USM softball looks to raise the bar – Hattiesburg American

Jason Munz , Southern Miss Sports Writer Published 2:47 p.m. CT Feb. 6, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago

Southern Miss opens the 2017 softball season at 6 p.m. Thursday on the road against McNeese State. Jason Munz/Hattiesburg American

Southern Miss softball coach Wendy Hogue led the Golden Eagles to a Conference USA West Division title last season.(Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)Buy Photo

Upon being named Southern Miss softball coach in 2014, Wendy Hogue put together a five-year plan.

The blueprint she developed was closely tailored to the same strategy she used to turn William Carey into a national power. Year 1 with the Golden Eagles (18-34) resembled Hogues first season with the Crusaders, which went 14-24 in 2005.

But a funny thing happened in Year 2 of Hogues plan: Southern Miss won 30 games and a Conference USA West Division title. It was the first winning season in more than a decade for the Golden Eagles and just the fifth 30-win season in school history.

Now, as Southern Miss, the preseason pick to finish 5th in C-USA,gets set to for the 2017 season which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday against McNeese State on the road Hogue is confident, yet cautiously optimistic.

I would love to accomplish Year 4 in Year 3, she said. But you never know. Those are things you cant rush. Youve got to let each day take its course. But Im looking for some good things.

Hogue likely wont have to look far. The Golden Eagles return the top two hitters from a season ago, Lauren Holifield (.329) and Tori Dew (.324). Holifield, a second-team All-Conference USA selection and the leagues Newcomer of the Year in 2016, also hit 13 home runs which was tied for third among all C-USA players.

Holifield is proud of what she accomplished as a junior but is trying to block it out as the season nears.

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I think you have to keep last year in the back of your mind, she said. This is a whole new year. You can be conscious of (last year), but you have to know it doesnt matter anymore.

Hogue agrees.

Raising the bar is what we want to do, she said. Be better today than we were yesterday. If we do that, the end of the season will take care of itself.

Pitching is also set up to be a strength for the Golden Eagles as junior ace Samantha Robles (19-11, 2.92 ERA) returns. So, too, do senior Danielle Block (8-10, 4.05) and junior Jillian Johnson (3-6, 2.06), both of whom logged more than 70 innings last season. That group has been bolstered by the additions of junior college transfer Kim Crowson, who put up a 1.45 ERA in 203 innings pitched for Shelton State (Ala.) in 2016, Arkansas transfer Peyton Carter and freshman Jade Lewis.

Our pitchers did a great job last year, Hogue said. We didnt run out of guts, we just ran out of gas with having such a limited number of pitchers. So weve got some depth there this year.

Block said the added numbers have been a blessing all the way around.

At every position, we have a backup and a backup and a backup, she said. But even with that depth and competition, we still have really good team chemistry. I havent seen a team with this much talent in the four years Ive been here.

Southern Miss' home opener is set for 7 p.m. on Feb. 17, versus Nicholls State.

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Southern Miss senior Lauren Holifield returns as the team's leading home run hitter. The Golden Eagles' season opener is set for 6 p.m. Thursday on the road against McNeese State.(Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)

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USM softball looks to raise the bar - Hattiesburg American