Lady Eagle Softball Team Begins Fall Exhibition Season
10/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oct. 1, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- - The Southern Miss softball program begins a new era under first-year coach Howard Dobson as the Lady Eagles open their fall exhibition season. Admission is free.
Southern Miss plays host to Pearl River Community College in an extended game on Tuesday evening at the Southern Miss Softball Complex and in its own Fall Invitational, Saturday and Sunday.
After going through a rigorous preseason conditioning program, the Lady Eagles began fall practice last week, concentrating on basic fundamentals and hitting.
"Right now we are trying to get ourselves into game shape," Dobson said. "No matter how much running and conditioning you do over the summertime, to get you to this point in the fall, getting into actual game-playing shape is a different pace. That pace includes fielding ground balls over and over again and conditioning outfielders. Our hitters are getting three or four cuts at a time, so we can have more at bats."
Southern Miss returns 14 letterwinners from last year's team, including five seniors, three juniors and six sophomores.
"We have started to implement our game situations and game strategy," said Dobson. "We are looking forward to Tuesday so we can play someone else. It will be nice to see a different face in the other dugout and see how adrenaline plays a part in our progress. We are trying to get our players in some different situations and different positions to see what we have to do to get ready for spring."
The Golden Eagles continue their fall schedule with their own Southern Miss Fall Invitational, Oct. 6-7, at the Softball Complex. The schedule is as follows:
Southern Miss Fall Invitational
Saturday, Oct. 6
12 p.m. Gulf Coast vs. William Carey
2 p.m. Co-Lin vs. William Carey
4 p.m. Gulf Coast vs. Southern Miss
6 p.m. Co-Lin vs. Southern Miss
Sunday, Oct. 7
12 p.m. William Carey vs. Gulf Coast
2 p.m. William Carey vs. Southern Miss
4 p.m. Delta State vs. Gulf Coast
6 p.m. Delta State vs. Southern Miss