STARKVILLE — Kayla Mosley has inherited an experienced Starkville Academy softball team that returns all but one starter.
Normally, that scenario would allow a coach to make a smooth transition into her first year on the job, but finding a replacement for catcher Bailey Wofford will be Mosley”s biggest undertaking this preseason.
The former University of Mississippi player didn”t have the chance to coach Wofford, but she”s well aware of the four-year starter”s impact behind the plate.
Players relied on Wofford to make defensive alignments and to call pitches. Often, Wofford, who graduated in May, did all of her communicating without saying a word.
“Playing at short, I could just look at her and know when she was going to throw it to second,” junior Mary Austin Barber said. “It”s hard when you have players that aren”t quite to that level, to go from Bailey to a player you don”t know.
“Without Bailey, we”re going to have to be more focused on the things she took care of.”
Wofford helped break in pitcher Julianne Jackson, who switched to the position before the start of last season. Jackson had the luxury of knowing Wofford would block errant pitches out of the zone and handle all of the calls.
As valuable as Wofford was behind the plate, she was just as prolific at the plate, where she hit better than .500.
Fortunately for Mosley, the players she has rotated at catcher in the summer and in the preseason have playing experience at other positions.
Sophomore Shelby Marsh started a full season at third base, while senior Megan Aucoin is a two-year starter at first base.
Mosley said Marsh is the front-runner to start, but Adrienne Futral, who played varsity ball for the first time last season, is the most athletic of the group.
“I”m hoping she”ll be the one to step up and take it this year or the next,” Mosley said. “She”s a gifted athlete.”
Barber will play shortstop and will lead the Lady Volunteers, who finished 20-11 last season and went 3-4 in the playoffs. The athletic junior has started each of the past three seasons but returns this year more confident. She played travel ball with the Mississippi Blast and credits the added innings for elevating her confidence.
“Even though I”ve been the starter at short, I wasn”t confident a lot of times last year,” Barber said. “My throws to first weren”t very good, but now it”s second nature. I”m ready to see what I can do.”
Aucoin will switch from first to third base, a position she has never played at the varsity level. Lauren Ware will switch from third and first. Aucoin doesn”t have the position wrapped up; she”s got to get used to playing closer to the plate and to adjust to playing harder-hit balls.
“That”s the goal I”ve set for myself, so I”m working hard every day to be the best third baseman I can be,” Aucoin said. “I”m not the fastest person in the world, so I know I”ve got a lot of work to do.”
Despite the returns of Jackson, Barber, Aucoin, Ware, and senior April Burney, Starkville Academy”s depth is vastly inexperienced.
Aucoin said the dearth of experienced younger players is a concern for the team”s older players, but it reinforces the need for them to be better leaders.
For Mosley, she relishes the chance to have a group of players that will get the chance to grow through her tutelage.
“A lot of them don”t even know what position they play,” Mosley said. “I”m taking really raw girls and I get to build them and mold them into the players I want them to be and the team needs them to be. That”s what it”s all about.”
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