Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Softball Returns Two Seniors for 2021 Season
June 18, 2020 | Softball
Two seniors from Red Raider softball’s 2020 roster will return to the field in 2021.
LUBBOCK, Texas – After a campaign that was cut short due to the coronavirus, two seniors from Texas Tech softball's 2020 roster announced that they will be returning to the field for the 2021 season.
The Red Raiders will welcome back Karli Hamilton and Missy Zoch and will say goodbye to fellow senior Shelby Henderson. The NCAA announced it would allow schools to provide spring sport student-athletes an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of edibility on March 30. Since then, Texas Tech has worked closely with each of its programs to identify senior student-athletes who wished to return for a final year of eligibility.
"I am so excited that Karli and Missy will be coming back for our 2020-21 softball season," head coach Adrian Gregory exclaimed. "There are times that you always wish you had a bit longer with your players and we are so lucky to be granted that with these two! They are absolute difference makers and I'm very excited to get back out to the field with them!"
Honored as a 2020 Senior CLASS Award candidate, Hamilton started all 26 games and led the team with 13 walks and three sacrifice bunts. She tied for second on the team with four doubles while taking third with 13 runs scored, 16 RBI and four stolen bases. She finished her 2020 campaign with a .286 batting average and a .395 on-base percentage. Hamilton was recently awarded CoSIDA Academic All-America Third-Team honors.Â
Making eight starts and 10 appearances in the circle, Zoch finished the shortened 2020 season with a 4-3 overall record. The righty ranked second on the red Raider pitching staff with 56 strikeouts over the course of 44.1 innings pitched and limited hitters to a .203 opponent batting average.Â
While two seniors decided to return to the field, Henderson chose to move on to pursue her dreams of becoming a veterinarian.Â
"It's bittersweet to lose Shelby from our roster," Gregory explained. "She is extremely competitive and very smart with pitch sequences and takes that to the plate. I personally though, have not had an athlete more passionate or driven in their career path than Shelby. She is going to make a fantastic veterinarian and I cannot wait to take my pets to her. Hopefully, she will give us a discount!"
In an abbreviated 2020 campaign, Henderson made 10 starts and 17 appearances while leading the lineup with a .471 on-base percentage. She tied for second on the squad with eight walks and finished the season with a perfect 2-for-2 outing with one walk and the first home run of her Red Raider career at Hawaii on March 11.
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For all the latest information on the Texas Tech softball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechSB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
