Every championship season has to begin somewhere. The title-hungry Lady Bulldog softball team began its season perfectly.
On a weekend of bitter cold playing conditions, the Bulldogs won the Bulldog Round Robin, boasting a perfect 6-0 record. Outfielders Iyhia McMichael and Megan O’Nan, first baseman Kate Jaspers, catcher Jennifer Waterman and pitcher Melissa Massey all earned all-tournament team honors. Jaspers claimed tournament MVP honors by going 10-13.
“I got a lot of good at bats with runners on base, and just got a lot of good chances to make plays,” Jaspers said. “That’s all you can ask for.”
Jaspers batted in eight runs for the Maroon and White. She also scored another three on her own, including a game-winner Sunday against Louisiana Tech that clinched the title. The Bulldogs then beat Jackson State 18-2 to close out the tournament.
State opened up the tournament with an 11-6 win over Bradley on Friday. The game was knotted at five until the Bulldog bats caught fire in the sixth inning, when State batted around.
The team then dispelled Louisiana Tech in the nightcap 6-1 on a fifth inning rally started by Senior Blair Brown’s two-run double.
Saturday the Bulldogs struck at will against error-prone Jackson State, winning the game 25-2.
Freshman pitcher Sara Hickerson pitched a complete game for the Bulldogs striking out six, while the Tigers set an NCAA record for errors in a game with 13. In the late game, the Dawgs beat Bradley 7-1 for a series sweep behind the arm of freshman Stephanie Comeaux, who pitched a complete game six-hitter, and the bat of Jennifer Waterman, who paced the squad with a four-RBI performance.
“I was pleased (with the weekend),” said head coach Jay Miller. “I thought it was a good start to the season. We got great play from a lot of people. Kate Jaspers had a great tournament, and I thought Brandi Watkins really stepped up and maybe earned herself a spot in the lineup.”
One of the weekend’0s surprise performances was from freshman Hayle Guess, filling in at shortstop for the injured Jennifer Jessup.
“Hayle played great,” said Miller. “She was a little tentative on Friday. Then she played well (on Saturday), and by (Sunday) she looked like a pro out there.”
Guess, performing in her first collegiate tournament, made a crucial double play Sunday in the top of the seventh inning during the Louisiana Tech game.
With a runner on first, Guess robbed pinch hitter Bridget Broadnax of a base hit on a leaping catch, and then fired the ball to first to complete the double play and end the inning.
“I never really get nervous,” said Guess. “Playing shortstop (for injured Jessup) is obviously pretty big shoes to fill, but I just tried to go out there and play hard.”
Jaspers thinks the tournament was a big step for the younger players and a great re-starting point for the older players.
“It was great that we were in situations where they (the freshmen) could get time. Overall we played really well,” Jaspers said. “We made some mistakes, but they are all very correctable ones.”
Overall the team took a positive outlook from the tournament. However, Senior Iyhia McMichael says improvements can be made.
“We played superbly well, but we still need to adjust more on defense and communicate better,” McMichael said.
The Lady Bulldogs will resume play next Friday in the San Diego State Tournament in San Diego.