STARKVILLE — The Starkville High School fast-pitch softball team won six games last season to take a major step forward.
Third-year Starkville coach Mimi Milling”s job now is to make sure the wheels keep turning.
In the past, Milling hasn”t had experienced seniors who are used to her style of coaching. She has witnessed players leave the program and has struggled to find a dedicated core to lay a solid foundation.
With eight seniors this season, she thinks double-digit wins and a trip to the playoffs are within reach.
Built around outfielders Ty Ringo and Reonee Clark and infielders Shanice Campbell and Jonissa Buchanan, the Lady Yellow Jackets are experienced as they have been under Milling.
The key, in Milling”s mind, is meshing the players” natural ability and teaching them the game, as many of Milling”s players didn”t grow up playing softball.
“I”ve got the best problem anyone can have: I”ve got too much talent,” Milling said. “If I could have 13 positions, I”d be ecstatic. The only thing that”s held us back in the past was truly wanting to have the knowledge of the game. But they”ve worked hard in the weight room, with conditioning and by memorizing the playbook, which is why I”m excited.”
Ringo, the starting center fielder, acknowledges the team has an improved commitment after winning more games than it had since she has been a part of the team. The third-year starter is proud of the way the Lady Yellow Jackets have built relationships and are playing for one another.
“Without the drive and passion to want to win, it”s like who cares?” Ringo said. “Who is out here to want to do anything? I think this year, with the feeling of wanting to win, it”s gonna better the team in the long run.
“Coach helped a lot with trying to get us to be more like sisters, and you could see it having an effect as the year went on.”
While Milling has a “loaded outfield,” she”s unsettled behind the plate.
Freshman Sasha Shurden and sophomore Courtney Hollis are locked in a position battle at catcher, but Milling isn”t against rotating the two.
Shurden has experience and a solid arm to second, while Hollis is quicker out of her stance but lacks experience.
Milling said catcher is the only position where the Lady Jackets must have “perfection.”
“On Courtney”s side, all she can do is practice game situations, go through the scrimmages, and get some junior varsity reps,” Milling said. “Sasha, she”s working hard and hustles her butt off, but is just a bit limited right now.”
With limited practice repetitions the past two weeks due to inclement weather, Milling hasn”t been able to dedicate one-on-one time to her catchers. She hopes having Jadee Sexton back in the circle will help cure some of the uncertainty behind the plate. Sexton was Milling”s first-choice pitcher last season and has six pitches in her arsenal. She said she is confident in her riseball, screwball and curveball, but is looking to perfect her dropball.
Unsure of who her full-time catcher will be, Sexton admits building a rapport between pitcher and catcher is difficult, especially when Milling turns over pitch calls to her catcher.
“If you don”t have a good catcher, it”s gonna make you look bad and you”re gonna struggle getting outs as a team and keeping your head up in the game,” Sexton said. “We haven”t started signs yet, but I think we”ll be OK.”
Backing up Sexton at pitcher will be senior Tierra Tillman and eighth-grader Iyuna Clark.
Starkville will play at the Eupora Jamboree on Saturday and at the Eupora Classic on Jan. 26.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
