Last week they received the most first-place votes from the Lone Star Conference annual preseason poll. They have won more games over the last two seasons than any other NCAA program. The coaches were named the coaching staff of the year for the second consecutive year by the National Fast-pitch Coaches’ Association Division II South Central Region. They made their first ever NCAA Division II national championship appearance.
To say the least, the MSU softball team is prepared for another killer year.
“(Last year) I learned that trust is a big part of the game,” junior Carey Campbell said. “As a player you have to trust your teammates, coaches and especially yourself.”
The team has a few fresh faces including two new freshman pitchers.
Head Coach Brady Tigert said every year the team loses players to graduation and go after freshman.
“Every year we lose players to graduation, thus we have to add more and we go after freshman a lot,” Tigert said. “This way we can train them early our way. I hope they add personal confidence. Without confidence they cannot play at a high level.”
With only two seniors left on the team, senior Mallory Mooney finds that being a leader is key.
“I try to give (the newer girls) encouragement so they get the feeling that they have just as much influence on the field as I do,” Mooney said.
Junior Elena Bennett sees the senior players as natural leaders.
“Mallory’s performance on the field speaks for itself and Nicki is constantly trying to keep us sane,” Bennett said. “The team wouldn’t be the same without them.”
The team’s strength is hitting, Tigert said, while there weakness is pitching.
“We have a lot of good hitters and we tell them not to press and attack our pitchers,” Tiger said. “Our pitchers are freshman so they have a lot to learn. They will learn by being thrown in the fire.”
The outfielders strengths are that they are all returning players, junior Megan Chartier said.
“We all know what is expected out of us and what it’s like to get the job done,” Chartier said. “We need to work on a lot of footwork.”
Bennett said mechanics are crucial in softball as well as the mental aspect.
“This is a new team, and there are some high expectations set for this team,” Bennett said. “I expect us to perform well. There will be plenty of pressure on everyone to execute.”
This will be Tigert’s ninth season as head softball coach and uses a lot of different techniques with practice on how the team fields or hits.
“The players know what we want out of them, so all we have to do is demand their best every day,” Tigert said.
This season also had the addition of Midwestern State’s first full time assistant softball coach, Kasi Carrroll.
“Coach Carroll brings a lot of energy and knowledge to the field on a daily practice,” Tigert said. “I cannot concentrate on certain aspects of the team while she has the other.”
Midwestern State softball team kicks off the 2012 season against Ouachita Baptist University at Arkansas.
Tigert admits the team knows nothing about their opponent.
“They are a private school that does not give a lot of money to their program,” Tigert said. “They are up and down each year. We need to play our game individually and as a team.”
Expectations of the first game is to come out with a win, Chartier said.
In order to get a victory, we are just going to have to make sure we do the small things correctly, such as fielding the ball cleanly or not leaving base runners on.”
Mooney has high hopes for her senior year on the softball field and said she wants to go out with a bang.
“I want to give it my all and hold nothing back,” Mooney said. “I want to be able to look back at my senior year knowing that I did everything I could to make this team successful.”
