Field conditions and poor weather have dominated conversation at virtually every school in the state over the last two weeks, but no one is feeling the pinch more than the Winthrop softball team.

The Ramblers have yet to play a single game, while some teams — like Messalonskee (3-2), Erskine (3-2) and Gardiner (3-1) have played at least four games. Winthrop didn’t get the benefit of good weather to sneak in any preseason games — everything scheduled fell on rainy days.

“We’re a quarter of a season behind,” Winthrop coach Chuck Gurney said. “We were talking about it (Friday) — of course we were in the gym again — that we couldn’t ask for a better group of kids. I’ve run just about every indoor drill I’ve learned in 20 years as a coach, and they’ve gone through all of them and done their best at it. They’re chomping at the bit to play some games.”

Already, Winthrop will play five games in a six-day stretch from May 20-25. Friday’s game at Telstar was called off, and Monday’s scheduled home game against Wiscasset could also be in jeopardy with rain forecast for Saturday.

“(Thursday) was the first day we set foot on our infield, and even then it was only half of the infield because the other half was too wet,” Gurney said. “It’s not going to take much rain this weekend to put that off.”

Gurney added he’s fortunate to have a veteran group that’s been through some of this, albeit on a lesser scale. Winthrop’s softball field is a notoriously late bloomer each spring.

“I can’t tip my hat enough to the kids,” he said. “They understand that the games are going to come, and when they do they need to be ready. They’ve stayed on task, had great attitudes, but they’re a little frustrated. They want to play.”

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