Natalie Herrington will be returning to the Hattiesburg area as the former Pine Belt Sports Softball Player of the Year recently committed to Southern Miss.
“It’s always been a dream of mine since I was little; I’ve been a fan of the USM softball program (and) the recent coaching changes with Coach Natalie Poole being there,” said Herrington on why she chose Southern Miss. “I’ve built a relationship with (Poole) over the past few months and got to meet with her. She watched me a little bit this summer. I just love the new staff and everything that they are doing over there. Obviously, coming back home and being close to my family and friends is all just a perfect storm and perfect opportunity.”
Herrington, who is now at Pearl River CC, enjoyed a productive freshman year last season as she posted a 15-6 record, held a 1.51 ERA, struck out 129 batters and walked 26 in 143.2 innings of work, which led to her being named Second Team All-MACCC.
“Natalie came in here as a special pitcher,” PRCC coach Christie Meeks said. “She obviously dominated in high school and doing the things that she did. I think she has grown mentally, physically and emotionally. But mostly, the mental side of her game is something I have seen really take off.
“She’s a workhorse. She comes in every day in practice with a mentality to dominate, and that’s whether she is in the weight room, doing a bullpen, on the field throwing in live situations, or a live game. I love that part about her. It’s easy to coach.”
The last time Herrington played in a game at the Southern Miss Softball Complex was after helping Petal win the Class 6A State Championship back in 2022.
“The transition from high school to college was a lot bigger than what I thought it would be,” Herrington said. “It’s a totally different ball game. Mentally, I feel like where I have grown the most is being able to work through those high-pressure situations. Everyone in this JUCO league, when we get into conference play, is good. It’s not like high school and off-pitch. Everyone is good, and you can’t sleep on anybody. I’ve really grown here with Coach Meeks’ help. She’s helped me a lot with confidence on the mound as well.”
During her senior year at Petal, Herrington posted a 0.74 ERA, a 25-4 record, struck out 246 and walked just 30.
“I’m fully committed to USM,” Herrington said. “Southern Miss was always on my list. This summer, I looked into some schools, but Southern Miss made its way to the top of my list. When I got that offer, I had to take it.”
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