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File photo by Brenna Lumley/THE STANDARD
The softball team shouts an energetic chant before a game in April 2019.
Key returners to lead way for tested softball squad NOAH TUCKER Sports Reporter @noahtucker04 The Missouri State Softball team has high expectations for the 2021 season following a promising showing during their 2020 non-conference schedule. The Bears posted a 7-12 record before the season got cut short by COVID-19. Although not the most impressive on paper, the team showed a lot of promise against arguably the toughest non-conference schedule of any Missouri Valley Conference team. Some of the Bears highlights from the previous season included victories over Baylor and Creighton and two one-run losses to nationally ranked Oklahoma and Minnesota. “Our team did a lot of growing through some of our early season struggles,” said head coach Holly Hesse. “Playing the likes of Oklahoma, Baylor and Ole Miss we saw what it takes to play against some of the nation’s best.” MSU’s pitching and defense stood out as the strong suit in 2020 and was key to some of their biggest victories. This will remain true for the coming spring season. The Bears were led in the circle by an ace pitcher — senior Stephanie Dickerson — who has been a force for several years. Dickerson posted a 1.43 ERA through nearly 54 innings pitched, which was tops in the MVC. “(Dickerson) was able to put up great numbers in the shortened season and did so without a single easy start,” Hesse said. “She’s always able to pitch at a high level, even against the best offenses.” “I believe with the players we have returning our pitching and defense will be
there,” Hesse said. “Our key is going to be consistently producing offense against those higher level opponents.” Through 19 games last season the Bears averaged 2.4 runs per 7 innings. A major part of the Bears offense in the spring of 2020 were a pair of freshmen in catcher/third baseman Tess Weakly, who led the team with a .333 batting average, and infielder Olivia Krehbiel who showcased a .314 average. “Tess is a consistent hitter who adjusted well to the college game,” Hesse said. “We’ll look for her to build upon that in the coming season.” Other key contributors to the Bears’ offense included the middle infield combo, juniors Kelly Metter and Daphne Plummer who each had their fair share of base hits and run production. Offense aside, Hesse said this year’s squad is going to have to find ways to grind out wins in low scoring contests. With the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility rule, the Bears will return two of its seniors from last season: catchers Darian Frost and Madison Orr. Hesse said each returning senior “plays a crucial role,” and will be looked to for leadership beginning in the offseason. The Bears look to continue to improve in the fall during their short eight-game season which includes a mid-October tournament against a handful of in-state universities. “It’s a good measuring stick for the team going into the spring, so that we can stack up and see what we need to improve on as we head into the 2021 season,” Hesse said. The Bears will host their home games at Killian Stadium within Springfield’s Killian Sports Complex.
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