What started as an optimistic afternoon quickly turned sour for Rochelle Township High School graduate and Knox College softball player Britney Salinas.

After opening the 2020 season with a four-game tournament in Rochester, Minnesota, Salinas and her teammates were gearing up to travel to Orlando, Florida in preparation for the 2020 Spring Games. With news that a senior teammate was planning to return from a broken wrist for pinch running, Salinas was excited for what the near week-long experience would bring.

But an emergency meeting with all Knox College spring sports teams and the school’s athletic director sent the day on a downward spiral. During the meeting, Salinas and her teammates learned they would not be competing in the tournament, and in the evening, she learned that all spring sports were canceled in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

“I was very shocked and sad about the news,” Salinas said. “I don’t think any of us expected something like that to happen… Of course, I was upset, but watching our seniors discover they had lost their last opportunity to wear their colors and play their sport was the most devastating part. Building for this season was a drastic change from last season. We were pushing ourselves to our full capacities and we were feeling really good.”

After opening her collegiate career with a solid freshman season, where she hit .289 with 30 hits and 10 RBIs, Salinas and the Prairie Fire logged only four games in 2020. The former Lady Hub standout and Northern Illinois Big 12 All-Conference utility player went 2-for-9 with one double and two RBIs over that stretch. With two more years of eligibility remaining, Salinas is more motivated than ever to continue improving and pushing herself.

“I think we would’ve surprised some teams with our overall growth this year,” Salinas said. “I felt I had improved on my hitting a lot, and I had a lot of room to growth since we only played a few games. I was proud of the work I put in over the offseason and the preseason. I don’t always wait on the outside pitch, and by the start of our season, with the help of my coaches, I noticed a drastic difference in my ability to wait for the ball and drive it to the right side.”

Salinas said she plans to use her additional downtime this spring to focus on her mental health. She also said she hopes to practice with Express Fastpitch, her former softball club, during the summer so she can stay sharp entering the fall. On the academic side, Salinas said her biggest goal is to work and save up enough money to study abroad her senior year.

“I want to continue improving my hitting, especially avoiding the high pitches that always seem to be my kryptonite,” Salinas said. “I want to continue working on keeping my weight back and using my hips to drive the ball. I felt that all the pieces were falling into place this year, and I’m hoping to continue that progression next season.”