TCC Softball is built on experience
The start of a new calendar year also signals the start of a new softball season. After practicing throughout the Fall, the players have little time to get settled in their new classes before their first regular season games. This past weekend, the team travelled to Clearwater for the 2023 JUCO Kickoff Classic and won three of their four games.
"They've come in focused," said head coach Patti Townsend, "ready to go, right where we left off in the fall." TCC's Fall schedule included NCAA Division I opponents such as Florida A&M, Troy, and Mercer.
Townsend is entering her 20th season as head coach of TCC Softball. Having reached the NJCAA Division I National Softball Tournament twice, she knows what it takes to lead a championship-caliber team. Entering 2023, Townsend is confident in her squad. That confidence comes from not only her coaching experience, but her team's collegiate playing experience. 11 of her 15 players are sophomores, and 5 of those players are now in their third year at TCC. The players on the 2023 roster made up 86% of the plate appearances and 89% of innings pitched in 2022.
Raven Little (3B, Soph.) is one of those returning players and has been a major contributor for TCC over the past two seasons. "She's just a rock at third base," said Townsend. "She's so steady, she's always consistent."
Over 83 games and 280 plate appearances, Little has a career slash line of .339/.392/.665. She's also slugged 10 home runs in each of her first two seasons, leading the team both years. Last season, she was named First Team All-Panhandle Conference.
Kailynn James is back for her second season at TCC, coming off a freshman year that saw her slash .302/.339/.621 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI. She also appeared in 19 games as a pitcher, starting 11 of them. She threw 73 innings and had a 4.79 ERA. James was apso named Second Team All-Panhandle Conference.
"She's such an intelligent kid and player," said Townsend. "Last year, she just overthought everything. This year she's really learned how to calm that noise down in her head. She's focused and she makes adjustments a lot quicker."
James had a stellar opening weekend in Clearwater. She went 8-11 at the plate with one double and three home runs. She pitched in two games as well, going 10 innings and allowing just one earned run.
"Mentally she knows what the season is like," said Townsend, "and more importantly, what the conference is like and what she's going to have to do to elevate her game another step."
Another returning player is Brittany Michael (RHP, Soph.). Last season she won NJCAA Pitcher of the Week and was named Second Team All-Panhandle Conference. While pitching, she'll almost always be throwing it to her twin sister Brooke (C, Soph.) who is also back for another year in Tallahassee.
There are four freshmen on the team, and Townsend has faith in what they will bring to the roster. Kayli Reed (INF, Fresh.) is one of those freshmen, and TCC fans can expect to see a lot of her at second base this season. Reed went 3-9 this past weekend in her first collegiate games.
"She is just this calm, very intelligent player," said Townsend. "Loves the game, never complains. She's really consistent defensively, and she's making adjustments offensively for the better pitching and defense she'll see at the college level."
The Eagles have a tough non-conference schedule, including a date with #1 Florida SouthWestern State later this month at the Courtney Miller Invitational. Then they'll enter the Panhandle Conference portion of their schedule, where they'll play #14 Chipola and #11 Pensacola State five times each. Whatever challenges this season brings, this team has been through it before.