Published: February 05, 2008 11:37 pm         

Mountain State practices outdoors for first time this year

The unusually mild weather Tuesday let the Mountain State University softball team head outdoors for the first time this season.

The Cougars have been practicing indoors for almost a month with the season opener set for Feb. 22 at Brevard (N.C.) College.

“It was great to be out on the field,” MSU coach Tim Berry said. “We’ve been inside since Jan. 7 doing our hitting, pitching and fielding work in the gymnasium. The girls were just chomping at the bit to get out on the grass. Seventy degrees on Feb. 5, that’s the time to get out on the field.”

MSU’s home opener will be April 1 against Virginia Intermont.

Getting outside allowed the Cougars to work on fielding fly balls and other skills that don’t translate well to a gym setting.

“We actually worked more on fly balls,” Berry said. “The outfield doesn’t get work inside. We can set a whole infield up in the gym, but we wanted to give them all some fly ball work. They got plenty of that (Tuesday).

“Just being outside and being in the sun is a big plus. It will be a real big boost to them.”

Although the Cougars lost five players to graduation, Berry has been pleased with his young squad’s work ethic.

“I’m pretty encouraged with the team this year,” he said. “I think that defensively we’re very solid. We’re going to be at least two-deep at every position.”

Hitting is another area where Berry feels his team has plenty of depth.

“I look for our hitting to be consistent,” he said. “We won’t be overly powerful, but we’re going to run the bases well. We have increased our speed per player over last year.”

Pitching, though, is a major concern. The departure of three seniors leaves the Cougars with only one experienced hurler in the fold.

“Pitching, senior Sarah Rapp will have to carry a lot of the load,” Berry said. “We have two freshmen, Brianna Hammond and Whitley Hayhurst, backing her up.”

Hammond hails from Hagerstown, Md., and has shown some good mechanics during practice, while Hayhurst has looked good as well. The coaching staff has been working with the Shady Spring pitching prospect on her control over the winter.

“Pitching is a commodity now,” Berry said. “Sarah is a fifth-year senior, so she has the experience and the wisdom to know how to do things. She’s going to have to pitch 75 to 80 percent of the time. We think that Brianna and Whitley will come in and do a good job.”

The Cougars have 15 players on the roster for the 2008 season.

— E-mail:

rjett@register-herald.com