At this time last year, the University of Memphis softball team had only 13 wins. They finished the season with a record of 19-34.
This year, the team is only two months into the season, but they already have an 18-18 record.
“I feel like we have 21 girls that realize what it's like to lose and they're tired of it,” Brittany Seale, 21, a sports and leisure management junior from Ecru, Mississippi, said. “They're tired of that same bitter taste season after season.”
The softball team has played better than past seasons, with a 2-1 record in conference games, 9-3 in home games, and 3-2 in away games so far this season. Since the softball team’s debut in 2006, they have an overall record of 258-291.
Seale, the team’s catcher, said the team came together to talk and come up with ideas about what it would take to have a better program and to build “New Memphis Softball.”
“So far I can honestly say that my teammates and I have done an amazing job at trying to fulfill these ideas and I think it shows,” Seale said. “Not to mention that the coaches are willing to do anything extra they can with us and that always helps. We're more of a family now than ever and I feel like that also has a lot to do with this year’s success.”
Assistant coach Andy Lott has been with the Tigers for five seasons. He said it has taken a few years for better players to be recruited.
“When we first got hired it was fairly late in the year, so we were behind in recruiting,” Lott said. “We’ve really only been recruiting for three years, so it’s taken us a few minutes to get better players in. We recruit a few years out, like freshmen and sophomores in high school, so it takes a few years to get our own kids that we think could help us win into the program.”
The team also practices every day, alternating offensive and defensive drills.
“We’re getting some of our injured players back, and we have a new pitching coach, “ Lott said. “We are working a lot more on our offense and our hitting has gotten a lot better this year. We also focus on other teams and learn how they pitch and what the team does on offense so we can be prepared when we play them. “
At the end of January, the team moved into the $1.7 million Tiger Softball Complex, a new facility that is equipped with a batting cage and bullpens.
“We can go inside and hit if it’s raining instead of going to the turf room,” Lott said. “It’s definitely more convenient. The girls can come in and practice on their own.”
Kyler Trosclair, 20, a mechanical engineering sophomore from Houma, Lousiana, said she expects the team to grow together more as they compete and win.
“I think if we stay healthy from here on out, we will have a great finish to the season,” Trosclair, who plays shortstop, said. “We are getting the little things right and if we just keep doing that, it will be a great year.”
Memphis will hope to earn win No. 19 Tuesday against Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
University of Memphis softball coach Natalie Poole.
