Milligan softball reloads for 2020 season

MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Feb. 22, 2020) – The Milligan College softball team is swinging back into action Sunday, Feb. 23, as they open up their 2020 season on the road against King University. 

At the helm of the softball program is head coach Wes Holly who is entering his 32nd year as head coach and goes into this season only two wins away from obtaining 900 career wins. 

Last season's late success

Last season the Buffs finished 22-10 (16-10 AAC) making it to the championship game of the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament for the third time in the last four years. "I'm very proud with how we finished last season," Holly says. "We began the season with 20 road games having had no practice on the field due to weather. From the middle of the season on we played very well." 

Milligan entered the AAC tournament last season at No. 6 and took a first game loss to then nationally ranked Tennessee Wesleyan University putting them in the losers' bracket. The Buffs were able to work out of the losers' bracket by defeating Union, nationally ranked Truett McConnell, Reinhardt and Point, working themselves all the way into the championship game to face Brenau. The Buffs continued to show their fight in the championship game but lost to the Golden Tigers 6-5 to end the season. 

The Buffs strong returning class 

Twelve of the 23-woman roster consists of returners with two seniors, seven juniors and three sophomores. Sophomore Erin Forgety is expected to anchor the pitching staff as she finished last season with an overall earned run average of 1.83 with 12 wins and 15 complete games in 22 starts. Along with Forgety, Kendyl McCollister is the other returning pitcher who finished the season ranked No. 7 in the NAIA in saves. 

Other returners that are expected to be big assets this year include Madison Cook behind the plate, Neelee Griffith and Karsten Miller in the outfield and Savannah Nocera and Morgan Overholser on the hot corners. Holly expects his returners to take charge on defense and be able to step up on offense.  

Milligan reloaded for 2020 season

Holly brings in 11 newcomers and expects them to make early contributions to the team. Among the 11 are four transfers and seven freshmen. Lainey Mayes, a junior transfer from Roane State, is an incoming pitcher who Holly believes will be a major asset on the mound for the Buffs. April Alvarado, a junior transfer from South Florida State, will be expected to lead the infield at shortstop and Grace Jones and Bailey Cantrell will be looked upon to help make contributions as transfers as well. 

Among the freshman class who Holly expects to call upon this season is a lot of local talent such as Kate Pendleton from Gate City, Kara Weems from Crockett, Allee Griffith from Unicoi and Katie Cronin from Greeneville. "This might be the most talent I've ever had on a team," Holly said. "We have two or three girls at every position who can compete, and it's a tough predicament but a good one for a coach to have," Holly adds. 

A look at the schedule

Milligan is scheduled for a season which will include 28 AAC opponents. Milligan opens up AAC play on March 3 against Bryan College at home. Milligan will face the 2019 AAC regular season champion Truett McConnell, who is going into the 2020 season nationally ranked at No. 14, on March 14. Brenau and Reinhardt both enter the 2020 season receiving votes in the national ranking polls and the Buffs will face them on March 13 and 28 respectively. Along with a competitive conference schedule, Milligan also plays a good portion of nonconference games against NCAA Division II teams such as Mars Hill, King, Lees-McRae and finishes the regular season against Tusculum. The AAC tournament will begin on Wednesday, April 22. 

Holly's expectations

For his team this season Holly expects solid pitching and defense and for the team to have better at bats and better run production. "I want the team to have a competitive mindset early on this season," Holly says. "My goal is for us to go back to the national tournament but before that I want us to win both the regular season and conference tournament."