MONROE, La. – Added depth and experience headline the 2021 ULM softball team, which opens the season at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Best on the Bayou Classic at the Ouachita Sportsplex in Monroe.
Head coach Molly Fichtner enters her third season leading the Warhawks. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult to navigate, she says there's some positives to take away from it for her club.
"It's one of those things where I think they have been closer than years past this year," Fichtner said. "I attribute that to COVID, because they have to stay in their bubble. They've adapted really well."
Fichtner's squad returns all but three players from the 2020 squad that was off to a 10-14 start before the season came to a sudden end due to the pandemic.
"We talked as a staff about how young we are, especially with everyone getting their extra year of eligibility back," Fichtner said. "Our big junior class are now sophomores again and the freshmen from last year are freshmen again and now we've got newcomers coming in. It's really exciting. We're young and we have a lot of energy."
Junior Korie Kreps retuns to anchor the outfield. The Anacoco, Louisiana, native is a Preseason All-Sun Belt selection after leading the Sun Belt Conference with 32 hits and 25 runs scored and was tied for the league lead with teammate Jayden Mount and several other players with two triples. Kreps was second in the SBC with a .416 batting average and was third in the conference with a .511 on base percentage. She ranked fourth in the Sun Belt with 15 walks and tied for sixth in the league with seven stolen bases.
Kreps also ranked highly on the NCAA Division I statistical leaderboard, ranking inside the Top 100 in runs scored (48), hits (50), walks (88) and on base percentage (93).
Kreps is joined in the outfield by senior Alysia Anderson, who also started all 24 games last season, hitting .250 with 13 runs scored and led the team with 12 stolen bases. Junior Kennedy Page also saw time in the outfield, making 16 starts while hitting .326 with five doubles, a triple, six RBIs and nine runs scored.
In the infield, senior Jayden Mount is taking advantage of her extra year of eligibility and returns in the middle infield. The Longview, Texas native started all 24 games in 2020 with 20 starts at second base and four at shortstop. The Preseason All-Sun Belt selection hit .333 with eight doubles, two triples and two home runs. Her two triples tied for the Sun Belt Conference lead and her eight doubles ranked second in the conference. She was third in the SBC with 42 total bases. She added 16 RBIs and scored 18 runs to rank fifth in the SBC. Her .583 slugging percentage led the Warhawks.
"March 11th was my last game last year," Mount said. "I was very distraught. Coming in, I knew I had one more year. I get to learn from some of the best coaches we have. I get to make new memories with my teammates. My mindset going in is to give it everything I've got. On my glove, it says 'embrace it.' I'm embracing every moment, taking everything in, learning and making memories."
Junior Jessica Williams returns at third base after starting all 24 games last season. Williams hit .261 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, seven RBIs and 12 runs scored. Sophomore Jacelyn Buck started 20 games at shortstop, picking up 10 hits with a double, triple, five RBIs and six runs scored.
Junior utility player Kennedy Johnson returns to add to ULM's depth. Johnson played in 16 games with 12 starts in 2020, seeing time at designated hitter, outfield, first base and second base. Johnson collected five hits and scored a run.
Behind the plate, sophomore Kelsey Giddens is back after starting all 24 games in 2020. Giddens hit .250 with two doubles, a triple, five RBIs and five runs scored.
In the circle, the Warhawks return four players, highlighted by junior Murphy Williams and senior Amber Coons.
Williams made 15 appearances with eight starts in 2020, tossing a team-high 51 1/3 innings with a 5-2 record and 3.68 ERA. She allowed 33 runs, 27 earned, on 51 hits with 26 walks and 24 strikeouts. She tossed a trio of complete games, including a two-hit shutout of Southern in her 2020 debut. She gave up one run on five hits in a complete game win over Nicholls State on Feb. 23.
Coons made 12 appearances with six starts, posting a team-low 2.76 ERA over 45 2/3 innings with a 4-2 record. She allowed 31 runs, with 18 earned, on 55 hits with 24 walks and 22 strikeouts. Coons picked up three complete games, including a one-hit shutout of Incarnate Word on Feb. 22. She also allowed a run on seven hits with five strikeouts in a complete game win over Southern on Feb. 7.
Sophomore Kassidy Giddens and junior Adrianna Chavarria also saw time in the circle. Giddens made nine appearances with seven starts, tossing 23 2/3 innings with a 6.21 ERA. She tossed a complete game against Houston Baptist, picking up her first career win by allowing two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts on Feb. 21. Chavarria made just four appearances with two starts, throwing 16 innings with a 5.25 ERA. She closed out the season by throwing a season-high 6 2/3 innings with five strikeouts against McNeese on March 11.
On top of the host of returners, Fichtner's squad also brings in six freshmen: corner infielder Lauren Blankenship (Ardmore, Oklahoma), catcher/infielder Madison Blount (La Vernia, Texas), infielder Andie Edwards (Moss Bluff, Louisiana), infielder Madelyn Fletcher (Monroe, Louisiana), pitcher/utility Gianni Hulett (Bryant, Arkansas) and outfielder Caley McGuff (Spring, Texas).
Blount has stepped in as one of the early standouts for Fichtner's club.
"I think we bring a lot of competition with each other," Blount said. "I think that's going to play a huge role in getting through this season because I think we like to pick each other up. I think that's a really big aspect of the game because you can get down a lot. I think that we have really good communication with each other. I think that's something you need."
Blount is expected to see time behind the plate and likes what she sees from the pitching staff.
"We have a lot of versatility and a lot of depth in the circle," Blount said. "With a pitching coach such as coach (Lea) Wodach, she brings a lot of stuff to the pitchers and they just take it to heart and they do everything to get better. I think we're going to have a lot of depth in the circle this season."
Mount says she likes what the freshmen class brings to the squad.
"Our freshman class came in and were not scared to become leaders right off the bat," Mount said. "Our depth from last year is back. We only lost two people from last year. Filling in those spots will be tough, but everyone is working hard."
"I think we have more depth in each position than we've had since I've been here," Fichtner said. "We're really excited about that. I think it helps when you bring another pitcher in that's a lefty, when you bring in some power hitters and some speed. We've got a little bit of it all in our new class."
The Warhawks open the 2021 season at 5 p.m. Thursday with Louisiana Tech in the Best on the Bayou Classic at the Ouachita Sportsplex in Monroe. The Warhawks will also face Jacksonville State at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The Warhawks close the classic on Saturday with games against Arkansas at 1:15 p.m. and Jacksonville State at 3:30 p.m. A full and updated schedule for the classic can be found on the Ouachita Sportsplex Facebook page.
"Opening weekend is going to be big at the Ouachita Sportsplex for everybody," Fichtner said. "I encourage all of Monroe, all of Ruston, everybody to come and watch us compete and hopefully bring it to ULM when we have our home opener."
For the full 2021 schedule, visit ULMWarhawks.com.
