JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps softball season is finally in full swing and promises to bring added excitement with a deep and experienced roster returning. The Majors welcome back seven of their top nine run producers and two seasoned pitchers.
Head softball coach
Caroline DeLoach begins her third season leading the Majors. Millsaps finished the 2020 pandemic-shortened season at 13-9 (3-2 SAA).
Millsaps' 2021 roster features added depth. The 2020 squad consisted of 21 players, while the current team features 27. Of those 27 student-athletes, seven are freshmen and five are Mississippi junior college transfers. The freshman class has a Cajun flare as six hail from Louisiana.
The transfers include
Valirea Sentelle and
Masey Blancett (Meridian CC),
Delta Claire Newman and
Amber Clark (Northwest Mississippi CC) as well as
Kat Reeves (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC).
Newman received All-MACJC First-Team honors as she powered Northwest with a team-high .349 batting average, while adding 12 doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs in 40 games.
Key returners include
Ty Bergeron,
Leslie Norris,
Jordan Lipari, Katelyn Norse,
Lindsey Osbon,
Brooklyn Wascom and
Emily Cook.
Bergeron, Norris and Lipari started in all 22 games for Millsaps in 2020. Bergeron led the team with 103 putouts, two home runs, 16 RBIs and a .457 on-base percentage. Norris finished with a team-best 22 runs scored, stole nine bases on nine attempts and finished third with a .410 on-base percentage. The last returning Major to appear in every game a year ago was Lipari. She totaled 10 runs and recorded seven RBIs.
Norse registered a .329 batting average to go along with 11 RBIs. Teammate Osbon scored 11 times, produced nine RBIs and finished with a strong .429 on-base percentage. Wascom and Cook begin their junior campaigns after posting on-base percentages of .452 in 12 games and .529 in 16 games, respectively.
Senior
Karley Williams and sophomore
Hannah Derouen are the top returning pitchers for the Majors. Williams posted a 2.96 ERA in 23.2 innings. She struck out 12 batters and posted a 2-1 record. Derouen finished with an impressive 6-1 record and 27 strikeouts in 41.1 innings of work.
Millsaps began its season on Feb. 6 with a pair of narrow loses at Louisiana College. Winter weather forced the postponement of its home series with Belhaven and cancelation against MUW. The Majors will travel to Centenary for three games, Feb. 26-27.
The remaining calendar will feature 19 scheduled games against Southern Athletic Association foes. Each series will feature back-to-back weekend doubleheaders, except for Birmingham-Southern which will be three games. Millsaps will host Hendrix, March 6-7 and Rhodes, March 20-21.
The top four teams will earn the right to compete at the SAA Conference Tournament, April 22-25 in Oxford, Ala. Live stats and video will be available for all games at gomajors.com.
2021 Millsaps Majors Softball Schedule
Date Opponent Time (CT)
Feb. 6 at Louisiana College L, 6-8; L, 5-8
Feb. 26 at Centenary 8 p.m.
Feb. 27 at Centenary 2 p.m. (DH)
March 6-7 vs. Hendrix 12 p.m. (DH)
March 13-14 at Centre 11 a.m. (DH)
March 20-21 vs. Rhodes 12 p.m. (DH)
April 2-3 at Berry 11 a.m. (DH)
April 17 at BSC 12 p.m. (DH)
April 18 at BSC 12 p.m.
April 22-25 SAA Tournament Top-four teams at Oxford, Ala.
*Feb. 18 vs. Belhaven (DH) currently postponed. *Feb. 20-21 vs. MUW (DH) canceled due to winter weather.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the softball program follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
