ARKADELPHIA- Ouachita Baptist University’s director of athletics, David Sharp, and head softball coach, Mike McGhee, announced Dec. 6 the release of the upcoming 2011 softball schedule.
Ouachita returns for the 2011 season after setting a program-record for overall victories a season ago at 36-24, which was highlighted by a second-straight trip to the GSC Tournament. Several individuals broke single season records, including the overall team doubles record, as well as pitching victories and home run records set in previous seasons.
The 2011 schedule is highlighted with matchups against five different preseason top-25 squads, including three Gulf South Conference teams.
“We have a lot of nationally ranked and regional qualifiers in our non-conference schedule,” McGhee said. “We’re going to find out early what type of team we’re going to have against top-25 teams like Midwestern State and Angelo State, then turning around to play Southeastern Oklahoma St. and Texas Woman’s who were regional qualifiers a season ago.”
Ouachita begins the season with a six-game slate over three days in Kingsville, Texas on Feb. 11, beginning with Texas A&M-International, then playing two games each against No. 8 Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. In between is a single game against Southeastern Oklahoma State.
After returning back to Arkansas, the Lady Tigers face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Benton on Feb. 16, then travel to Durant, Okla. for the SOSU Classic. Among the teams in the SOSU Classic, is No. 3 Angelo State, with rematches against Texas A&M-International and Southeastern Oklahoma State. Ouachita concludes the three-day, six-game tournament with Missouri Western, Cameron and the University of Texas-Permian Basin.
“We’re going to be prepared for the GSC schedule this season,” McGhee said. By playing the ranked programs on multiple occasions, we’re going to be battle tested coming into the conference season.”
The Lady Tigers will debut the 2011 home schedule at Sully Anderson Field on Feb. 25 with a doubleheader against Texas Woman’s University.
After traveling to Magnolia for a doubleheader against Tarleton State on Feb. 26, Ouachita returns to Arkadelphia for a five-day home stand, beginning with the OBU Classic on March 5, followed by a doubleheader against Lyon College (March 8) and the GSC opener against Delta State on March 19.
Ouachita hits the road for a GSC series against Christian Brothers in Memphis on March 26, before returning home against Southern Arkansas.
One of the toughest challenges of the season will again be the GSC Crossover Tournament in Decatur, Ala. on April 7-10. Matchups against No. 2 Valdosta State and No. 19 Alabama-Huntsville await Ouachita, as well as games against West Florida, Lambuth, North Alabama, West Georgia and West Alabama.
The GSC West schedule kicks back off on April 16, as Ouachita travels to Russellville to face Arkansas Tech, before returning to Arkadelphia against No. 11 Arkansas-Monticello on April 22 and traveling across the street for the Battle of the Ravine series against Henderson State on April 30.
“The GSC West has several teams who have graduated key players, but the conference schedule is still going to be strong. “We have a strong conference, as UAM was one game away from the World Series a season ago.”
Among the six returners for Ouachita are three All-GSC performers in seniors Kristen Rigsbee and Sarah Bell and returning GSC Freshman of the Year Megan Askew. Rigsbee and Bell return for what McGhee believes to be All-America level campaigns during the season.
Rigsbee was a First Team selection as a utility player, leading the team with a 20-10 record with 205 strikeouts. Bell and Rigsbee teamed up at the plate to set the school record with 13 home runs along with former All-American teammate Haley Chambers, while Bell hit .392 with 13 doubles and 43 RBI. Rigsbee added a .390 average with 11 doubles and 45 RBI.
Askew made a splash in her debut season, hitting .350 with 11 doubles and five home runs. Also returning are junior Alexis Johns and sophomores Bailey Sanders and Kayci Wilson.
The biggest surprise of the season might be sophomore Bailey Sanders. Sanders hit .246 in 2010 while battling through injuries, but has had a productive fall season after making a few adjustments at the plate.
“We have converted Bailey to the right side of the plate, and with the added power, it gives her a lot of opportunities to hit home runs and drive in RBIs,” McGhee believes. “She’ll also have to step up in the field to fill the short stop position.”
Wilson was a regular on the mound for Ouachita during her freshman season, earning nine victories and striking out 101 batters. Johns was a full-time catcher for the Lady Tigers, earning the game-winning hit for a GSC victory over Henderson State.
Ouachita added 12 players in the 2010 recruiting class, including several who made make an immediate impact in the lineup. Among the newcomers are freshman Rebekah Dindak, Brianne Bailey and Teresa Mursuli.
“We added several impact players in the recruiting class and we’re excited with the talent that they’re going to bring to the team,” McGhee said. “Rebekah is going to add some power to the lineup after a couple of home runs during the fall season. Brianne is a utility/pitching prospect that’s going to help out a lot in the outfield with a solid average at the plate. Teressa will be another addition to the lineup that brings a solid bat.”
On the mound, Ouachita will seek to add depth to the pitching position with freshman Abbi Frakes and Rayn House.
“Last year we had 36 wins, but still weren’t as deep in pitching as we needed to be, McGhee said. “We return a 20-game winner in Rigsbee and nine-game winner in Wilson, while bringing in two freshman in Rayn House and Frakes, which puts us a lot deeper in pitching than even a season ago.”
One of the newcomers to also watch out for is junior Sara Strassemeyer, who comes to Ouachita from Northeast Community College.
“Strassemeyer has the potential to add power and production to the middle of the lineup at the No. 6 and No. 7 spots.”
The Lady Tigers will face a strong upcoming schedule, but with the nucleus of the lineup returning, McGhee believes that this year’s team will have another solid campaign ahead.
“I really think we have the potential to have a really good team this season. We return the core of our hitting and we added some pitching, we can win some of the close matchups we lost a season ago. We’ve been working hard in conditioning and we’re ready to get started. There is no doubt about it.”
