Trying to rebound from a disappointing finish in 2009 where they ended the season losing 10 of their last 14 games, the 2010 Millsaps College softball team looks to an experienced group of players and some fresh faces on its quest to get back to the top of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
“This year's senior class has experienced quite an up-and-down three years falling in the conference finals two years ago and then a disappointing slide to end the 2009 season,” fourth-year head coach Roland Rodriguez said. “We're hoping to benefit from these experiences and create some better results in the upcoming season. Despite difficult pre-season weather, we've had a few weeks of solid preparation and the 2010 Majors are anxious to get started.”
2009 in Review:
Led by NFCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team selection Jennifer McKinley, the Majors finished a disappointing 2009 season 15-22 overall and 7-7 in SCAC games. Millsaps opened the year losing its first seven games but got hot and won the next seven games to even its record at 7-7.
The roller-coaster season continued as the Majors were swept at home by eventual SCAC champion DePauw University before turning things around with a four-game sweep of Centre College at home. Losing seven of its next eight games did not help Millsaps as it geared up for the conference tournament where it lost in the opening round to Trinity University and again to Southwestern to end the season.
“April was a horrendous month for this team. We seemed to lose our focus and drive which showed in our late conference and SCAC Tournament play. Hopefully we all learned some valuable lessons and will be better prepared for the 2010 season,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez reached a career milestone recording his 200th victory as a head coach on April 5, 2009, with a win over Rhodes College and remains the all-time winningest coach in SCAC history.
At season's end, the Majors had three players garner All-SCAC honors, including junior Jennifer McKinley and senior Tiffany Ladnier as first team selections and junior Kasey Thibodeaux was selected to the second team while senior Erica Douglas was recognized as honorable mention. McKinley was also named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team after being a first team selection in 2007.
The Infield:
Around the diamond, Millsaps returns three-time All-SCAC selection \#Jennifer McKinley\# (Frisco, Texas/Centennial HS) at third base and sophomore \#Jade Hewitt\# (Mandeville, La./Fontainebleau HS), who started 29 games for the Majors at second/third base a year ago. Junior \#Amanda Berry\# (Houston, Texas/Cy-Fair HS) will play a majority of games behind the plate for the Majors while transfers \#Brooke Lee\# (Little Rock, Miss.) and \#Josie Matthews\# (Meridian, Miss.) from East Mississippi CC will compete with incoming freshman \#LeAnn Williams\# (Bay St. Louis, Miss./Bay HS) and \#Megan Yglesias\# (Southlake, Texas/Southlake Carroll HS) for the remaining infield positions. McKinley led the Majors in nearly every offensive category last season with a .389 batting average, 13 doubles, 3 home runs and 27 RBIs.
The Outfield:
Returning for the Majors in the outfield are senior \#Morgan Ladner\# (Pass Christian, Miss./Pass Christian HS), junior \#Laura Litton\# (Collierville, Tenn./Collierville HS) and sophomore \#Allison Tarbox\# (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch HS), all of whom saw significant playing time in 2009. Litton started 36 of the 37 games in right field in 2009 and recorded a perfect fielding percentage while Tarbox split time as a designated hitter and left fielder. Ladner saw action in 14 games for Millsaps a year ago in right field. Pushing for a starting role is freshman \#Emily Spicer\#, a three-time all-district selection at Mansfield Summit HS (Texas).
Pitching Staff:
Led by a three-time All-SCAC selection in senior \#Kasey Thibodeaux\# (Youngsville, La./Comeaux HS), the Millsaps pitching staff will be in good hands. Thibodeaux has started 47 games and recorded 37 complete games with eight shutouts in her career as a Major. Helping Thibodeaux will be senior \#Brittney McAllister\# (Mobile, Ala./Davidson HS), an All-SCAC second team selection in 2008 and junior \#Lindsay Drane\# (Dallas, Texas/San Jacinto CC), who returns to the staff after having shoulder surgery in the off-season. McAllister started 17 games a year ago and was tied for the team lead with six victories.
Newcomers:
Millsaps has five new faces on its 2010 roster, adding three true freshmen and two transfers. “The new players have transitioned very smoothly,” Rodriguez said. “They jumped in right away and are looking to make an immediate impact on the program, and once the returners saw that, they knew they better raise the level of their play.”
The Schedule:
Millsaps launches its 11th season of softball on Friday, Feb. 12 in Holly Springs, Miss., making the road trip up I-55 to face off with Rust College in a doubleheader at noon. The non-conference matchup opens a stretch of 20 consecutive out of conference games, which feature two Division II opponents, six members from the American Southwest Conference and one Great South Athletic Conference member in Huntingdon College.
The Majors' non-conference schedule continues a trend the past three seasons under Rodriguez of tough early season games in order to prepare for SCAC play, which will be even more difficult this year after switching from the East to the West Division. Millsaps' 2010 non-conference opponents posted a .646 win percentage last season, with 8 of 11 opponents winning 20 or more games.
The Majors begin their 16-game SCAC schedule March 19-20 in San Antonio, Texas, with a four-game series at Trinity University. Millsaps' 8-game home SCAC slate for 2010 includes series against Southwestern University (March 27-28) and Austin College (April 10-11), with the final doubleheader against the 'Roos slated for Senior Day.
The Majors close out their regular season schedule in Conway, Ark., on April 17-18 with a four-game series against Hendrix College.
The 2010 SCAC Softball Tournament is set for April 23-25 at Hendrix College, while the NCAA softball tournament begins competition May 13 at eight regional sites.
