No matter what level of success a team achieves, there is something indigestible about ending the season with a loss. Such was the case for the Lady Bulldog softball team after its loss in the second round of the NCAA regionals in Omaha, Neb., to close the 2003 campaign.
That Bulldog squad graduated only three seniors, and has infused itself with new talent and experience necessary to return to postseason.
The Lady Dawgs open their season at 2 p.m. today by hosting the Bulldog Round-Robin tournament. Suiting up for the Bulldogs will be a large portion of the SEC’s leading offensive lineup from last season.
Seniors Iyhia McMichael and Jennifer Waterman finished 1-2 in batting average last season with .403 and .371 averages, respectively. McMichael, a Top 10 finalist for National Player of the Year, also led the team in RBI’s, home runs and stolen bases.
MSU also returns two more .300-plus hitters in Jennifer Jessup and Kate Jaspers, as well as six other letter-winners.
The Lady Bulldogs added several freshmen to the lineup with Moss Point standout Hayle Guess expected to start in left field. Katie Johnson and Blaire Geddings should also make major contributions for the Bulldogs this spring.
“We’re better than we were last year and we’re deeper,” head coach Jay Miller said. “Last season, we had a great hitting team and they’re all back.”
“Pitching will be the big question mark. Melissa Massey has been great for us so far. She’s really become our ace. But behind her, the rest of the staff is freshmen. So we will just have to wait and see how quickly some of them grow up,” Miller said.
Melissa Massey won 22 games in the circle as a sophomore last spring. She notched a 3.28 ERA with six shutouts and held opponents to a .263 batting average.
Behind her are the three freshmen: Sara Hickerson Stephanie Comeaux and Kelli Miller.
Hickerson, a top prospect from Tennessee, comes to the Bulldogs with a .89 career ERA.
Comeaux brings 800 career strikeouts to the staff, as well as over 90 career victories.
Miller rounds out the freshman pitching class with her hard throwing arm and a Colorado record 206 strikeouts in a season.
“We have a lot of freshmen,” Waterman said. “Our main goal right now is to try to mesh with them and help them through all the things they haven’t been through yet.”