Gamecocks Set To Open 2022 in ULM's Best On The Bayou - Jacksonville State University Athletics

Friday, February 11

Monroe, La.

10 a.m.

Jax State

Southern

2/10/2022 9:59:00 AM | Softball

MONROE, La. – Jacksonville State will open its 2022 softball season on Friday morning at Louisiana Monroe's Best on the Bayou Tournament in Monroe, La.

The Gamecocks will open the season at 10 a.m. against Southern University before facing an old Ohio Valley Conference rival in Southern Illinois Edwardsville at 12:30 p.m. JSU will play a total of five games in the weekend, all at the Ouachita Sportsplex.

Change will be a theme for the Gamecocks in 2022, their first season back in the ASUN Conference that was their first Division I Conference home when they moved up in 1996. JSU will play the 2022 and 2023 seasons in the league before joining Conference USA in time for the 2024 season. The return to the league comes after a disappointing 2021 season that saw the Gamecocks finish fourth in their 18^th and final year in the OVC.

"Coming into new league, we have a new team with a lot of new faces," JSU head coach Jana McGinnis, who is entering her 29^th season at the helm, said. "Last year was disappointing, and one of our goals in recruiting was to add competition at every position. I think we've done that. Our newcomers have made our veterans better. Also, last year wasn't a lot of fun, so our returners don't want to go through that again and are working harder."

Nine newcomers join the JSU roster in 2022, a group that features six freshmen, one junior college transfer and two transfers from South Alabama in infielders Camryn McLemore and Holly Stewart. Infielder Brantly Bonds joins from Wallace State Community College, where she was named the Alabama Community College Conference's Player of the Year in leading the Lions to the state title in 2021.

"Our three transfers bring experience but they bring different types of experience," McGinnis said. "Camryn and Holly come from a South Alabama program that played in a regional and beat Alabama, so they bring instant maturity, which is something a freshman wouldn't have yet. Brantly was the Player of the Year at Wallace State, who went to the World Series and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of last season, so she knows the expectations and how to handle that pressure.

"All of our freshmen will all be relied upon early in the season, and I've been proud of that group. They are competitors and are working hard. They will learn and get better as we go."

The Gamecocks' freshman class features a pair of pitchers in Sarah Currie and Kat Carter that will be called upon early after the departure of All-OVC pitcher Nicole Rodriguez, as well as Reagan Watkins and Alexus Jimmerson from last year's team. The trio accounted for over 286 of the team's 342 innings pitched in 2021. Back is senior Lexi Androlevich, who will provide experience in the circle. Senior Hannah Brown will not be available while she recovers from an offseason injury.

"I expect Lexi to show a lot of wisdom and experience," McGinnis said. "She has to take our two freshmen under her wing. They will be excited, and I want her to show them how to handle the expectations of being a pitcher in our sport. All three of our pitchers will be relied upon in every role for us this year."

Two catchers are also included in the freshman class, with Abbi Perkins and Hannah Buffington joining sophomore Caroline Lively and senior Lizzy VanManen as the Gamecocks' available backstops. Infielder Kyndal Tinnell rounds out the newcomers on JSU's roster, with outfielder Morgan Nowakowski expecting to redshirt this season.

There are some familiar faces on the team that McGinnis will rely heavily on in her lineup in 2022. Senior third baseman Karsen Mosley returns after starting over 100 games at the hot corner over the past three season. She was an All-OVC performer in 2019 and will be looked upon to provide leadership in what could be a young lineup at times.

Junior first baseman Megan Fortner also provides experience in the lineup and looks to return to the production the Gamecocks saw in 2020, when she hit .328 with three homers in her COVID-shortened freshman season. A disappointing 2021 season still saw her homer seven times and score the third-most runs on the team.

Seniors Chaney Phillips and Sidney Wagnon, who have played in a combined 137 games in the JSU middle infield in their careers, return for JSU in 2022. Also back are Lindsey Richardson and Addie Robinson, who will have increased roles in the lineup in their second seasons with the Gamecocks.

JSU's outfield is where the most experience returns, led by seniors Keeli Bobbitt and Savannah Sudduth. The duo was on pace for record seasons before the pandemic interrupted the 2020 season, with Bobbitt hitting .440 and Sudduth carrying a .385 average. Also back is junior Lauren Hunt, who appeared in 37 games a year ago.

JSU's opening weekend will continue with a single game on Saturday against Stephen F. Austin at 12:30 p.m. and will conclude with a pair of games on Sunday. The Gamecocks will face former OVC foe Morehead State at 9 a.m. before closing play against Mississippi Valley State at 11:15 a.m.