Softball: She’s baaaack – Myers expected to return to lineup this weekend

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, April 5, 2013

If it was up to Nerissa Myers herself, the returning All-American shortstop would have played last weekend against FIU.

UL coach Michael Lotief maintains she just wasn’t ready yet.

“I’m telling you, she wasn‘t ready yet,” Lotief claimed. “I was watching her run and hit and throw, everything. She wasn’t ready.”

But when the Cajuns went through an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday afternoon, Lotief saw enough.

Enough, that is, to give in to Myers’ persistent plea to return to the field. The doctor had already cleared her. On Thursday, Lotief did.

Consequently, Myers is expected back in her customary positions of lead-off hitter offensively and shortstop in the field on Saturday and Sunday when the Cajuns travel to meet North Texas in a Sun Belt series in Denton, Texas.

“I hit her about 50 fungos and her range was about 90 percent,” Lotief said. “She sprinted and she was about 90 percent. Her timing isn’t all there yet, but that normally takes about a month. I told her to focus on using the rest of the April and the beginning of May to get her timing back.”

Prior to her ankle injury on Feb. 27, Myers was hitting .395 with a homer, 11 RBIs and two stolen bases in 15 games.

“We looked at the options from red-shirting on down,” Lotief said. “She’s on schedule to graduate and she’s got some good things lined up after that. She wants to put everything into the rest of the season and we’re all 100 percent behind her.”

Lotief agrees that Myers’ return will provide an emotional boost, but truthfully, he’s more looking forward to her bat returning to the lineup.

“Yes, but really I’m looking forward to her athletic ability, just everything she brings,” he said.

While Myers’ return will be celebrated, that’s certainly not a statement about the defensive job replacement Samantha Walsh did in Myers’ absence.

“Not too bad at all,” Lotief said. “She most definitely can play shortstop. We recruited her as a shortstop. The bottom line is that we know that you’ve got to have two good ones in the middle.”

An improved offense may be needed this weekend at North Texas, which is known for its offensive prowess.

“They can hit and they swing for the fences,” Lotief said. “They take their rips.”

Jordan Terry is the team’s most powerful hitter at .319 with seven homers and 29 RBIs. North Texas is coming off a doubleheader sweep at FAU last weekend.

UL is expected to start Jordan Wallace in games 1 and 3 and freshman Victoria Brown in game 2.