No. 2 Bulldogs won all they could in 2020

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast couldn't have done anything more on the softball field than what the Bulldogs did in 2020.

They were 14-0 and ranked No. 2 in NJCAA Division II when the season came to an end. They had just posted a stirring doubleheader sweep of No. 12 Itawamba to open MACJC play.

"They were doing what we'd challenged them to do from the first day in the fall, to be the best they could be," Gulf Coast coach Eric Neel said. "The season didn't end the way we wanted it to, as far as playing games and winning championships, but they really accomplished what we wanted them to do. To be the best we could be every day. I'm just proud of what they did accomplish in the short term, and I'm looking forward to what they built foundation-wise moving forward."

Gulf Coast was first among D-II teams in the Massey Ratings, third among all NJCAA teams. The Bulldogs ranked fifth in ERA (2.16) among all D-II teams that had played more than 10 games.

The leader of the staff was Kristen Cade (So, Harrison Central/Saucier), who was the country's leader in the ERA (0.81) among pitchers with 30 innings pitched or more. Phoenix's Brianna Hardy was tops in strikeouts per seven innings (12.50), with Cade third in total K's (66).

"I would think Kristen would have to be one of the top two pitchers in the country," Neel said. "Her ability to compete at a high level, plus have the talent that she has, she learned to become a pitcher and not just a thrower. She was able to go up and down in the zone and change speeds. On our level, there's probably somebody as good, but I wouldn't think there's anybody any better anywhere."

Rakeya Travis (Fr, Poplarville/Poplarville) was the pacesetter offensively. She was tied for third in the country with eight home runs, having had two she hit early in the doubleheader against No. 20 Lansing taken off the records by a rainout. That would have tied her for most in the nation with Iowa Central's Mackenzie Rosenboom, who had played more games.

Travis' 1.382 slugging percentage was the highest for anybody with more than 15 at-bats, as was her on-base percentage (.711). She was able to influence the game with her speed on the base paths and outstanding defense.

"She's one of the most talented players I've ever watched from an athletic standpoint," Neel said. "Rakeya was starting to mature and understand how people were trying to get her out. She hit home runs on first pitches, and she hit home runs on 1-2 counts. That's the sign of maturity to go along with the ability she's been blessed with. She might be the best player in the country. Period."

Travis will be back, but so will Cade, who had signed with top-10 NCAA team Louisiana, and her twin sister catcher Kayla Cade (So, Harrison Central/Saucier). They have said they will take advantage of the NJCAA's ruling to give an extra year of eligibility to spring sports student-athletes for 2020's abbreviated season.

Third baseman Briana Shores (So, Richland/Richland), who had signed with Delta State, is also planning to return. She was batting .500 with two home runs and 20 RBI, providing stellar defense, clutch hitting and protection to Travis in the middle of the order.

"From a leadership standpoint, it's going to be really good," Neel said. "We'll have kids going into their two-and-a-half full years of playing in this league, playing on this level. They've seen the kind of work to get where we were when the season was canceled."

The Bulldogs are bringing in a baker's dozen class of recruits next year, and with what's returning from this year's sophomore and freshmen class expectations will be high. Neel knows his team won't be sneaking up on anybody in 2021, which will bring a different level of stress to deal with.

He's confident the returning leadership will guide the Bulldogs to lofty heights again.

"I'll be honest, talent is extremely deep," Neel said. "We have signed several good incoming freshmen to go with the people we have coming back. Competition to get in the lineup is going to be a daily thing at practice. That makes everybody a little better than they were, and we've got a lot of good freshmen coming back who have a lot of game experience. Expectations are lot higher than last year.

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