CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College softball team will open the 2019 season in Gulf Shores, Ala. at the Division II Gulf Coast Invitational Tournament. MC will face Eckerd (2:00 pm) and Tuskegee (4:30 pm) on Saturday before playing #5 Saint Leo (11:30 am) and #3 North Georgia (2:00 pm) on Sunday.
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MATCHUP
Mississippi College (2018 Record: 29-16, 19-12 GSC)
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The Lady Choctaws are led by 13th-year head coach
Brooke O'Hair, who has posted a 342-214 record in her tenure. The Lady Choctaws were predicted to finish third in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll, following a vote by the league's head coaches.
The Lady Choctaws are coming off a 2018 season that saw them qualify for the Gulf South Conference Tournament for the second time in as many seasons and racking up a 29-16 record. MC went into the GSC Tournament as the #4 seed looking to repeat as champions after winning the title in 2017. The event was shortened due to rain, and North Alabama and Valdosta State split the championship.
The 2018 Preseason All-GSC Softball Team was voted on by the head coaches. Positions were not a factor, and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players. Senior
Brianna Caldwell and junior
Carly Crawford were named to the team after both earning a spot on the GSC All-Tournament Team in 2018. Caldwell (.333) set a school record with 14 home runs in 2018, while Crawford (.341) was selected to the All-GSC First Team for the second consecutive year.
Eckerd (2018 Record: 20-27, 11-19 SSC)
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The Tritons, out of St. Petersburg, Florida, went 20-27 with an 11-19 record in the Sunshine State Conference in 2018. They are led by 3rd-year head coach Katie Profitt, who has posted a 39-60 record in her first two seasons. Eckerd played five Gulf South Conference opponents (West Georgia, West Alabama, Auburn Montgomery, West Florida and Valdosta State) in 2018, going 3-5 in those contests.They have been predicted to finish 10th out of 11 teams in the SSC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Nickole Van Gennep returns as the team's top hitter and pitcher from a season ago, earning First Team All-SSC and NFCA All-South Region honors in 2018. In the circle, she went 14-13 with a 2.41 ERA, a team-high 104 strikeouts and 20 complete games. At the plate, she hit a team-best .377 with 11 doubles and two home runs.
Kayelee Newstrom is the second-leading returning hitter from a season ago, batting .214 with four doubles, two home runs and 11 RBI in 2018. The next-best returning pitcher from a season ago is Ally Costa, who went 1-3 with a 4.09 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 39.1 innings pitched a season ago.
Tuskegee (2018 Record: 12-35, 9-10 SIAC)
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The Golden Tigers, out of Tuskegee, Alabama, went 12-35 with a 9-10 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record in 2018. They are led by 12th-year head coach Edward Colvin. Tuskegee played six Gulf South Conference opponents (Shorter, West Alabama, West Florida, Christian Brothers, Montevallo and UAH) in 2018, going 0-10 in those contests.
The Golden Tigers return their top seven hitters from a season ago, including Sierra Smith (.342), who had the top batting average on the team. Cecelia Tennessee (.341) led Tuskegee with seven home runs, while Shambrinetta Adams (.336) had a team-high 11 doubles and Torrii Crittenden (.313) led the squad with 40 RBI.
They also return their top three pitchers from a season ago, led by Crittenden (6-13, 7.75 ERA), who tossed a team-high 114.2 innings with 46 strikeouts. Kendra Gibbons (4-9, 9.43 ERA) and Kyan Dumas (3-10, 11.22 ERA) each started 15 games in the circle for Tuskegee.
#5 Saint Leo (2018 Record: 39-18, 16-14 SSC)
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The Lions, out of Saint Leo, Florida, went 39-18 with a 16-14 record in the Sunshine State Conference in 2018. They advanced to the Division II World Series, being eliminated by the eventual national champions, Southern Indiana. They are led by 5th-year head coach and former Lion Erin Kinberger, who has posted a 154-53 record in her tenure. Saint Leo played five Gulf South Conference opponents (Delta State, West Florida, Shorter, UAH and West Alabama) in 2018, going 4-1 in those contests. They have been selected to win the SSC in the league's Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Lions return their four top hitters from a season ago, led by Kacie Kelly (.373), who had a team-high 15 doubles. Ashley Morris and Shyanne DuBois each hit .363 with DuBois leading the squad with 35 stolen bases. Sarah Pauscher (.329) led the team with three triples, while Bethany Kursch (.265) returns after tallying a team-high 34 RBI in 2018.
Saint Leo returns two of their top three pitchers from a staff that combined for a 2.04 ERA in 2018. Auria Mounts (17-8, 2.10 ERA) led the squad with 40 appearances, 26 starts and 166.2 innings pitched a season go.Sara Neuman (6-1, 3.13 ERA) started 11 games and tossed 60.1 innings last year.
#3 North Georgia (2018 Record: 62-4, 19-1 PBC)
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The Nighthawks, out of Dahlonega, Georgia, went 62-4 with a 19-1 record in the Peach Belt Conference in 2018. They also advanced to the Division II World Series, being eliminated by Saint Leo. They are led by 19th-year head coach Mike Davenport, who has posted seven 50-win seasons and a winning percentage nearing .800. North Georgia played six Gulf South Conference opponents (Auburn Montgomery, Delta State, West Florida, West Alabama, Shorter, Lee and UAH) in 2018, going 11-0 in those contests. They have been predicted to win the Peach Belt Conference in the Coaches Preseason Poll.
