Southern Miss Softball Signs Pitcher and Catcher
11/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Southern Miss Softball Signs Pitcher and Catcher
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Southern Miss softball coach Gay McNutt announced the signing of Susan Logan and Jessica Saunier to national letters of intent, beginning with the 2003-04 school year.
Saunier is a 5-10 left-handed pitcher from Tallahassee, Fla. She attends Lincoln High School, where she recorded an 18-9 record last season, with a 0.42 ERA and 272 strikeouts.
?Jessica is going to be a great addition to our team,? said McNutt. ?She throws the ball very well and with good control. Her stature on the mound alone is very impressive. She?s left-handed, which will be a tremendous addition for us because all of our current pitchers basically have the same delivery and are right-handed.?
A second-team all-state performer, Saunier led Lincoln to the regional finals last season. She also earned all-area honors and was a two-time team most valuable player.
?When I visited the Southern Miss campus, I attended a football game and was just excited to be in that atmosphere,? said Saunier. ?I noticed that it?s a school that receives great support from the community, and it was impressive to see how well everybody supported each other in the athletic department. I just knew it was a school I wanted to attend.?
Logan is a 5-8 catcher/outfielder from Houston, Texas. She attends Clear Lake High School, where she batted .362 last season.
?Susan is a very versatile player,? said McNutt. ?She is a catcher, but she can also play in the outfield. She has a good stick and is very fast. We?re going to be able to use her in several different capacities, and we?re very grateful to have someone like Susan to join our team.?
Logan earned second-team all-district honors last season. She competes on a club team coached by Joe Wymer, father of current Lady Eagle Danielle Wymer. She also was a teammate of Southern Miss players Ashley Brennan and Jessica Huerta.
?I really like the area where Southern Miss is located, which is not too far from my home,? said Logan. ?I enjoyed being around the players who made me feel comfortable, and the coaches were very encouraging to me.?
Southern Miss is coming off its first season of not competing in the NCAA Regionals, since the program was reinstated in 1999. Finishing with a 28-35 overall record, the Lady Eagles also experienced their first losing season in the past four years.
They start the 2003 season with a game at Mississippi State on Feb. 4.