USM softball is ready for another good season

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team had its media day Friday.

The team finished last season with a 30-28 overall record, and a 14-10 record in conference play.

The team is hoping they can build from last year and make this year their year.

Senior shortstop, Lauren Holifield said, "I think the motivation is, as close as we got last year to do that, and more. And, of course as low as we were ranked in the preseason, I think that's a lot of motivation. Because, we think we should've gotten higher."

"We have really awesome team chemistry, which is really cool to see, because there is so much competition and so much depth. We've really kept that team mentality. And, that's going to help, especially when the season gets tough," said senior right-handed pitcher, Danielle Block.

Sophomore catcher, Samantha Papp said, "I think we learned that we're capable of a lot more than we thought we were in the beginning. And, I think a lot of the stuff that we talked about this year is that we're at a completely different level as far as raising the bar. Last year, one of our first goals was to win a conference game. Last year, we wouldn't have really had it in our heads in the beginning that we were capable of winning a conference championship. And this year, we know we can do it. So, that's what we're working towards every day."

"We just want to be better today than we were yesterday. And we feel like if we can do that each day, be better than we were the day before, that the end of the season is going to take care of itself. We put together the schedule that will try to prepare us for Conference USA and for postseason. And, that's exactly what it did last year. We're hoping for the same thing this year. So, the focus is not to go undefeated. Of course, who wouldn't want to do that. But, it's just to continue with all 55 games that we play to be better than we were the last time," said head coach, Wendy Hogue.

Some of the notable non-conference games the team will play against will be LSU and Mississippi State.

The first game the ladies have lined up is away against McNeese State on February 9.