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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Softball Position Preview: Pitchers and Catchers
1/9/2020 | Softball
An In-Depth Look at the Battery for the Rebels in 2020
By Chris Lawrence, Ole Miss Communications
With 18 of 22 letterwinners back and an appearance in the program's second-ever Super Regional a season ago, the Ole Miss softball team is loaded with returning talent. This is the first of a four-part series detailing the position groups featuring the pitching staff and catchers.
The Rebels will be led in the circle by senior Molly Jacobsen (Adel, Iowa), sophomore Savannah Diederich (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), juniors Ava Tillmann (Cedartown, Ga.) and Anna Borgen (Heath, Texas), along with newcomers Lindsey Johnson (Wetumpka, Ala.) and Taylor Bachmeyer (Pflugerville, Texas). Among the backstops at its disposal, Ole Miss will have senior Autumn Gillespie (Redlands, Calif.), junior Jessica Puk (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and incoming freshman Mac Barbara (Long Beach, Calif.).
In her first season as a Rebel, Jacobsen was named both Second Team NFCA All-South Region and All-SEC after posting a 14-8 record with a 2.15 ERA. The Des Moines Area Community College product made 35 appearances with 25 starts, including 11 complete games and five shutouts. Her strikeout-to-walk ratio was outstanding as she tallied 166 strikeouts against just 38 walks in 166.1 innings of work.
Following the loss of two-way standout Brittany Finney, the remaining Rebels arms should earn more time in the circle. Expect to see more of Diederich as she made great use of limited action as a rookie. In six appearances, Diederich managed 16 of 24 outs via strikeout. She garnered a team-low 0.88 ERA with one run allowed in eight innings during that stretch. Diederich struck out the side in three combined innings against Central Arkansas and Samford a year ago.
Tillmann ended 2019 on fire en route to seven consecutive victories. She amassed an 8-2 record with a 1.99 ERA on 11 starts and 24 appearances. The Georgia native totaled 74.0 innings, with 43 strikeouts and 17 walks. She went the distance, striking out five batters and allowing one unearned run in a 2-1 victory over Sam Houston State.
Borgen was another Rebel who made good use of her brief time in the circle last season. In four appearances, Borgen notched a 1.75 ERA over 8.0 innings. She helped shutout and earned a win against George Mason, totaling five strikeouts in 4.0 innings of action.
The lone incoming transfer in our first preview, Johnson garnered All-South Region accolades in both seasons for NAIA William Carey. A junior from Alabama, she was tabbed First Team All-SSAC both years as well as league MVP in 2018. Johnson finished her last campaign 17-9 with a 1.51 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 167.1 innings, instrumental in the Crusaders' 2018 SSAC Championship and back-to-back trips to the NAIA Tournament.
The only freshman arm added to the Rebel rotation, Bachmeyer has shown potential to be a two-way player herself. Another Texas native, she posted a 1.26 ERA and batted .556 offensively as a high school junior while becoming the offensive player of the year that season. As a senior, she collected first team all-district and second team all-state laurels while also being named academic all-district.
Ole Miss will be backstopped by one of the most experienced catchers in the nation in Gillespie. The California product appeared in all but one game last year, making 59 starts behind the plate. No opposing runners were invulnerable on the basepaths as Gillespie led the SEC with 13 runners caught stealing. She also batted .243 with 32 runs scored and 25 RBIs as well as four triples and five home runs.
Puk is a Swiss Army knife that could play anywhere as a fielder, including behind the plate. As a freshman in 2018, Puk made eight starts as a catcher. Last season she started in all 61 contests, primarily at second base.
Our final potential catcher in our opening position preview is Mac Barbara. Barbara was a four-time league player of the year in Southern California. As a senior she batted .455 with nine home runs, six doubles, a triple and drove in 24 runners. Her junior season was equally impressive with a .554 average, 41 hits, 42 RBIs and 11 homers – the most in the state.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball.
With 18 of 22 letterwinners back and an appearance in the program's second-ever Super Regional a season ago, the Ole Miss softball team is loaded with returning talent. This is the first of a four-part series detailing the position groups featuring the pitching staff and catchers.
The Rebels will be led in the circle by senior Molly Jacobsen (Adel, Iowa), sophomore Savannah Diederich (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), juniors Ava Tillmann (Cedartown, Ga.) and Anna Borgen (Heath, Texas), along with newcomers Lindsey Johnson (Wetumpka, Ala.) and Taylor Bachmeyer (Pflugerville, Texas). Among the backstops at its disposal, Ole Miss will have senior Autumn Gillespie (Redlands, Calif.), junior Jessica Puk (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and incoming freshman Mac Barbara (Long Beach, Calif.).
In her first season as a Rebel, Jacobsen was named both Second Team NFCA All-South Region and All-SEC after posting a 14-8 record with a 2.15 ERA. The Des Moines Area Community College product made 35 appearances with 25 starts, including 11 complete games and five shutouts. Her strikeout-to-walk ratio was outstanding as she tallied 166 strikeouts against just 38 walks in 166.1 innings of work.
Following the loss of two-way standout Brittany Finney, the remaining Rebels arms should earn more time in the circle. Expect to see more of Diederich as she made great use of limited action as a rookie. In six appearances, Diederich managed 16 of 24 outs via strikeout. She garnered a team-low 0.88 ERA with one run allowed in eight innings during that stretch. Diederich struck out the side in three combined innings against Central Arkansas and Samford a year ago.
Tillmann ended 2019 on fire en route to seven consecutive victories. She amassed an 8-2 record with a 1.99 ERA on 11 starts and 24 appearances. The Georgia native totaled 74.0 innings, with 43 strikeouts and 17 walks. She went the distance, striking out five batters and allowing one unearned run in a 2-1 victory over Sam Houston State.
Borgen was another Rebel who made good use of her brief time in the circle last season. In four appearances, Borgen notched a 1.75 ERA over 8.0 innings. She helped shutout and earned a win against George Mason, totaling five strikeouts in 4.0 innings of action.
The lone incoming transfer in our first preview, Johnson garnered All-South Region accolades in both seasons for NAIA William Carey. A junior from Alabama, she was tabbed First Team All-SSAC both years as well as league MVP in 2018. Johnson finished her last campaign 17-9 with a 1.51 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 167.1 innings, instrumental in the Crusaders' 2018 SSAC Championship and back-to-back trips to the NAIA Tournament.
The only freshman arm added to the Rebel rotation, Bachmeyer has shown potential to be a two-way player herself. Another Texas native, she posted a 1.26 ERA and batted .556 offensively as a high school junior while becoming the offensive player of the year that season. As a senior, she collected first team all-district and second team all-state laurels while also being named academic all-district.
Ole Miss will be backstopped by one of the most experienced catchers in the nation in Gillespie. The California product appeared in all but one game last year, making 59 starts behind the plate. No opposing runners were invulnerable on the basepaths as Gillespie led the SEC with 13 runners caught stealing. She also batted .243 with 32 runs scored and 25 RBIs as well as four triples and five home runs.
Puk is a Swiss Army knife that could play anywhere as a fielder, including behind the plate. As a freshman in 2018, Puk made eight starts as a catcher. Last season she started in all 61 contests, primarily at second base.
Our final potential catcher in our opening position preview is Mac Barbara. Barbara was a four-time league player of the year in Southern California. As a senior she batted .455 with nine home runs, six doubles, a triple and drove in 24 runners. Her junior season was equally impressive with a .554 average, 41 hits, 42 RBIs and 11 homers – the most in the state.
For all Ole Miss softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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1B/C
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP/1B
/ Softball
C
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LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
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RHP
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