YES, PLEASE!
4/2/2020 9:04:00 PM | Softball
Softball Seniors Excited About Returning After Shortened 2020 Season
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Glenn Moore went from potentially one of his biggest rebuilding jobs to having maybe his most-stacked Baylor softball team to date.
Monday's ruling by the NCAA, allowing spring sports athletes an extra year of eligibility, opened the door for ace pitcher Gia Rodoni and fellow seniors Nicky Dawson and Taylor Ellis to return for another year.
"Next year would have been a rebuilding year for us, because we were certainly getting contributions from all of those kids," Moore said. "To have a pitcher like Gia Rodoni – who sat out last year, and we saw the struggles we had without her – come back and pitch the way she had to this point until the season stopped. I'm excited that we'll have that type of leadership in the circle. And that's where it all starts Every one of these kids are special, and we can compete on the highest level."
Rodoni's absence, along with outfielders Kyla Walker and Maddison Kettler being sidelined by injuries as well, was felt during a disappointing 18-31 season in 2019. The Lady Bears finished last in the Big 12 and missed the NCAA tournament for just the third time in 16 years.
Just over a month into the 2020 season, 24th-ranked Baylor (19-5) topped last year's win total with a doubleheader sweep at Houston on March 10. Rodoni took a perfect game into the seventh and tossed a one-hit shutout to beat the Cougars, 1-0, then Hannah Thompson led the hit parade with two of the team's five home runs in a 10-6 win in the nightcap.
"I was so proud of the senior leadership we had, bouncing back from a year ago," Moore said. "The only thing you can do when you have that type of year is to prove it on the field that that's not who you are. We certainly hadn't peaked yet, but we were playing good ball. Gia throws nearly a perfect game . . . we hit five home runs and the offense is starting to click.
"We're going to be tested by one of the top programs in the country. We're sitting in Florida, waiting to work out, and we get the news. I understand this is bigger than softball. I try to keep that in perspective. But, from a softball standpoint, it was devastating, because this team was ready to reclaim the position they had been in for quite a few years, and we were well on our way, I think."
In addition to sweeps at the Getterman Classic and Baylor Invitational, early-season highlights included four wins over ranked opponents. The Lady Bears opened the season with an 8-0 win over then-No. 23 Auburn at the Lead-Off Classic in Clearwater, Fla., and beat 21st-ranked Arkansas and No. 8 Florida State at the Wooo Pig Classic in Fayetteville.
Rodoni also threw a one-hitter in a 1-0 win over Tulsa and was 8-3 with a 1.15 ERA, two saves and 97 strikeouts in 73.1 innings, earning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 25. Freshman Aliyah Pritchett was an impressive two-way player, going 7-0 with a 2.42 ERA in the circle and hitting .271 with a team-high five homers and 14 RBI.
With redshirt junior Sidney Holman-Mansell (4-1, 3.40) also returning, plus Maren Judisch from Waukee, Iowa, and Caleigh Millican from Splendora, Texas, coming in as freshmen, Moore and pitching coach Britni Sneed Newman will have arguably their deepest staff ever.
"We're going to finally have a bullpen," Moore said. "I've always been jealous of baseball when they have 11 pitchers. Having a No. 2 (starting pitcher) has been a thorn in our side for a while, and we've got quite a few candidates with that."
The Lady Bears also signed a pair of "legitimate catchers with legitimate arms" in Sydney Collazos from Georgetown and Zadie LaValley from Choctaw, Okla., which should allow Ellis to return to her more natural position at shortstop for her final season. Through the first month of the season, Ellis was hitting .273 with a home run and 12 RBI.
"All those things are going through my mind," Moore said of the added options for next season. "We're probably going to have to have a tryout period in the fall to control roster numbers a little bit. We were at 23 last year, and I think we had 23 lockers in our locker room. So, we're going to have to spend some time building a couple more lockers, because we'll probably increase that number for at least a year."
Of the five seniors that could potentially return next year, outfielder Kyla Walker has already decided to "move on with her career, and understandably," Moore said. She set the program record with a .406 career batting average and finished fifth on the all-time list with 231 hits, one more than her sister, Kayce Walker (2009-12).
"I feel my voice crack a little bit when I think about not having her, because she is that good," Moore said of Walker. "In a sense, it's selfish for me to ask them to give up what they've already prepared for, and I certainly don't with her. We're going to miss her. Her shoes were mighty big for a little athlete, but they're mighty big for someone to fill."
Moore said he is still waiting on a decision from senior first baseman Goose McGlaun, who hit .273 this year with one homer, 11 RBI and a team-high seven doubles. She is sixth on Baylor's career list with 29 home runs.
"I certainly support whatever she decides, but she's a great athlete and a great recruit," Moore said. "I'm trying to give her the space she needs to make a decision that she feels the Lord is leading her to make. And we're going to respect whatever that is. At this point, that's probably the biggest unknown. I can't tell you that I haven't encouraged the three that are returning to do a little recruiting there for me."
The seniors who are returning have been trying to "negotiate" with Moore about not having to go through "County Fair," a grueling test in the fall that includes a 300-yard shuttle and a 1.5-mile run.
"I don't want to hint at anything that would let them off the hook, because we've got a chance to be pretty good next year," Moore said. "But, Taylor Ellis told me the other day, 'I'd go through County Fair in a heartbeat to have another year.' That's just the kind of competitor that some of these kids are. And we're looking forward to giving them that opportunity."
