Adam Nussbaum: Take me through a typical in-season day.

Kristyn Marinelli: We lift at 8 a.m., either group lifts or team lifts depending on the day, and go to class and eat lunch together. We try to front-load our schedules to have free up our afternoons. Then we have practice from 4:30-7.

AN: What other sports have you played and when?

KM: I was a dancer for the majority of my childhood and then dabbled with field hockey and basketball throughout middle school.I gave everything up aroundninth grade to solely focus on softball.

AN: When did you start playing softball and how did you know it was right for you?

KM: I started when I was 10, which is relatively late, and started pitching when I was 11. My dad was a big baseball player and introduced me to the sport. I loved the idea that you can try different positions and I bounced around until I found my niche in pitching.

AN: Who has been the most influential figure throughout your softball career?

KM: My dad and my sister. It’s something that we’ve always done together and a passion that we’ve shared. He knows softball and baseball inside and out and helped me develop love for the game.

AN: What was your recruitment process like?

KM: I primarily focused on Ivy League and Patriot League schools because I wanted a balance between academics and athletics. There are only four years of softball but you need an education forever. My top four schools were Colgate, Dartmouth, College of Charlestown and Lafayette.

AN: How has the team improved over the course of the season?

KM: We have a very young team and have definitely improved the camaraderie aspect. We’ve built essential team skills and found the cohesive unit and team aspect that we didn’t necessarily have in the beginning of the season.

AN: What is the team doing to prepare for the upcoming two-game stretch against Army?

KM: We face some of the best competition in both our in-league and out-of-league schedules so we know how hard we need to work to succeed. We’ve been working on improving our pitching, offense and defense.

AN: Who on the team deserves a shout-out for their performance thus far?

KM: One of our freshmen, Jenna Didio. Throughout the season she has brought a lot of help to our offense. She’s moved up and down between the one and three spot and has been one of our most consistent hitters.

AN: Do you have any personal goals for the rest of the season?

KM: We definitely want to improve our record, especially within Patriot League. Our main goal is to make the conference tournament and I want to help the team in any way possible, whether is be through pitching or attitude. Overall I want to help this team succeed.

AN: How has your game changed from freshmen to sophomore year?

KM: I’ve gained a lot of experience. One of the main things is that we play against a lot of the same players throughout the years, so I have better recognition of opponent’s tendencies, even before the scouting report comes out.

AN: Do you have any pregame rituals?

KM: We’re all pretty superstitious but my main ritual is getting into the locker room early enough to relax and not feel rushed. We also listen to the same music in the locker room.

AN: What’s your favorite vacation spot?

KM: Charlestown, SC.

AN: What’s your favorite song?

KM: ‘No Such Thing’ by John Mayer.

AN: What’s your favorite movie?

KM: Legally Blonde.

AN: If you could meet one celebrity, who would it be?

KM: Jennifer Aniston.

AN: What don’t people know about you?

KM: I was a dancer for 13 years.