged a triple and a stolen base in her first collegiate tournament.

“You can’t really defend speed,” Stavinoha said. “As much as you try to, if there’s a fastball in the ground, a couple steps and we’re gone.”

As a whole, Carbone has taken notice of how fast the rookies are, calling the team the “fastest we’ve had in a long time.”

“They’re kind of like energy bunnies. We needed that boost,” Carbone said.

Stefanoni has been equally as impressed by her performance, despite being just three games into her young career.

“She’s going to become an exciting player to watch these next few years,” Stefanoni said.

Stavinoha’s favorite part about her game is the balance to her skillset. She describes herself as a “jack of all trades who can produce on the plate and in the field.”

“I hold myself a higher standard and have really high expectations,” she said.

Although this is only her first season with the Minutewomen, Stavinoha hopes to lead by example and instill a sense of confidence in her teammates.

Senior leadership

Another player who looks to lead by example for the Minutewomen this season is senior Lindsey Zenk.

Zenk appeared in 33 games for UMass in 2015, making 31 starts primarily in the outfield. The 5-foot-7 outfielder finished second in the A-10 in sacrifice bunts, primarily batting out of the No. 2 position.

The East Islip, New York native has spent her offseason trying to improve her skills at the plate, where she batted .202 last season.

“(In past seasons) I struggled with hitting outside pitches. I’ve worked on hitting a ton,” said Zenk, who added she set up a batting cage in her backyard for offseason work.

After her first year at UMass, Zenk came back her sophomore season and offered to put herself in the outfield.

“We needed people out there and I wanted to do whatever I could to make a difference for the team,” Zenk said.

Stefanoni has taken notice of Zenk’s team-first approach, praising her for being a selfless teammate.

“She can be called upon as a starter or as a pinch hitter. Her ability to sacrifice runners over to second base, that’s the kind of player she is. She can be called upon to do the little things,” Stefanoni said.

The mental game was an aspect all three players worked on this offseason. Zenk in particular has tried to become more mentally tough, not letting emotions get in the way of “getting the job done in the field.”

Although they lost all three games this past weekend, the Minutewomen scored 13 runs, including eight in their final game of the weekend against the Penguins. This offensive output is something UMass hopes to build off of.

“I don’t think that the weekend reflected how hard we worked this offseason. It’s not who we are as a team,” Zenk said.

“I think that we have improved tremendously,” Stefanoni added. “If we lose, it’s not going to be for a lack of effort.”

For her final season playing for the Minutewomen, Zenk wants to leave her best effort on the field.

“I want to get back to the A-10 tournament and show people who we are this season. I think we can win the A-10 title,” Zenk said.

Carbone and Stavinoha had the same goal in mind.

“I think we’re going to surprise people. The A-10 is our goal,” Carbone said.

Sam Pollack can be reached at [email protected]