University of South Dakota Athletics

If Coyote softball is going to win more in 2019, it is going to need contributions from its large sophomore class. Coach Robert Wagner brought in a team of newcomers a year ago, eight of which are ready for year two in red and white. By comparison, USD features five seniors and two juniors.
 
Three of the Coyotes' top four pitchers from a year ago are now sophomores who combined for 30 starts in 2018. The other five second-years are position players who totaled 117 starts and well over 200 at bats.
 
So what is the difference between year one and year two in college softball? Apparently, quite a bit.
 
"My first fall was tough," said Lauren Eamiguel, the first-team all-Summit League shortstop a year ago. "I was just trying to get through practice without making a mistake or getting yelled at. When we got to the spring, it started to make sense. Things started to slow down. And then this fall, I was more excited because I knew exactly what the coaches wanted, and it was a lot more fun."
 
Eamiguel, a nursing major, was the only freshman in the Summit last year who earned all-conference honors. She was third on the team with a .313 average and belted four homers while driving in 22. She produced those numbers while switching positions halfway thru the year. Eamiguel flipped with fellow frosh Lauren Wobken on the left side of the infield.
 
"I was a pitcher in high school, but in club ball, I mainly played middle infield," said Eamiguel. "I played third my senior year of high school and started at third at the beginning of last season."
 
Settling in at a position certainly aides the transition from year one to year two. Wobken couldn't recall playing third prior to arriving at USD, but made 24 of her 40 starts there last year.
 
"Now at practice, I'm usually only at third in situations and I can focus on that," said Wobken, a kinesiology major. "I think that helps a lot. Certainly with our communication on the field.
 
"I always had some nerves last year because we were so young, but we are a more confident group this year. We have done everything one way our whole lives – we have the same swing, field the same way – and then last year, they taught us so much more stuff. They always said to trust the process and that you might get worse before you get better. Of course you aren't going to be as good at first, but now we're more comfortable. We know what they want."
 
Wagner is focusing more attention to the mental side of the game than perhaps he did a year ago. He told a story during training week about free-throw shooters who perform better using a combination of physical and mental practice. As a result, when the team rotates through hitting stations, one rotation is focused on visualizing success.
 
One of Eamiguel's goals during this past summer was to get physically stronger and she achieved that with the help of strength and conditioning coach Caleb Heim. But her mental approach to softball was just as big a part of her offseason strategy.
 
"I think that's what I really struggled with last year, with being confident in the box," said Eamiguel. "I worked a lot on my hitting this summer by focusing on the little things like getting started in my swing and seeing the ball a little bit better. I noticed the improvement during the fall season."
 
The final change from 2018 to 2019 is a sense of togetherness. It certainly fuels this group of players and radiates throughout a team with 23 members including seven freshmen.
 
"We all hang out together every weekend, which is really cool," said Wobken. "I don't think it's like that on every team. When you get to practice, everyone is working hard to get a position, but when you leave the softball field, we are all friends and we get along."
 
If that can translate into wins, then 2019 could be a special season for the Coyotes.