By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Having experience is one thing. Having experience at winning is another thing.
Fortunately for first-year T.R. Miller Lady Tigers softball coach Greg White, his new team has both.
White took over for Jamie Riggs, who guided T.R. Miller to a 49-31 record over the last three seasons and back-to-back Class 3A Area 1 championships. That mark included an 18-11 record a year ago and a trip to the second round of sub-state play.
While White is new to the T.R. Miller coaching staff, he is not a new face when it comes to softball having coached the sport the last seven years at Sheffield High School.
White inherits a veteran Lady Tigers squad that has six seniors, five of which were key contributors last season.
Most of this year's lineup will be similar to last season's with a few position adjustments.
Sophomore Rachel Bostic returns to first base. Junior Haley Gibson or possibly senior Catherine Layton might see occasional work there as well.
The rest of the infield slots will depend on who is pitching. Second base will primarily be held by sophomore Leslie Nalty.
White would prefer to keep senior incumbent Leigh Cooper at shortstop, but Cooper has been elevated into T.R. Miller's top pitcher and will see most of her time on the mound. When that happens, Emily Layton will probably take over at shortstop.
Catherine Layton slid into the third base spot for much of the second half of last season and will probably take over that role full-time this spring. Emily Layton or possibly even Cooper could see some role play for that spot.
One of the few new faces in the lineup will probably be in leftfield where junior Shandreka Foster is projected to take over.
Senior Haley Rilling will move to her third position in less than a year. Rilling began last year at second base and shifted to leftfield midway through the campaign. This spring she will slide over to centerfield.
Junior Taelor Robinson is projected to step into the rightfield position.
Considering she has played every inning behind the plate the last two years, it is a pretty safe assumption senior Terri Lynne Peacock will return to her catcher's spot again this season.
Cooper and Nalty will handle most of the innings on the mound. Bostic and freshman Brandi Kennedy may also get some work.
T.R. Miller Lady Tigers
Softball Schedule
Mar. 2 Straughn Home 4:30 p.m. (V, JV)
Mar. 7 W.S. Neal Home 3:30 p.m. (JV DH)
Mar. 10-11 Andalusia Tournament
Mar. 13 W.S. Neal Home 3:30 p.m. (JV, V)
Mar. 14 Excel Home 4 p.m. (JV, V)
Mar. 16 Monroe County Away 4:30 p.m. (JV, V)
Mar. 17 Andalusia Home 4 p.m. (JV, V)
Mar. 21 J.U. Blacksher Away 4:30 p.m. (JV, V)
Mar. 23 Carver Home 3:30 p.m. (JV DH)
Apr. 4 W.S. Neal Away 3:30 p.m. (JV, V)
Apr. 7-8 Andalusia JV Tournament
Apr. 11 Clarke County Home 5 p.m. (JV, V)
Apr. 13 Excel Away 4:30 p.m. (JV, V)
Apr. 17 Escambia County Away 4 p.m.
Apr. 18 Monroe County Home 4 p.m.
Apr. 25 Escambia County Home 4 p.m.
Apr. 27 Pleasant Home Home 4:30 p.m.
Apr. 28 Straughn Away 5 p.m.
May 2 J.U. Blacksher Home 4 p.m.
May 5 Class 3A Area 1 Tournament Home