The excitement has built up over the past months and with the beginning of February we finally know we are really close to seeing Ole Miss softball.
After an outstanding 2017 campaign Ole Miss softball fans are ready to see more from the Rebels. Well good news Rebels we are really close to seeing what coach Mike Smith and his Rebels have in store for us this season. The Rebels are currently ranked No.14 in the nation by the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and No.15 by ESPN.com/USA Softball season begins this Friday as the Rebels open their season against Penn State in the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Last season we watched the Rebels become a great softball team and a powerhouse in the SEC Tourney. They had wins over Miss State, Florida, LSU and Alabama and ultimately won the SEC Tourney Championship. Of course, Ole Miss softball went on to host and win their first ever regional in Oxford and went on to face a very tough UCLA in the super-regional. The Rebels season ended in heartbreak however.
The Ole Miss softball team lost a few players from last season but enter the 2018 season loaded with experience. Of course, coach Mike Smith has senior pitching sensation Kaitlin Lee returning in the circle as well as senior pitcher Elisha Jahnke. Smith also has seniors Elantra Cox, Paige McKinney, Bry Castro and Alex Schneider.
Juniors Kylan Becker and Brittney Finney return from last season. They are joined by sophomores Kaylee Horton, Dylin Stancil and Morgan Bruce. The rest of this team is made up of very talented freshman or transfer players. OHT will preview the Rebels upcoming weekend tourney later in the week. For now let’s get to know some of the new players.
Fresh Faces In The Circle
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By now every Ole Miss softball fan believes Mike Smith is a great coach. He has built a very strong team in Oxford and has shown his ability to recruit great players. Of course, Ole Miss will have a few fresh faces in the lineup to begin the 2018 season.
In an effort to build his pitching staff and take some pressure off Kaitlin Lee, Smith has added to the roster left-hander Anna Borgen of Heath, Texas. Anna comes into the Rebels lineup with an outstanding high school career. Anna went 44-7 in the circle while issuing a 1.12 ERA and 450 strikeouts. Of course, Borgen is a pitching machine and will make an impact for Ole Miss immediately.
The Rebels also added right-hander Ava Tillman of Cedartown, Georgia to the roster. Tillman tallied a .185 opponent batting average and a 1.61 ERA in high school. Tillman is another pitcher who is believed will be a good one this season.
One more new name on the pitching staff is coach Ashley Chastain. Of course, coach Chastain who comes to Oxford via Michigan State is very familiar with SEC softball. Chastain was a pitcher for South Carolina for three seasons.
Fresh Faces In The Field
Ole Miss softball also adds several more players to the roster with the addition of Abbey Lathem of Livingston, Alabama. Lathem is a catcher/outfielder who received First Team All-American honors from Flo-Softball and Max Preps. Lathem had a .540 career batting average with 43 homers. She is joined by Ally Mena of Miami, Florida. Mena is a utility player who also has outstanding high school softball credentials. Mena was named Florida Player of the Year twice during her high school career. She batted .448 while knocking 32 homers.
Jessica Puk is another freshman utility player picked up by coach Mike Smith for the 2018 season. Puk, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa batted .373 during her senior year of high school while knocking in 14 RBIs. Puk is joined by Mary Terral of Farmerville, Louisiana. Terral is a utility player who earned 2017 Premier Girls Fastpitch All-American honors. She batted .446 over her high school career while knocking 29 homers and 109 RBIs. Amanda Roth is another freshman added by Smith. Roth is a third baseman out of Carrollton, Texas. Roth is a solid hitter who has incredible power. She hit .506 as a senior at Hebron while knocking out 9 homers and driving in 32 RBIs.
Returning Rebels
It’s not easy previewing the Ole Miss softball team without looking at a few stars from last season and their expected role in the upcoming season. Of course, there is senior Elantra Cox who has dominated on the diamond during her Ole Miss Rebels career. Cox comes into the 2018 season with a .329 career average and is expected to have a great senior campaign for the Rebels. Junior outfielder Kylan Becker is another key in the Ole Miss Rebels lineup who is expected to have a great season. Becker has a .344 career average.
Other returning players who are expected to contribute significantly for the Rebels during the 2018 season are senior Paige McKinney and sophomore Dylinn Stancil. Last season Paige McKinney emerged as a clutch utility player who wound up playing a solid position as the regular shortstop. McKinney has a .288 career batting average. Dylinn Stancil is yet another Rebels infielder who contributed greatly to the success of Ole Miss softball last season. Stancil had a .256 batting average while knocking 3 homers and driving in 23 RBIs during her freshman season.
Experience In The Circle
Of course, you can’t talk about Ole Miss softball and not mention the returning pitchers from last season’s incredible run. Senior Kaitlin Lee returns from a very successful 2017 campaign which saw her dominate the circle for the Rebels. Lee set school record for most starts with 37, most complete games with 27 and shutouts with 10. During the 2017 season Lee carried a 1.82 ERA and a 23-11 record striking out 118 batters while only walking 37. Lee will certainly be the Rebels favorite as starter in 2018.
Also expected to make a significant contribution in the circle for the Rebels is junior Brittany Finney. The right-hander played a huge role in 2017 as both a pitcher and first base. In the circle Finney carried a 1.80 ERA and a 6-1 record. At the plate, Finney produced a .240 average while knocking in 27 RBIs and slapping 6 homers.
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This is a very talented team and should have a great season. We look forward to see coach Mike Smith and Ole Miss softball take the field this Friday at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Of course, OHT will have more on the classic and the Rebels opening game against Penn State. First pitch from Gulf Shores is set for 1pm CT. Good luck to coach Mike Smith and Rebels softball this season. Hotty Toddy!