FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, March 24, 2016 New Faces: MSUB Softball freshman Erin Watterud By: Rio Frame, MSUB Media Relations Intern
A local talent from Billings, freshman second baseman Erin Watterud is familiarizing herself quickly with the world of college softball and brings character to the Yellowjackets’ squad. MSUB SPORTS – ‘I can do all things, PHP 4:13.’ Those are the words that Montana State University Billings freshman softball player Erin Watterud has tattooed on her inner-right wrist in perfect position to read when she is up to bat. When she dons her No. 8 uniform and steps up to the plate to face the opposing pitcher she reads those words and believes. Those words and Watterud’s faith in herself have led her to becoming a collegiate athlete with the Yellowjackets. Watterud is a native of the Billings area, and went to school at Billings West High School where she competed in softball all four years. She began her softball career at the age of five. Her favorite memory is being part of a state champion team in 2014. “How we won was featured on ESPN. It was on a walk-off strikeout,” reminisces Watterud. “We were playing a team that we had never beat before. One of our girls went up to bat and she struck out on the last pitch. The catcher missed the ball, so the girl made it to first. The other team kept making errors, which got this girl all the way
home.” After her team had played five games that day, they were mentally and physically exhausted, but they still came out on top. “I chose to continue playing softball over other sports because it was the one that really stuck with me. I would always watch my dad play slow-pitch softball growing up. I kind of just wanted to be like my dad,” commented Watterud. “My dad played more basketball when he was younger. He can still dunk though, which I think is cool.” Feeling a little nostalgic, Watterud talked about how she picked her walk-up song. “I chose ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by Five Finger Death Punch because my dad and I always sing it together.” It is no surprise that Watterud’s father, Corey, is the most influential person in her life. “My dad never went to college and I am the first person in my family to go. I want to make him proud and be as hardworking as him,” said Watterud. “My biggest accomplishment is actually making it to college. I want to make something of myself, and I feel like I am taking big steps towards doing just that at MSUB.” The second baseman chose to attend MSUB because of its familiarity. “MSUB was close to home, I grew up going to the basketball camps, and I really liked the school. It was weird though, I never went to the softball camps, just basketball,” laughed Watterud. “I liked the program, and I knew Jessyka MacDonald, who coached me for a year.” MacDonald, a fellow Billings West alum, graduated last May after completing a stellar four-year career as a pitcher for the Yellowjackets. “I think a lot of Erin’s personality comes out in the type of player that she is,” commented MSUB interim head coach Rebekah Gasner, who doubles as the freshman’s Coaching Softball professor on the academic side. “Erin keeps the team laughing and from being too serious. She reminds us that softball is all about a game,” said Gasner. “I think she does a really good job of making it still be about a game. With her hard work and her relaxed, carefree personality, she is doing really well at second base and I’m excited to see her progress.” Along with her coaching class with Gasner, Watterud is taking classes towards earning her criminal justice degree. “Academically, transitioning to college was good,” remarked Watterud. “I know a lot of people said that college would get harder, but I think it’s around the same. I still have papers to write, and due dates to meet.” Watterud truly began to feel at home with the ‘Jackets during the team’s annual residence hall assistance program, Movers and Shakers. Assisting MSUB students on move-in day at the beginning of the fall semester has become a tradition the Yellowjackets are involved with, and it provided an opportunity for Watterud to get to know her teammates and spend some time bonding and using teamwork together in an off-the-field setting.
Watterud has already displayed her level of comfort as a vocal player at second base for the ‘Jackets.
Now that her first season is officially underway, Watterud had an exceptional experience on her team’s trip to Washington and Canada. “I loved the weather while we were there, even though some of our games got cancelled because of the rain,” noted Watterud. She looks forward to the rest of the season and the adventures with her teammates. “Our practices lately have been looking way better, especially for me personally,” said Watterud excitedly. “I have had my ups and downs. I had a concussion that I recovered from, then a sprained ankle, and a fractured finger.” During fall ball Watterud saw her first collegiate competition against the Dawson Community College Buccaneers. “Fall ball was exciting,” stated Watterud. “I got to play in one game against Dawson. I knew some of the girls on the other team, so it was kind of cool to play against them.” Watterud’s first time at bat as a collegiate player, she sent the ball to the opposite field and earned her first base hit.
Watterud picked up a base hit her first time up in MSUB’s fall-ball game against Dawson Community College.
Despite fitting the natural description of a middle infielder, Watterud did not always play second base. “Second base was not even my primary position in high school,” commented Watterud. “I mainly played outfield until I switched between shortstop and second base whenever a pitcher was being taken out.” However, she enjoys her official role as a second baseman, and believes that her range is one of her strengths on the field. “I think my really long legs help me get to the ball,” laughs the freshman who stands around 5-foot-7. Watterud spends her practices working on defense and hitting. “We have been working more on extending our range side-to-side and laying out for balls since we haven’t really been doing that in our games,” said Watterud. “I think my weakness in softball right now is my hitting, which is strange because in high school that used to be one of my strengths.” “As of late, her confidence all around has grown quite a bit,” noted Gasner, who recognizes Watterud’s improvement and focus towards upping her hitting level. “The other day she impressed everyone and I think she has now set a standard for herself. She came to practice and told one of her teammates that she was going to be awesome at practice that day and she absolutely had one of the best practices that she has had so far this season.”
Team sports create a type of trust among players that is not easy to duplicate. Watterud notes that it was difficult at first to transition to a new team with new dynamics. “It was hard to find a place to fit in at first. There are always people who you are going to connect with more. I found those people now,” said Watterud about her close friends like fellow freshman and Butte, Mont., native Justyce Connole. Flashes of her wide variety of dance moves as the ‘Jackets take batting practice on the field at Avitus Group Stadium suggest that Watterud has more than come into her own comfort zone within the team. Among her teammates, Watterud finds senior pitcher Amanda Roark as an inspiration. Watterud said, “She just goes out to the field and does her job. Even if the team is down she still pitches and does a great job. Roark has been pitching for the Yellowjackets for the past four years, even in her freshman year and is a great team leader.” Gasner commented on Watterud’s presence within the team, saying, “The team really enjoys her unique, carefree personality. She is the type of person that if she was not at practice the team would definitely sense that her personality was not there. She keeps the team upbeat.” Among the various practice plans for the Yellowjackets is a pressurepacked exercise in which each player draws a situation out of a hat. It’s the team’s form of roulette, forcing each player to be prepared to step to the plate at any point in any game.
Watterud slapping hands with MSUB assistant coach Katie Mitchell after reaching first base, her trademark tattoo displayed just under the wristband of her righthand batting glove.
When Watterud’s turn rolled around at a recent practice, she focused on the slip of paper long enough to process the situation, then glanced quickly at her personal trademark emblazoned on her wrist.
“Erin got bases loaded, with a 3-2 count,” said Gasner emphasizing one of the most pressure-filled situations a batter could face. “She went up to the plate and swung at a pitch that she had previously missed. She made a really good adjustment and hit the ball for a grand slam.” Though she couldn’t have known the situation before reading it, one could imagine Watterud standing at home plate smiling and knowing, ‘I can do all things.’ --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--