Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
2021 Position Previews: Pitching
February 05, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – With the 2021 softball season just around the corner, the Bulldogs are breaking down each position group on Mississippi State's roster over the next two weeks. The focus now turns to the circle and the arms on State's pitching staff.
The Bulldogs boast eight pitchers on the roster, and the team uses more of a full-staff approach than the traditional one workhorse that's often seen in softball. MSU used more pitchers than any other SEC team in 2020, throwing seven different arms.
Three-Headed Monster
The conversation has to start with Annie Willis and Emily Williams who proved they belong among the nation's elite in a shortened 2020 season. Both finished among the top 10 nationally in ERA, while Williams' 2.30 hits allowed per seven innings topped the country. Williams held opponents to a .099 batting average which led the SEC and struck out 11.5 batters per seven innings, which was seventh in the country.
Willis announced her presence with a school-record 19-strikeout performance while throwing the 22nd no-hitter in program history. She was seventh in the nation with a 9.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Quietly lurking behind those two arms is Grace Fagan. The junior threw 40.2 innings last year while posting a 7-2 record in nine starts. Fagan was the third Bulldog with 50 or more strikeouts in 2020, and she actually held opponents to an even lower batting average than Willis (.167).
The Openers
Alyssa Loza opted to return for a fifth year, taking advantage of the NCAA's eligibility relief. She is set to return to her opener role. Pitching coach Josh Johnson chose to use her sparingly to avoid hitters seeing her twice last year. Though limited in innings, she was highly effective in the circle, posting a 1.26 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.
Kenley Hawk and Aspen Wesley got their first taste of college softball a year ago, seeing most of their action as midweek starters or coming out of the bullpen in tournament games. Hawk made six appearances, throwing 15.0 innings and starting twice. Wesley tossed 11.1 innings across five appearances and two starts.
Not counted toward the official stats, Hawk threw 2.0 innings in an exhibition against Team USA and induced two double plays. Wesley also threw against the Olympic Team, allowing no hits while striking out one.
Young Guns
MSU added just two freshmen to the 2021 roster, and both have added depth to the pitching rotation. Addison Purvis could also see time as a hitter and play first base. She earned first team all-state, first team all-conference, first team all-district and first team all-region all four years of high school, and was elected to STLToday's Missouri All-Decade Second Team over the sumer. Her club team won the USSSA National Championship in 2017.
Kylie Taylor had a tremendous high school career, striking out 398 batters in just three years of high school ball due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also decorated on the travel ball circuit as her team won the 16U Premier PGF National Championship and the 16U Colorado Sparkler Championship in the same year.
Mississippi State opens the 2021 season as the No. 20/22 team in the nation and will host Miami (Ohio) at Nusz Park for a three-game series on Feb. 13-14. The first game of the Opening Day double-header is set for 12 p.m. CT. Attendance guidelines and COVID-19 policies will be announced prior to the team's first game.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
The Bulldogs boast eight pitchers on the roster, and the team uses more of a full-staff approach than the traditional one workhorse that's often seen in softball. MSU used more pitchers than any other SEC team in 2020, throwing seven different arms.
Three-Headed Monster
The conversation has to start with Annie Willis and Emily Williams who proved they belong among the nation's elite in a shortened 2020 season. Both finished among the top 10 nationally in ERA, while Williams' 2.30 hits allowed per seven innings topped the country. Williams held opponents to a .099 batting average which led the SEC and struck out 11.5 batters per seven innings, which was seventh in the country.
Willis announced her presence with a school-record 19-strikeout performance while throwing the 22nd no-hitter in program history. She was seventh in the nation with a 9.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Quietly lurking behind those two arms is Grace Fagan. The junior threw 40.2 innings last year while posting a 7-2 record in nine starts. Fagan was the third Bulldog with 50 or more strikeouts in 2020, and she actually held opponents to an even lower batting average than Willis (.167).
The Openers
Alyssa Loza opted to return for a fifth year, taking advantage of the NCAA's eligibility relief. She is set to return to her opener role. Pitching coach Josh Johnson chose to use her sparingly to avoid hitters seeing her twice last year. Though limited in innings, she was highly effective in the circle, posting a 1.26 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.
Kenley Hawk and Aspen Wesley got their first taste of college softball a year ago, seeing most of their action as midweek starters or coming out of the bullpen in tournament games. Hawk made six appearances, throwing 15.0 innings and starting twice. Wesley tossed 11.1 innings across five appearances and two starts.
Not counted toward the official stats, Hawk threw 2.0 innings in an exhibition against Team USA and induced two double plays. Wesley also threw against the Olympic Team, allowing no hits while striking out one.
Young Guns
MSU added just two freshmen to the 2021 roster, and both have added depth to the pitching rotation. Addison Purvis could also see time as a hitter and play first base. She earned first team all-state, first team all-conference, first team all-district and first team all-region all four years of high school, and was elected to STLToday's Missouri All-Decade Second Team over the sumer. Her club team won the USSSA National Championship in 2017.
Kylie Taylor had a tremendous high school career, striking out 398 batters in just three years of high school ball due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also decorated on the travel ball circuit as her team won the 16U Premier PGF National Championship and the 16U Colorado Sparkler Championship in the same year.
Mississippi State opens the 2021 season as the No. 20/22 team in the nation and will host Miami (Ohio) at Nusz Park for a three-game series on Feb. 13-14. The first game of the Opening Day double-header is set for 12 p.m. CT. Attendance guidelines and COVID-19 policies will be announced prior to the team's first game.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
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