Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Watch And Learn
October 12, 2022 | Softball
STARKVILLE – On the first day of fall practice, Samantha Ricketts has a tradition. Every year, as far back as she can remember, she catches at least one freshman at second base.
The fall is a time to implement strategy, signs and signals. Part of that is making sure everyone is on the same page with their baserunning keys. As the team works their way around the diamond working on different situations as a runner at each base, Ricketts always pauses to give a warning at second.
There are the basics reads. A ball right at you or to your left, you take third, but a ball in front of you to your right should give you pause. Don't run into the tag, remember. But then there's the point Ricketts always makes. A ball straight back to the pitcher is also a cause to pause.
Morgan Bernardini was paying attention. Sure, Ricketts might catch someone leaking off the bag, but it wasn't going to be her.
"I knew nine times out of 10 they were going to hit it to the pitcher to see what we'd do," Bernardini said. "So I got a short lead and went back. I know one or two got picked off, but that was my mindset."
The freshman from Elkville, Illinois, has concentrated on being a sponge in the first two weeks of the fall. She's looking to learn from anyone and everyone who has knowledge to offer.
It started before she even took the field. As she strolled from the locker room to the dugout, Bernardini was shocked to see cameras lining the walk snapping images and grabbing footage of every early moment in a new season.
"When I first saw them, I was like, 'What am I supposed to do?' I walked over and was talking to some of the girls and just acted like the cameras weren't there because I didn't know what to do," she said.
Her older teammates reassured her that that was in fact exactly what she should do. Pretend the cameras aren't there and just go play softball. That part was easier. After attending multiple MSU camps during her recruitment, Bernardini understood most of the drills from past experience.
As the team circled around the pitching rubber, Ricketts made a few pre-practice points. First, the upperclassmen need to help teach. Second, no one should take any criticism personally. Those resonated with Bernardini.
Back in Elkville, Bernardini's Elverado High School is small, small enough that the entire student body would fit within her largest lecture hall class at State. The sports teams are even smaller.
"We had about 11 to 13 girls, so we sometimes had maybe one sub," she said. "We never had a JV team. It was full varsity only. A lot of the time the freshmen who would play had never played before. The upperclassmen, including me, took on a teaching role and kind of a coaching role."
That gave her perspective. She knows from being on the other side of a critique that its less about the player and more about the play.
"I try, especially in softball, to not take anything they say on the field in the heat of the moment," Bernardini said. "If I make an error, they won't be happy with me, but it's not like they're going to hate me as a person. I don't take that personally. I am excited because I am a freshman again. I want to be able to be taught the stuff that the upperclassmen are going to teach me."
There's another thing that changes after playing in a small town the last four years.
"Most of the time, for any sporting event, I knew everyone in the stands," Bernardini said.
She and her family made a trip back to Starkville for her birthday last year to come see the Bulldogs play. She watched the Super Regionals on TV. It dawned on her that there was no way every fan in the stands knew one of the players. They were there because they loved softball and they loved the Dawgs.
"Seeing everyone made me realize they don't have to know all the players to still show up," she said. "I think that's what makes it so different, but I want to have that personal relationship with people who've grown up here and have always been coming to games. I think that's just part of my job as a student-athlete. I feel like I should be able to recognize them and appreciate them."
After the game, she was shocked that the current members of the team remembered her and took time to talk to her after the game. It was a peak at the culture of Ricketts' program that she's now immersed in, a culture that mirrors her high school experience and that she's extremely grateful for.
Even before her first full fall practice, Bernardini was seeing that culture play out firsthand. She was in an individual hitting group with All-SEC outfield Chloe Malau'ulu. Before she could even take a swing, Malau'ulu pulled her aside and told her not to be afraid to ask a question if she ever got confused.
"That's what really got me because she could've been in the cage hitting and getting extra reps, but she pulled me aside and had a conversation," Bernardini said. "She was there to genuinely help. That's what gets me so much about here is it's like family. The players know we're competing for each other's spots but they're also here to help and grow. They actually care about you and want you to succeed."