Baylor Bear Insider
Glenn Moore went from potentially one of his biggest rebuilding jobs to having maybe his most-stacked Baylor softball team to date.
Monday's ruling by the NCAA, allowing spring sports athletes an extra year of eligibility, opened the door for ace pitcher Gia Rodoni and fellow seniors Nicky Dawson and Taylor Ellis to return for another year.
"Next year would have been a rebuilding year for us, because we were certainly getting contributions from all of those kids," Moore said. "To have a pitcher like Gia Rodoni – who sat out last year, and we saw the struggles we had without her – come back and pitch the way she had to this point until the season stopped. I'm excited that we'll have that type of leadership in the circle. And that's where it all starts Every one of these kids are special, and we can compete on the highest level."
Rodoni's absence, along with outfielders Kyla Walker and Maddison Kettler being sidelined by injuries as well, was felt during a disappointing 18-31 season in 2019. The Lady Bears finished last in the Big 12 and missed the NCAA tournament for just the third time in 16 years.
Just over a month into the 2020 season, 24th-ranked Baylor (19-5) topped last year's win total with a doubleheader sweep at Houston on March 10. Rodoni took a perfect game into the seventh and tossed a one-hit shutout to beat the Cougars, 1-0, then Hannah Thompson led the hit parade with two of the team's five home runs in a 10-6 win in the nightcap.
"I was so proud of the senior leadership we had, bouncing back from a year ago," Moore said. "The only thing you can do when you have that type of year is to prove it on the field that that's not who you are. We certainly hadn't peaked yet, but we were playing good ball. Gia throws nearly a perfect game . . . we hit five home runs and the offense is starting to click.
"We're going to be tested by one of the top programs in the country. We're sitting in Florida, waiting to work out, and we get the news. I understand this is bigger than softball. I try to keep that in perspective. But, from a softball standpoint, it was devastating, because this team was ready to reclaim the position they had been in for quite a few years, and we were well on our way, I think."
In addition to sweeps at the Getterman Classic and Baylor Invitational, early-season highlights included four wins over ranked opponents. The Lady Bears opened the season with an 8-0 win over then-No. 23 Auburn at the Lead-Off Classic in Clearwater, Fla., and beat 21st-ranked Arkansas and No. 8 Florida State at the Wooo Pig Classic in Fayetteville.
Rodoni also threw a one-hitter in a 1-0 win over Tulsa and was 8-3 with a 1.15 ERA, two saves and 97 strikeouts in 73.1 innings, earning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 25. Freshman Aliyah Pritchett was an impressive two-way player, going 7-0 with a 2.42 ERA in the circle and hitting .271 with a team-high five homers and 14 RBI.
With redshirt junior Sidney Holman-Mansell (4-1, 3.40) also returning, plus Maren Judisch from Waukee, Iowa, and Caleigh Millican from Splendora, Texas, coming in as freshmen, Moore and pitching coach Britni Sneed Newman will have arguably their deepest staff ever.
"We're going to finally have a bullpen," Moore said. "I've always been jealous of baseball when they have 11 pitchers. Having a No. 2 (starting pitcher) has been a thorn in our side for a while, and we've got quite a few candidates with that."
The Lady Bears also signed a pair of "legitimate catchers with legitimate arms" in Sydney Collazos from Georgetown and Zadie LaValley from Choctaw, Okla., which should allow Ellis to return to her more natural position at shortstop for her final season. Through the first month of the season, Ellis was hitting .273 with a home run and 12 RBI.
"All those things are going through my mind," Moore said of the added options for next season. "We're probably going to have to have a tryout period in the fall to control roster numbers a little bit. We were at 23 last year, and I think we had 23 lockers in our locker room. So, we're going to have to spend some time building a couple more lockers, because we'll probably increase that number for at least a year."
Of the five seniors that could potentially return next year, outfielder Kyla Walker has already decided to "move on with her career, and understandably," Moore said. She set the program record with a .406 career batting average and finished fifth on the all-time list with 231 hits, one more than her sister, Kayce Walker (2009-12).
"I feel my voice crack a little bit when I think about not having her, because she is that good," Moore said of Walker. "In a sense, it's selfish for me to ask them to give up what they've already prepared for, and I certainly don't with her. We're going to miss her. Her shoes were mighty big for a little athlete, but they're mighty big for someone to fill."
Moore said he is still waiting on a decision from senior first baseman Goose McGlaun, who hit .273 this year with one homer, 11 RBI and a team-high seven doubles. She is sixth on Baylor's career list with 29 home runs.
"I certainly support whatever she decides, but she's a great athlete and a great recruit," Moore said. "I'm trying to give her the space she needs to make a decision that she feels the Lord is leading her to make. And we're going to respect whatever that is. At this point, that's probably the biggest unknown. I can't tell you that I haven't encouraged the three that are returning to do a little recruiting there for me."
The seniors who are returning have been trying to "negotiate" with Moore about not having to go through "County Fair," a grueling test in the fall that includes a 300-yard shuttle and a 1.5-mile run.
"I don't want to hint at anything that would let them off the hook, because we've got a chance to be pretty good next year," Moore said. "But, Taylor Ellis told me the other day, 'I'd go through County Fair in a heartbeat to have another year.' That's just the kind of competitor that some of these kids are. And we're looking forward to giving them that opportunity."
Players Mentioned
P/INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF/C
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RHP
/ Softball
OF/INF
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UTIL
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RHP
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C
/ Softball
OF
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