In the circle, the Nighthawks return the reigning Division II National Player of the Year in Kylee Smith, who went 36-3 with a 0.59 ERA in 2018. Smith tallied 338 strikeouts with 22 complete games and 13 shutouts in 236.1 innings pitched. The Lady Choctaws faced the right-hander in 2017 at this same tournament as Smith tossed a complete game with five strikeouts and just three hits allowed.
On the offensive side, UNG returns seven of their top nine hitters from 2018, led by Kaylyn Anthony (.367) who tallied a team-high 16 doubles. Shelby Hammontree (.354) led the squad with 57 RBI and is the leading returning home run hitter from last season with 14.
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GAME NOTES
Under Head Coach
Brooke O'Hair, the Lady Choctaws are 6-6 all-time in season openers. Last season, MC opened with a 5-4 loss Palm Beach Atlantic, who went 36-8 and hosted a South Regional.
The Lady Choctaws are scheduled to play 29 teams that combined to post a record of 821-689 (.544) in 2018, including four teams that finished the season ranked in the top 12 in the final NFCA rankings. They wiil play defending national champion Southern Indiana (#1), Saint Leo (#5), North Georgia (#3) and Illinois Springfield (#12). USI, SLU and UNG all made it to the College World Series.
MC will face eight first-time opponents in 2019, including Tuskegee, Saint Leo, Southern Indiana, Kentucky State, Wayne State, Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State and Nebraska-Kearney.
The Lady Choctaws set a school record with 41 home runs in 2018, eclipsing the record of 37 hit in 2011.
Brianna Caldwell also set a new standard in MC softball history with 14 home runs, besting the mark of 13 by Ty Buckley in 2016.
LAST TRIP TO GULF SHORES
The Lady Choctaws are making their second trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast, playing in the Division II Gulf Coast Invitational in 2017, as well. They split four contests with wins over Miles (7-2) and Embry-Riddle (5-1) and losses to Auburn Montgomery (8-4) and North Georgia (8-0).
Carly Crawford,
Alexia Harmon,
Shelby Miller and
Kristen Qualls were all in the starting lineup for each of those four games.
Adrianna Morgan and
Penny Nichols also saw time in the circle in the 2017 tournament.
HOW WE STACKED UP
The Lady Choctaws ranked 5th in the Gulf South Conference in batting average in 2018, hitting .306 as a team and finishing 4th in the league with 41 home runs. They were also 6th in the leauge in earned run average at 3.65, while North Alabama led the league with a 1.87 ERA. MC struggled in the field last season, finishing last with a .947 field percentage.
WE WERE MERELY FRESHMEN
The 2019 Lady Choctaws have five players that opened their careers in 2016 with an NCCAA National Championship in Troutville, Va.
Alexia Harmon,
Shelby Miller,
Penny Nichols,
Makenzie Nieto and
Kristen Qualls were all a part of the first women's team in MC history to win a national title. The Lady Choctaws cruised through the NCCAA World Series, allowing just 10 runs and scoring 46. They closed out the historic run with a shutout victory over Belhaven that saw only two Blazer baserunners even reach second base against Carlie Sargent.
NEW FACES ALL OVER THE PLACE
The Lady Choctaws welcome 11 newcomers to the 2019 squad, including five freshman and six transfers. Junior
Morgan Bradford (Southern Union State CC) and freshman
Hannah Creel (Bowling Green School) were named to the GSC's Top Newcomer List. The newcomers are from four different states, including Georgia (Bradford,
Hayden Claypool), Louisiana (
Ashley Elsensohn,
Paige Hulin,
Annemarie Peavy,
Gracie Trahan), Mississippi (Creel,
Kendal Daniels,
Abbey Salvo) and Texas (
Baylee Freudenberg,
Grace Hahn).
HOME RUN QUEENSÂ
Junior
Kristen Qualls became MC's all-time home run leader with her 28th long ball on Friday (April 13) against #22 UAH. The home run came with two outs in the seventh inning to tie the score at 6-6. The former Madison Central standout broke the record of 27 home runs held by Brooke Smitherman (2011-15). Qualls also ranks 2nd in school history with 125 runs batted in, just 10 shy of Smitherman (135).
Brianna Caldwell set a single-season record with 14 home runs in 2018. She would set the record with a pair of long balls in the GSC Tournament against Montevallo. It was Caldwell's second time to hit two home runs in a game, also sending two out on February 24th against West Georgia. Her 14 home runs in 2018 already has her 5th in school history for career long balls.
EYE ON THE RECORD BOOKS
There are other Lady Choctaws that are on pace to make their mark on the MC Softball record books, starting with senior
Alexia Harmon, who has played in 158 career games. The record for games played is currently held by
Megan Everett (2014-17), who saw action in 209 contests. The former Madison Central standout also sits in the top 15 in school history in at-bats, hits, runs scored, doubles, runs batted in, total bases, hit-by-pitches, stolen bases and stolen base attempts.
Qualls, Harmon's teammated at MCHS, is also set to rise up the lists, sitting in the Top 15 in games played, slugging percentage, at-bats, hits, runs batted in, total bases, base on balls and hit-by-pitches
LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!
The 2019 campaign features several unique mascots for the Lady Choctaws as they will face 30 teams with 25 different personalities. The most common mascot opponent for MC will be the Tigers (Ouachita Baptist, Tuskegee and West Alabama), followed by the Bearcats (McKendree and Northwest Missouri State), Lions (Saint Leo and Missouri Southern State) and Tritons (Eckerd and Missouri-St. Louis).
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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contactÂ
David Nichols at 601-925-3234 orÂ
nichols@mc.edu.Â
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