This senior Biloxi softball player working to help her team break through this season
Kirsten Johnson has seen what her team is capable of, even in the midst of a long stretch of action within which Biloxi has struggled.
The joys that came with the Lady Indians scoring 64 runs through the first three games of the season gave way to the pain of seven losses in the next nine.
Biloxi went 6-13, and 0-6 in region play, just last year. But coach Emily Todd’s team has already matched last season’s win total and is playing in a new region.
Despite losing a couple of seniors and remaining a young team, the Lady Indians are improving. At the center of Biloxi’s slow recovery is Johnson, a versatile Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College signee who is optimistic of her squad’s direction.
“I know they’ll make another step up,” Johnson said. “I’ll come back and definitely help, but I know they’ll step up.”
In the meantime, Johnson is focusing all of her energy on giving her opponents a reason to pitch around her. She has a batting average well over .500 with 10 extra base hits and her OPS of just over 1.500 is among the highest on the Coast.
Johnson leading the way
Johnson is ready for the next level of competition but, at the same time, she’s savoring the opportunity to be a leader for the Lady Indians.
“It’s moving really fast but I’m ready to graduate,” Johnson said. “I’m going to miss softball season, though. I’m going to miss my teammates... I love to be the role model. I like people looking up to me and helping my little sisters.”
Johnson’s value cannot be understated on this year’s Biloxi team. Her hitting, defense and dugout presence are “glue” qualities every coach looks for.
“(Johnson) is a great team leader,” Todd said. “She’s a big part of our hitting right now. Right now she’s a huge utility player. We’ve got her at first, we’ve got her at short, sometimes in the outfielder depending on where we need her. She does whatever you ask.”
Showing improvement
The rest of the team is beginning to make strides on the diamond, too After a forgettable year in the seventh 6A region, the Lady Indians have a new home in Region 8 and have higher expectations.
“I think this year is probably one of our strongest years, regardless of what the record says,” Todd said. “A lot of it is just simple errors and the girl’s confidence. So what we’re trying to do is teach them to be more confident in themselves and believe in themselves. I do think we’re going to keep growing.
“I think we have a chance to make the playoffs. Right now our bats are struggling so I think if our bats start coming through and we start putting some runs on the board, I think we’ll do really well.”
Biloxi sits at 6-7 with an 0-1 start to region play after a road loss at Harrison Central. The new region also features Coast power Gulfport, but matchups with D’Iberville and Hancock could be the Lady Indians’ opportunity to break through.
Johnson, meanwhile, has zeroed in on what’s important, thanks to making her college decision early.
“Knowing where I’m going to go, it really helps me step up and try to play at a higher level because I know I’m going to be playing with the big girls,” Johnson said.
Biloxi has key regional contests against Hancock and Gulfport coming up this week.
