They say home is where you hang your hat. This weekend in Texas, room will have to be made on the hat rack for a few Lady Bulldogs.
This weekend the softball team will compete in the Hyatt Regency Cougar Classic in Houston.
Team members Iyhia McMichael, Jennifer Waterman, and Callye Williams are all Texas natives.
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be great, cause my parents won’t have to travel, and I’ve got friends who have made plans to come and see (the games),” said Waterman, a senior.
“I’m just so excited to have a chance to be close to my family and friends. It’s just going to be great,” McMichael said.
McMichael is fresh off a Herculean effort in last weekend’s Bulldog Classic. McMichael went 14-19 at the plate with 13 RBI’s and a 1.737 slugging percentage to go along with her five stolen bases.
Her performance has earned her National Player of the Week honors in both major polls.
This is the first time in SEC history that a softball player has achieved this feat.
“Iyhia has done well so far this year, but she really stepped up this weekend and started hitting the ball like she can she hit the ball, (which) is a good sign as we get ready to go into conference play in a couple weeks,” said head coach Jay Miller.
Despite going 1-4 on their only road tournament of the year, Miller feels the team is much more prepared for this road trip.
“Defense really cost us in San Diego, and we didn’t get the clutch hits that we needed,” Miller said.
“I think we did a much better job of that last weekend, as far as getting runners home when they’re in scoring position. Defensively we’ve had a few position changes, and we’ve had some freshmen who are just now getting settled in,” he said.
The team had two major position changes in the last few weeks. Senior first baseman Kate Jaspers has shifted to left field, while former catcher Waterman has taken over duties at first base.
“I played first in high school, so I know what I’m doing,” Waterman said. “It’s a big change, so right now I’m just trying to get my confidence up. But this is what I’ve been asked to do, so if it helps the team, I’ll do whatever I need to.”
This weekend, the Bulldogs will face competition similar to that they faced in San Diego. The team will play Pittsburgh, BYU, Villanova, Virginia, and the host team, Houston.
“The competition will be a step up from last weekend,” Miller says. “It will be a big opportunity for us to get better, and try to continue our strong defensive play.”
McMichael says she expects the team to be much improved on this road trip versus the one two weeks ago.
“I think it just took that first road trip to really test us,” McMichael said. “Now that (the younger players) really know what to expect, we can really step up and play like we know we can.”