LSU head coach Yvette Girouard refers to the catcher as the “quarterback” position on the softball field.
Girouard believes Jennie Reeves and Leigh Ann Danos are more than capable of handling the duties behind the plate.
Girouard said Reeves plays the catching position as well as any other catcher in the nation when she is “locked in” defensively. She also said Reeves ability to call a “good game” and keep runners from advancing on steals makes her one of the nation’s best catchers.
“She may be 5-foot-1 or whatever it is that she is, but she plays like she’s 6-feet tall,” Girouard said. “I’ll take Jennie Reeves over just about anybody in the country.”
Reeves, a senior from Denham Springs, heads into the season as the Lady Tigers’ starting catcher. Last season, Reeves played in 60 games, while starting 50, with a .988 fielding percentage. She also set the team record for putouts in a season with 552 as well as the Southeastern Conference single-game record with 18 against Northwestern State.
On the offensive side, Reeves had a .258 batting average and scored 18 runs on 25 hits. She ranked second on the team with 14 successful sacrifice bunts and third with a .390 on-base percentage.
With the team’s youth this season, Reeves believes it is important to show the younger players how to play against “strong rivals” such as Alabama and Florida. Reeves sees her main objective on the diamond as a calming influence on the team during tense situations.
“When things start getting out of hand … [I] call everybody in and tell a joke or something to relax everybody,” Reeves said.
Danos, a sophomore from Lafayette, serves as a backup to Reeves in 2003. She played 55 games, while starting in 21, as a true freshman. Danos also became the fourth Lady Tiger to finish a season with a perfect fielding percentage. She had a .293 batting average and scored five runs on 24 hits.
With Reeves playing her last season at LSU, Girouard said Danos will receive ample time behind the plate in preparation for next season. She believes Danos’ hitting ability and defensive potential makes her a great asset for the Lady Tigers now and in the future.
“When she becomes more mature defensively, she’s gonna be one of the premier catchers in the country,” Girouard said. “She’s got a great looking bat that can do some damage at any time.”