Texas Tech Softball Opens 2013 Season With First Practice
By: Matt Dowdy - Texas Tech University
Updated: January 13, 2013
LUBBOCK, Texas - The
2013 Texas Tech softball season officially began Sunday afternoon with
the Red Raiders' first practice held inside the Athletic Training
Center.
"It
was nice to get everyone back plus a couple new faces," fourth-year
head coach Shanon Hays said. "With the cold weather, we were forced
inside for today, but I
thought we got some good work in and our players came back focused. We
only have a couple weeks before opening the season, so each and every
practice will be important."
Texas
Tech added two newcomers to its roster prior to its first practice in
Lexie Elkins and Brooke Scott. Elkins graduated from Victoria East High
School a semester
early to join the Red Raiders, while Scott enrolls at Tech after
redshirting the 2012 season at Central Florida. Both freshmen will be
eligible for the 2013 season.
The
two additions give Tech 12 total newcomers to its 25-player roster,
which also features 10 returning letter winners from 2012 where the Red
Raiders finished 41-17
overall, its second-straight 40-win season.
Hays
returns his top three hitters from last season in seniors Mikey Kenney,
Sandy James and Adriana Perez along with his two mainstays in the
circle in pitchers Cara
Custer and Brittany Talley.
"We're
excited about Brooke and Lexie joining us for this upcoming season,"
Hays said."They should both add to an already good group of freshmen and
upperclassmen.
This team will be younger than the ones from the last couple of years
but we have good leadership in Sandy, Mikey, and Adriana, so I expect
big things from this group."
The
Red Raiders begin the season Feb. 8 at the Sportco Kick-Off Classic in
Las Vegas, Nev. where the Red Raiders will face Central Florida and
DePaul in an opening-day
doubleheader.
