‘Cats look to keep climbing as 2022 season starts

Three weeks before the end of the 2021 season, three of Texas State’s players — outfielder ArieAnn Bell, pitcher Meagan King and shortstop Tara Oltmann — informed head coach Ricci Woodard they weren’t planning to return the next year.

All three were starters for the Bobcats and had another year of eligibility left since the COVID-19 pandemic cut the 2020 season short. But none of the three planned to use it, joining three other seniors departing the program.

“It kind of put us in a bind,” Woodard said. “We didn’t know that that was going to happen.”

Woodard didn’t want her team to lose momentum after going 39-14 overall, 17-6 in Sun Belt play and being a game away from playing in the NCAA Austin Regional Final. So she looked to bring in new players that could help the program right away.

Texas State added four transfers and six freshmen in the offseason — 10 newcomers in total. Despite Woodard calling this year’s roster “a whole new team, the end goal for the Bobcats hasn’t changed.

“We want to be in the College World Series. That’s been the dream for 22 years here for me,” Woodard said. “And I don’t think this team should have any reason not to make that their goal also.

“Those are the kinds of players we went out and tried to get, players that want to win still and are here to win championships and get us deep into postseason. So I think, you know, the returners have done a good job of setting that tone and making sure that everybody understands that. But I feel like we went out and got competitive people that are looking for the same expectations we are.”

It’ll take some time for all the pieces to get sorted out as nearly the entire infield will look different. Junior Sara Vanderford, who was voted the 2022 Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year last week, will slide back to third base, where she began her career in 2020. The move allows sophomore Furman transfer Claire Ginder to “probably” start at second base. Texas A&M graduate transfer Dani Elder will take former first baseman Hailey MacKay’s old spot. Sophomore Hannah Earls, who made 48 starts as a true freshman almost exclusively playing in the outfield for the maroon and gold, will take the reins at shortstop. And senior catchers Cat Crenek and Caitlyn Rogers will still hold down the fort behind home plate.

Senior outfielder Piper Randolph slots back in at centerfield, with sophomore Kylie George retaining her place in right field. They’ll be joined by freshman outfielder Ciara Trahan, who Woodard noted might’ve had the best fall out of anybody on the team. Woodard also said to expect LSU transfer and sophomore utility player Anna Jones to be someone regularly featured in the lineup.

With Bell, Oltmann and MacKay all gone, Texas State lost three of its top four sluggers from a season ago. Vanderford still remains after leading the team with a .758 slugging percentage and newcomers like Ginder, who hit for three doubles and eight home runs in 109 at-bats at Furman last year, could help bridge the gap. But the Bobcats will likely have to generate more of its offense from its speed rather than its power this season.

“I would definitely say that it’s a lot easier whenever you have a lot of bigger sticks in the lineup because once you get on, you know, they just hit it over the fence and then you just get to jog your way in,” Randolph said. “But this year, it’s gonna be a lot more grinding on the bases. You’re gonna have to steal bases and get in scoring position so then you can take advantage of one of the big hitters that we do still have around.”

The Bobcats will need to make some big changes in the bullpen, too, without King and former right-hander Dalilah “Pudge” Barrera, who combined for 20 starts and 150.0 innings. Sophomore RHP Jessica Mullins will lead the way in the circle after making 24 starts, earning a 20-6 record, posting a 1.71 ERA and picking up 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt honors.

But Woodard might take more of a committee approach with five other right-handed arms on the roster. She brought in sophomore Karsen Pierce, who made 10 starts for Southern Miss and led the team with a 2.54 ERA as a freshman in 2021. Junior Tori McCann recently returned from an injury and is “in a much better spot than she was in last year,” according to Woodard. Senior Brooke Blackwell and freshmen Kaitlyn Dutton and Presley Glende all provide something different that could complement the starters well.

“You might see all six pitchers in one ballgame,” Woodard said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if things go like they sometimes could for us.”

Texas State begins the 2022 season on Friday in Las Cruces, N.M., playing in the New Mexico State Tournament. The Bobcats will face New Mexico State on Friday at 5 p.m., take on the Aggies again on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., then finish the weekend with a game against Oregon State on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

The maroon and gold learned over the course of last year they could win games against some of the top teams in the country. Woodard wants her team to go into this season with the same mindset on opening day.

Texas State’s performance last season, and the new additions this year, have put other teams on notice. The Bobcats were voted to finish second in the conference in the Sun Belt’s Preseason Coaches Poll. But they’ll have to adapt to their new circumstances quickly to reach their potential.

“Obviously, I want to do better than I did last year and I think I can. But also, at the same time, like I said, I’m not trying to do too much,” Vanderford said. “And just like Coach Woodard said, it’s preseason awards, so you have to be able to back it up. So like, obviously it’s really good and cool to get awards and get noticed. But also, I still have to work just as hard as I did last year if I want to be able to back everything up.”