The fall is a time to implement strategy, signs and signals. Part of that is making sure everyone is on the same page with their baserunning keys. As the team works their way around the diamond working on different situations as a runner at each base, Ricketts always pauses to give a warning at second.
There are the basics reads. A ball right at you or to your left, you take third, but a ball in front of you to your right should give you pause. Don't run into the tag, remember. But then there's the point Ricketts always makes. A ball straight back to the pitcher is also a cause to pause.
Morgan Bernardini was paying attention. Sure, Ricketts might catch someone leaking off the bag, but it wasn't going to be her.
"I knew nine times out of 10 they were going to hit it to the pitcher to see what we'd do," Bernardini said. "So I got a short lead and went back. I know one or two got picked off, but that was my mindset."
The freshman from Elkville, Illinois, has concentrated on being a sponge in the first two weeks of the fall. She's looking to learn from anyone and everyone who has knowledge to offer.
It started before she even took the field. As she strolled from the locker room to the dugout, Bernardini was shocked to see cameras lining the walk snapping images and grabbing footage of every early moment in a new season.
"When I first saw them, I was like, 'What am I supposed to do?' I walked over and was talking to some of the girls and just acted like the cameras weren't there because I didn't know what to do," she said.
Her older teammates reassured her that that was in fact exactly what she should do. Pretend the cameras aren't there and just go play softball. That part was easier. After attending multiple MSU camps during her recruitment, Bernardini understood most of the drills from past experience.
As the team circled around the pitching rubber, Ricketts made a few pre-practice points. First, the upperclassmen need to help teach. Second, no one should take any criticism personally. Those resonated with Bernardini.
Back in Elkville, Bernardini's Elverado High School is small, small enough that the entire student body would fit within her largest lecture hall class at State. The sports teams are even smaller.
"We had about 11 to 13 girls, so we sometimes had maybe one sub," she said. "We never had a JV team. It was full varsity only. A lot of the time the freshmen who would play had never played before. The upperclassmen, including me, took on a teaching role and kind of a coaching role."
That gave her perspective. She knows from being on the other side of a critique that its less about the player and more about the play.
"I try, especially in softball, to not take anything they say on the field in the heat of the moment," Bernardini said. "If I make an error, they won't be happy with me, but it's not like they're going to hate me as a person. I don't take that personally. I am excited because I am a freshman again. I want to be able to be taught the stuff that the upperclassmen are going to teach me."
There's another thing that changes after playing in a small town the last four years.
"Most of the time, for any sporting event, I knew everyone in the stands," Bernardini said.
She and her family made a trip back to Starkville for her birthday last year to come see the Bulldogs play. She watched the Super Regionals on TV. It dawned on her that there was no way every fan in the stands knew one of the players. They were there because they loved softball and they loved the Dawgs.
"Seeing everyone made me realize they don't have to know all the players to still show up," she said. "I think that's what makes it so different, but I want to have that personal relationship with people who've grown up here and have always been coming to games. I think that's just part of my job as a student-athlete. I feel like I should be able to recognize them and appreciate them."
After the game, she was shocked that the current members of the team remembered her and took time to talk to her after the game. It was a peak at the culture of Ricketts' program that she's now immersed in, a culture that mirrors her high school experience and that she's extremely grateful for.
Even before her first full fall practice, Bernardini was seeing that culture play out firsthand. She was in an individual hitting group with All-SEC outfield Chloe Malau'ulu. Before she could even take a swing, Malau'ulu pulled her aside and told her not to be afraid to ask a question if she ever got confused.
"That's what really got me because she could've been in the cage hitting and getting extra reps, but she pulled me aside and had a conversation," Bernardini said. "She was there to genuinely help. That's what gets me so much about here is it's like family. The players know we're competing for each other's spots but they're also here to help and grow. They actually care about you and want you to succeed."
Players Mentioned
OF
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